Suitable tankmates for a Betta in a biOrb

[TheChards]

Hi guys.

I am hoping to get a 30-litre (8 gallon) "biOrb" (biOrb) at some point in the nearish future and intend to use it to house my first Betta. However, I'm stuggling a bit to decide on suitable tankmates that should get along well with each other and will do well in a relatively small tank. Obviously I want to avoid over-stocking it as well!

My current thinking (based quite heavily on what I've read here) is something like the following:

- 1 male Betta
- 3 White Cloud Minnows

and either (in order of preference)...

1 Apple Snail or,
2 Ottos or,
2 Pygmy Cories

If possible, I'd quite like to go with the Apple Snail and the Ottos but I think this is going to be stretching the capacity too far so I'm most likely to go with just the snail (and the Betta and Minnows). Does anyone else have any advice/ suggestions?

Many thanks,
Dan

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

May I suggest just going with the betta and the snail? That would make for a nice, pleasant living experience for both. You could get a couple of other types of snails, too, for variety's sake.

 

[TheChards]

Would the Minnows not do well with a Betta then? I must admit, I haven't read anything to suggest this so far...

 

[Taelen]

Not sure if they would be ok with a betta, personally I have cories with my betta in a 10g and that works out just fine.

 

[TheChards]

What sort of Cories do you keep with your Betta?

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

I think it's a matter of the character of the male betta as to whether or not it does well in a community. I think that's a good combination, but in a smaller tank, it could be bad if it doesn't work out.

Do you have another home for the minnows if it is a poor combo?

 

[Lars1985]

My girlfriend has glo-fish with his betta in a 10 gallon tank. At first it seemed like there would be trouble but they get along fine now.

Glo-Fish are basically Zebra Danios. I imagine certain types of tetras would do fine, just not guppies.

 

[TheChards]

Potentially I could move them into my 16g community tank but I would be somewhat over-stocked if I did this. However, it would at least be a temporary home for them until I sorted out something else.

I'm hoping that as long as I add a few plants and some caves/ bogwood to the tank it should break up the fishes lines of sight and give them somewhere to hide/ play which ought to help...

Thanks for the tip roaf85 - I've not read up about Glo-Fish at all (but I will do). I did consider Zebra Danios but then I read that they can be a bit nippy and wouldn't do the Betta a lot of good...

 

[An t-iasg]

I would suggest just the betta and snail also. The mountain minnows may be ok in temperament with the betta but they are a coler water fish and would prefer temperatures well below the betta's comfort temperature of 80 degrees F. The minnows also prefer to be in groups of at least 5 and that would overcrowd your tank.

A group of ottos will need to have a constant food supply - algae or wafers - and in a small tank this can be messy. Ottos must always have a round, full belly to be at their healthiest. I don't know if such a small tank can provide for those needs.

Danios, I think, would be too active for a small tank and would bother the slower-moving betta. I've seen neon tetras get nippy with bettas. In a small tank such as this biorb, the fish are most likely going to be more aggressive as their territories aren't that big. That's why I think you'd be better off with the betta and snail.

 

[TheChards]

Thanks for the advice.

I'd read that a good temperature range for the White Cloud Minnow was 8 - 25C (FishProfiles.com - Tanichthys albonubes) and for the Betta it's supposed to be 24 - 30C (FishProfiles.com - Betta splendens). Therefore, I figured that if I could keep the temperature at 24 or 25C both should be happy.

To be honest, I think a tank with just a Betta and a snail would be a boring waste of money and not something that I'd bother with. I'm finding it a bit frustrating at the moment as a quick search across these forums would seem to suggest that the Minnows and a Betta would be happy together in equally small tanks as well. What's changed since then or was this just bad advice?

Originally I had thought Neon Tetras might be good but then I read that they can be a bit nippy and I didn't want to risk it. Same goes for the Zebra Danios. Surely there is some remotely interesting fish that can be kept with a Betta in a biOrb?

 

[bluerose]

I think if you're open to a female betta instead you might have more options. I have an 8 gallon tank as well- female betta, tetras, cories, a few shrimp. Betty (the betta) harasses the shrimp from time to time but they're too big for her to munch on and they're pretty speedy so it works out OK. No problems with fin-nipping. It's heavily planted and broken up with pots and driftwood so everybody has a nice hangout spot.

She likes to steal the algae wafers from the cories, which is highly aggravating... the cories are awfully fun though.

I really like my betta- she's quite the personality...

 

[jrp1588]

I've kept several bettas over the years with cories of various types. The betta never showed them even a hint of aggression.