10 gallon Betta tank advice?

[Aysvin]

I'll just start with a little info about what I have.

I just set up a 10 gallon Betta tank

It used to be brackish for a f8 puffer, but I gave him up to a local pet fish store because I just don't have the means to upgrade him to the 20 gallon he needs. Also, he'd be the only fish in there and at a max size of 3.5" I feel like it would be too empty for me.


So I gave him to a good store who will find him a good home and spent a good while cleaning the tank to get as much salt as I could out. It's now down from 1.006 to at most 1.002, and it will go down with each daily water change since now it's cycling all over again.



Besides that everything is all set and he's been acclimated to his new home.

He also have two friends (otto cats)

I guess the only questions I have are:

1. I'd like to eventually add one or two more fish to the group. What would be well suited to this set up?
2. Any advice? Live plants? Decor? Feeding?

 

[fissyfriend]

I would add some kind of tetra in there. Not diamond tetras but maybe neons or gold, or blood fin or something. Or you can get dianos. But you only want to get one school of fish because if you get more than one it will stress your betta out, and you don't want that. I would go to aqadvisor.com and see what it says about the mixture of fish in your tank. If you do live plants you are going to want to get at least a 5500 watt bulb (special lighting for live plants) and you would want to get Betta friendly plants so Anubis and java swards. You can get a java moss ball 'cause those are awesome and a banana plant. But yeah. I would go to your local fish store and ask what would do best. I hope this helps you. Good luck!

 

[Aysvin]

I would add some kind of tetra in there. Not diamond tetras but maybe neons or gold, or blood fin or something. Or you can get dianos. But you only want to get one school of fish because if you get more than one it will stress your betta out, and you don't want that. I would go to aqadvisor.com and see what it says about the mixture of fish in your tank. If you do live plants you are going to want to get at least a 5500 watt bulb (special lighting for live plants) and you would want to get Betta friendly plants so Anubis and java swards. You can get a java moss ball 'cause those are awesome and a banana plant. But yeah. I would go to your local fish store and ask what would do best. I hope this helps you. Good luck!

aqadvisor is my friend <3

it doesn't like it when I add in a school of tetras though. The filter capacity drops down to 70% or so even with just five of those little guys. I'll keep trying different species though

 

[Scouser]

you do live plants you are going to want to get at least a 5500 watt bulb (special lighting for live plants) and you would want to get Betta friendly plants so Anubis and java swards.

A 5500 watt bulb?!

Either you mean Kelvin or you want the OP to have a miniature Sun in their living room.

 

[thursyanna]

First of all, your tank and betta are beautiful! Personally, in my betta tank I have 3 red cherry shrimp and a bumblebee goby. Just make sure whatever you get won't be something that clashes with the personality of your betta. Mine did not like neon blue dwarf gouramis!!

 

[Aysvin]

First of all, your tank and betta are beautiful! Personally, in my betta tank I have 3 red cherry shrimp and a bumblebee goby. Just make sure whatever you get won't be something that clashes with the personality of your betta. Mine did not like neon blue dwarf gouramis!!

Bumblebee gobies are brackish, they won't do as well in freshwater

And thank you for the compliments...I brought the betta back to the store today. He didn't stand out as much as I wanted him to and he didn't swim anywhere near the top, he stayed at the bottom. That's not a good sign. So I exchanged him and payed a bit extra to get the one I truly wanted when I got him.

I also got two small Amazon Sword plants to help with the nitrates, plus my Ottos will love having a plant from their natural habitat.

His body shimmers from powder blue to lilac and his fins shimmer between deep magenta, red, light magenta, purple, lilac, and powder blue. He swims at the to more and is more interested in me than the other was. He also stands out against the tank colors a lot better.

Now that I love my tank and the fish (3 ottos: Auto, Bertie, and Bots and then the nameless betta) I can stop spending money...which is good because I'm absolutely tapped out. I SHOULD NOT HAVE SPEND SO MUCH. Oh well, what's done is done. I'm job searching and can hopefully get something soon. Once I do I'll start saving up for a 20 gallon tall. That way I can add in a small school of tetras or rasboras but still have plenty of space and filter for all of them.

Figure 3 ottos, 1 betta, and 6 school fish. It will also give the swords space to grow more than my 10 gallon will. If 2 are too much I'll put one in the 45 gallon tank my dad and I are setting up.

 

[fissyfriend]

I am sorry you had to take him back And Scouser that is what I meant.

 

[Aysvin]

I am sorry you had to take him back And Scouser that is what I meant.

Meh, it's ok. I wasn't emotionally attached to him him yet. I adore the one I have now though.