Total noob

[ai-no-kira88]

Howdy people, obviously I'm new to the site. I just really want to make sure i am taking care of my new fish correctly. I am kind of young so i am not able to get all of the things necessary for my new fish all at once. My older sis just brought home a betta that she won in a contest and gave it to me to take care of because she knows nothing about fish. i only knew the basics of what to get so i now have a heater, food a 5-gallon and 1- gallon tank set up with filters ornaments for the fish to hide behind. The betta is also in the tank with a common pleco. they seem to be getting along so im not very worried but i would like to know what else i could do to make sure regulus and ramses are happy

[Andrew McFadden]

to AA! We hope you enjoy

You'll need a much much bigger tank because common plecos get huge.

[ai-no-kira88]

how big should it be O.o

[Andrew McFadden]

It can get around 18" big without stunting the fish from being in to small of a tank. It really.should be in a 55 gallon or bigger tank

[Hholly]

Welcome to the forum! Sound like you're going to need a bigger tank... Or you could trade your pleco back to the fish store for a species that will work in a 10 gallon. Some small Cory cats might work. Good luck!

[ai-no-kira88]

Thanks for telling me. I might just convince mi mum to get a bigger tank for the pl*co after sometime and see if cory cats will get along with my betta. I'll have to research it though, i wouldn't want any thing bad to happen to any of them.

[Bettafanatic]

Common plecos can get up to 2 feet long and as thick as coffee cans. Some people even say that they require tanks of at least 300 gallons. For cory cats, you'll need a ten gallon tank, and then you can only have pygmy cories. You should consider rehoming the pleco. A betta fish will be perfectly fine in a 5 gallon tank though.

[ai-no-kira88]

Its good that my betta will be happy at least but ill have to convince mi mum for a bigger tank after some time and i will think about the cories i think it would be awesome to have them after i get used to having to take care of the fish i already have thanks for the suggestion

[ktomminello]

You sound like you have what you need, my only suggestion is get rid of the plecosaurus poopicus maximus, because he's not gonna be happy, and though they are very peaceful when they are in the right habitat, when they feel crowded they will lash out at other bottom feeders- my 7 inch pleco ate a couple of my otos last night. I moved my pleco to a 55g plastic tub. I'm probably gonna trade him in for store credit at my lfs, considering my mom is sick of plecos. If you get a chance to show off your betta we'd all love to see him!!

[ktomminello]

Corys are a stretch with a betta and a nano/ pico. A couple of ghost or cherry shrimp would be cool.

[ai-no-kira88]

okay so keeping the pleco (Ramses) in the 5 gallon for too long will make him very unhappy, don't add any cories until i remove Ramses to a 55 gallon, my Betta (Regulus) will be okay in the 5 gallon and leave a few ghost shrimp for Regulus.

Regulus is a dark blue and black half moon Betta although i dont know if the black on the end of his tail is a design or something else. I'm thinking of putting him in the other tank for a bit to make sure