what is compatible with a betta??? suggestions for 5 gallon?

[Bubble_Boy]

i have a 5 gallon tank

i want to get a betta
what can i put with the betta??

anything?
any suggestions?

i was thinking either:
snails
white clouds
danios
cories.

but i don't know how many i can put in there...
can someone please tell me the stocking limit.


also.
do i need a heater in a 5 gallon tank??
according to bettatalk.com
she said do NOT put a heater in anything less than 5 gallons.


also.
is a HOB/power filter good for a betta???
i have an aquaclear -mini .
Is this O.K??
will the betta be ok with the waterfall??

 

[loganj]

I would probable go with a trio of otocinclus cats. Bettas don't like strong currents. They also don't like very active tankmates. For this reason, I wouldn't put any Danios in. Bear in mind that you'll have to feed the otos as they won't find enough algae in a 5g tank to survive on. Whether you need a heater depends on the temp in your house. If you keep it in the mid 70's, I wouldn't worry about it. If you're a cheapskate like me, and keep the thermostat on 67* in winter, then I would put a small heater in the tank. JMHO.

 

[youronlysin]

Bettas are tough fish. Ive seen them withstand some pretty adverse conditions, but that isnt to say that it wasnt harmful to the fish. I feel the same as loganj....just keep an eye on the temperature in the tank. If it fluctuates more than a few degrees over the course of the day, you might want to think about a small heater just to keep the temperature at a constant. Most fish can withstand temperatures a little cooler or warmer than normal, but they dont seem to like the temperature to change drastically. Drastically can be just a few degrees over a few hours time.

As for tank mates, I might have to skip the advice there. Ive had Neon tetras, shrimp, corycats, plecos....all with a Betta, but Ive never had them in anything smaller than a ten gallon tank. Keep in mind that the Tetras are generally a schooling fish so you might have to find a tank mate thats a little more solitary, just to keep the numbers of fish down in your small tank. You might try to add plants. Bettas like planted tanks if I remember correctly and a lot of plants in a smaller tank might help make the tank not look so empty with just one fish. Just a thought. Good luck!

 

[Devilishturtles]

A snail or two would be fine. The white clouds would be too. A small school or 4 would be nice. Oto cats would work nicely too, but you would have to feed them, as described above.

I would still get a heater. Even though you might not think it, your water temperature does fluctuate, especially at night. I would get a heater, just to keep it stable, IMO.

Good luck.

 

[An t-iasg]

I agree with the heater suggestion -- bettas are very stressed by fluctuating temperatures. I have a 25-watt Visitherm Deluxe heater in my 5 gallon betta tank. It's set to 80 degrees. I think cory cats' maximum temperature is 78 degrees, but they should adapt to 80 degrees. The hatchery I go to has an air temp of 80 degrees year round and all the fish are fine.

 

[Maillis]

I've got 2 otos and a ghost shrimp in with my female betta in a 5 gallon, and they seem to be doing great.

 

[rubysoho]

I'll have to disagree on danios not being able to be housed with bettas. I have my male betta with 4 other danios and the are very happy. However, danios should have a larger tank than a 5 gallon because they are active swimmers.

What about some big snails or a trio of pygmy cories? Stay away from anything with flashy fins. Bettas don't appreciate them.

 

[Menagerie]

I'll also recommend a heater and give a plug for pygmy cories

 

[Lance M.]

Yep. Pygmy cories are currently my favorite fish.

For your tank (If planted) How bout make this-
3-white clouds
1-betta
4-pygmy cories
1- otto
some shrimp

The one inch per gallon rule does not apply to planted tanks- only to very cautious people that don't like to experiment

 

[rubysoho]

Lance, I agree to a point, but this is just a 5 gallon tank so fish ratio to swimming space is a problem. You don't want them crowded. I'd drop the white clouds from that list. Just my opinion though.

 

[Lance M.]

I can understand the reasoning behind the small swimming space, but bettas don't swim around very much anyway, you can keep 3 white clouds in a gallon tank, and the cories would have the entire bottom to themselves- swimming around the top and mid occasionally, and the oto just sticks to the walls and stuff.

 

[newtank]

I've been following this thread, wondering what to put in with my own betta. My first fish!
I have to disagree with Lance M. saying " bettas don't swim around very much anyway ". Mine cruises around the entire tank all day long. He's quite a busy little guy. I've been thinking about livebearers and cories as companions.

 

[Meredith]

I just switched to a hob filter in my ten gallon betta tank and his dorsal fin was BADLY damaged, so I would not use one. I am going to get him a small sponge filter. As for tank mates, When I had a betta years ago, I kept a small aquatic frog in with him. Also I think a really cool snail would be neat. Or you could keep him by himself. No harm in doing that.