I was wondering what can be put in a 2.5 gal tank with a male Betta
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Mumma.of.two
Aquarium Advice Obsessed
Nothing really. Maybe one or two shrimp but even then that's pushing it.
TenaciousTriggerFish
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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try a neon tetra or black neon tetra... pushing it still... but if u have your head dead set on something one of them would be "ok"
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
I don't recommend tetras for a couple of reasons. Maybe shrimp or a nerite.
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would stick to snails. Many betta will kill a shrimp in such confined quarters.
Tabathalouisee
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I would not go with the African Dwarf Frog, I have had experience with this, and I found the frog eating my Betta. So I would watch for that! Snails could work though!
Freakgecko91
Aquarium Advice Addict
Tabathalouisee said:
There is no way a ADF can eat a betta, unless you're talking about fry or extremely young betta! You my friend, had a african clawed frog, which grow to bullfrog size and have an appetite to match
Bettaluv
Aquarium Advice Regular
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yeah, kind of having trouble picturing that...
Anyway, I would only go snails. I had some ADFs for a while. They were really small, and the betta killed them. ADFs will either be picked on, eaten, or killed by a betta (as will shrimp most of the time). If you upgrade to a 5.5 gallon and put in a LOT of hiding spots you could put in a pair of ADFs, but they would hide all of the time, and you would most likely never see them...so that is pointless. Plus they would be scared all the time.
If you are going to put anything at all in that tank, it would be a live plant potentially. A snail, much less a pair, would be very cramped in something like that. I usually keep my bettas in 5 gallon tanks and they are very happy. If you have any other tanks, ditch the 2.5 and use it as a quarantine tank for small fish, upgrade to a 5 gallon and put in a few snails with your betta. Or you could turn it into an aqua scape (is that what you would call it). Put in some live plants and it would be a cute little desktop display. Basically, nothing but a single betta would be happy in a tank that small, and your betta will be even more lively if you put him in a 5...just saying...
ADF's can rip a betta to shreds. No doubt about it. I'd consider 5 gals the bare minimum for ADF's. 10 is better.
Bettaluv said:yeah, kind of having trouble picturing that...
Anyway, I would only go snails. I had some ADFs for a while. They were really small, and the betta killed them. ADFs will either be picked on, eaten, or killed by a betta (as will shrimp most of the time). If you upgrade to a 5.5 gallon and put in a LOT of hiding spots you could put in a pair of ADFs, but they would hide all of the time, and you would most likely never see them...so that is pointless. Plus they would be scared all the time.
If you are going to put anything at all in that tank, it would be a live plant potentially. A snail, much less a pair, would be very cramped in something like that. I usually keep my bettas in 5 gallon tanks and they are very happy. If you have any other tanks, ditch the 2.5 and use it as a quarantine tank for small fish, upgrade to a 5 gallon and put in a few snails with your betta. Or you could turn it into an aqua scape (is that what you would call it). Put in some live plants and it would be a cute little desktop display. Basically, nothing but a single betta would be happy in a tank that small, and your betta will be even more lively if you put him in a 5...just saying...
A pair of snails would be perfectly happy in a 2.5. There are other nano species that would be happy in a tank that size. For example, least killifish.
Tabathalouisee
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
it is very possible for a ADF to kill a betta, I found the frog with my bettas fin sticking out of its mouth.
Freakgecko91
Aquarium Advice Addict
Tabathalouisee said:
You must have had a clawed frog, dwarf frogs are not nearly large enough to swallow a betta whole... Fin nipping I can understand, but not actually ingesting a fish of that size
Tabathalouisee
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I am most positive it was just a ADF, I don't know how it happened, But it did! I miss my Betta. 
I have a 10g that I have divided equally. On each side is 2 African dwarf frogs and a betta (one side male the other side female). Before the female there was another male that died (not because of the frogs). When I first put the frogs in, one betta (male) swam up to each and looked at them and hasn't acknowledged them since. The other (the male that died) let them know he was boss by pushing them around a bit, maybe 5 min or so then didn't bother them again. When I added the female she didn't even look at them. My bettas and frogs are all VERY active and live together well. I am thinking of getting some adf for my daughters 5g betta tank too!
If you could upgrade to a 5g I would highly recommend an adf or 2! My experience with the 2 species had been fun!
If you could upgrade to a 5g I would highly recommend an adf or 2! My experience with the 2 species had been fun!
MarioMarimo
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I have successfully kept ghost shrimp with one of my bettas. They are really good to have around because they will clean up and eat any food missed by the betta. Don't get too many though b/c they are territorial. One or two should be OK.
I also keep a horned nerite snail with a betta. They look cool and stay smaller than other nerite snails. I havent had a problem with the betta tearing fins or anything, but that might be possible. Also, I think a nerite snail might not have enough to eat in a small 2.5 gal tank, so if you decide to get a nerite you might want to supplement its diet with veggies or algae wafers or something.
I also keep a horned nerite snail with a betta. They look cool and stay smaller than other nerite snails. I havent had a problem with the betta tearing fins or anything, but that might be possible. Also, I think a nerite snail might not have enough to eat in a small 2.5 gal tank, so if you decide to get a nerite you might want to supplement its diet with veggies or algae wafers or something.
TenaciousTriggerFish said:
That is not good advice
Most/All tetras need a school of 6 or more fish
Neons and black neons need a 20 gallon tank or larger
Maybe a snail would work
However your betta really needs a 5 gallon or larger tank
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