I have a ten gallon tank whose only resident is a male betta named Ziggy Stardust. The tank is equipped with an internal filter, a heater, plastic plants, a couple ornaments and a natural gravel substrate. I have decided that it's time to get Ziggy some tankmates, but I am having trouble deciding which combinations would work the best. The safety and well-being of my betta are my most important concerns, so I want to make sure I don't get any bullies or fin-nippers, and I also want to make sure that I don't overstock. I've been through about 8 possible tank set-ups but my current top 2 are:
-1 Male Betta
-1 or 2 Otos
-5 or 6 White Cloud Mountain Minnows or Neon Tetras
or
-1 Male Betta
-1 small pleco (clown or bristlenose)
-5 or 6 White Cloud Minnows or Neon Tetras
In case you couldn't tell, my basic template is a small school of peaceful middle-dwellers, and a somewhat solitary, peaceful bottom dweller. I'm leaning towards the minnows instead of the neons because I've heard that neon tetras can be nippy, but I could go either way with the bottom dwellers. I'm also looking to add some live plants, and I'm currently looking into hornwort and java ferns (I'll be buying a fluorescent light or course). Anyway, here are my questions:
-Which tank set up seems like it would work the best?
-Am I attempting to overstock my tank, and if so, what should I do about it?
-Which live plants are best for beginners?
-If my set-ups both look like they won't work, what are some other possibilities I could consider?
-1 Male Betta
-1 or 2 Otos
-5 or 6 White Cloud Mountain Minnows or Neon Tetras
or
-1 Male Betta
-1 small pleco (clown or bristlenose)
-5 or 6 White Cloud Minnows or Neon Tetras
In case you couldn't tell, my basic template is a small school of peaceful middle-dwellers, and a somewhat solitary, peaceful bottom dweller. I'm leaning towards the minnows instead of the neons because I've heard that neon tetras can be nippy, but I could go either way with the bottom dwellers. I'm also looking to add some live plants, and I'm currently looking into hornwort and java ferns (I'll be buying a fluorescent light or course). Anyway, here are my questions:
-Which tank set up seems like it would work the best?
-Am I attempting to overstock my tank, and if so, what should I do about it?
-Which live plants are best for beginners?
-If my set-ups both look like they won't work, what are some other possibilities I could consider?