10 gallon tank... Betta question

[niks93gt]

I just set up a new 10 gallon tank. I really want a betta... I've always 20+ gallon tanks and have always had a betta with schooling fish such as swordtails. I'm wondering if a betta will do okay with neons or mollys. If so, with 1 betta, how many neons or mollys could I stick in the tank. Also how many should I get initially and how long should I wait before getting more? Also, a pleco will out grow the 10g a little fast, so what should I get instead? Thanks!

Nik

 

[JDogg]

I just set up a new 10 gallon tank. I really want a betta... I've always 20+ gallon tanks and have always had a betta with schooling fish such as swordtails. I'm wondering if a betta will do okay with neons or mollys. If so, with 1 betta, how many neons or mollys could I stick in the tank. Also how many should I get initially and how long should I wait before getting more? Also, a pleco will out grow the 10g a little fast, so what should I get instead? Thanks!

Nik

first thing first...have you cycled the tank? if not you have a couple options, do a fish-less cycle (this can be explained if needed) or if you have a tank that has been running a while stick some filter media from that into the filter on the 10 gallon.

once the cycle is out of the way... i do not see any problem with 1 beta and a couple (2-3) mollies i would be worried about the neons nipping at the beta's fins though

 

[niks93gt]

I'm workin on the cycle now. I put a little food in the tank and its running now... I figured I'd give it a couple of weeks then add a few fish... then add a few more. Should I had the schooling fish before the betta since bettas are kinda territorial?

What should I have to help with the algea and waste? Thanks guys!
Nik

 

[Zagz]

For a fishless cycle it would be faster if you took some filter media from another tank if you have one and used pure ammonia dosed in the tank.

I would have only a couple of mollies due to tank size. I would add the betta last for sure. For algae eater I would recommend an oto or two.

 

[An t-iasg]

I agree that mollies should be good tankmates for a betta and that you should add the betta last. I have seen a group of tetras gang up on and nip a betta. Some members report having success with the betta-tetras pairing but their tanks are larger than 10 gallons. Aggressiveness between fish can be magnified in a smaller tank.

I have not read of any reports of mollies and bettas not getting along, but you should be prepared in case they don't get along - have a 2.5 or 5 gallon tank ready, or be prepared to buy one, if you need to separate the betta and mollies.

 

[JohnPaul]

Thing is, mollies can get kinda big for a 10g tank, no? I mean, don't most mollies reach to 3" (or even 4") at full adult size?

From the size of tank perspective, I would say a betta plus a school of small, peaceful tetras (like neons) would be the way to go. I've kept neons in the same tank with a (female) betta and never saw the slightest hint of "nippy" behavior from them.

And as for stocking, *once the tank is fully cycled*, you could probably do a betta plus a school of 8 or so neons. Maybe even more, as neons seem to be very low-bioload fish. (As opposed to most livebearers, which are veritable poop machines...I think the 3 swordtails I have produce more poop than the other 15 fish in my community tank combined!)

Or assuming you build up slowly, and have a good HOB filter (an AquaClear, etc.), you could probably do one betta, a small school of 6-8 neons, and a small grouping of maybe 4 (small) corys as a bottom cleanup crew. Would make for a very nice, active tank.

 

[Pinky]

neons will nip male bettas fins, and yeah mollies are abit large, so would platies work?

if your going to have a betta in the tank also make sure the currrent from the filter isn't too strong it will stress the betta.

 

[niks93gt]

How about guppies?

 

[mom2reds]

I tried putting my male betta in with my male guppies and i think he thought they were othere male bettas he would chase them and pick at them. I was told that a betta would see any other fancy finned fish as compition and would fight with them.
My neons did well with him though.

Tess

 

[joannde]

Be VERY careful if you get livebearers - you'll have more than you'll ever want in a few months time. Try to get all males. I had to remove my one female before I became overrun.
LOL JohnPaul - I call my platies "my little poop machines" too !

 

[niks93gt]

I think I'm going to give neons a try. The last time I had a 20 gallon tank, I had neons, swordtails and a betta and they all did fine together. Heres what I'm going to try...

Start off with 4 neons for a few weeks till the cycle is perfect, then add the betta, then 2-4 more neons once the betta seems settled in. If the neons give the betta problems, then I'll pull him out and put him in a 2 gallon bowl. I also want to have a couple of otos. When do I need to add these? Also, what temp should I keep the water at?

Nik

 

[JohnPaul]

Well Otos are algae eaters, so no point in getting them until you have some algae buildup (likely a few months down the road, with diatoms--aka "brown algae"[sic]--being the first culprit to show up). If you get the otos before you get the algae, you're stuck trying to keep them alive with zucchini slices and whatnot and there's really no point in that.

Keep in mind neons are not the hardiest of fish, and likely not the best choice to cycle a tank. Expect losses. From a pure "hardiness" perspective, it would make more sense to cycle with the betta than with neons.

Temperature-wise, bettas can tolerate a lot but prefer things a bit on the warm side. Don't remember for neons, but I suspect if you shoot for 78 or so everyone would be happy.

 

[maxwell1295]

I have had 2 different tanks with the betta/neon combo.....with two different bettas and never had a problem with neons bothering the bettas. I do have a neon with one eye though. I named him "One-Eyed Jack". I think Mr. Jones may have taken his eye out, but I'm not completely sure. It happened when I moved. They are all getting along fine now....

 

[niks93gt]

So would it be bad to cycle with the betta and then add the neons or will the betta be too territorial? Also... I'm not planning on live plants but what kind of decorations do neons like to swim in and play in? Thanks!

Nik

 

[An t-iasg]

I wouldn't cycle with a betta either. There are much easier ways to cycle - easier on the fish and you. Do a search for "fishless cycling" on this site and on the Internet. With this method, you add pure ammonia to the tank to simulate the fish's wastes. No fish are in the tank at this time. The added ammonia provides a food source for the nitrifying bacteria, which start to grow in your tank and give you a biological filter. It can be a slow process, but you aren't harming any fish by making them live in a high level of ammonia until the tank cycles. It's easier on you too, since you don't have to do frantic water changes daily to keep the ammonia level down for the fishes' sake. You can just let the cycle take its course, although you'll have to do some monitoring.

Cycling with a betta won't accomplish much - even though a betta can breathe with his labyrinth organ, his gills can still get ammonia burns. Also, at the end of the cycle, the tank will only have the number of bacteria needed to sustain the betta. When you add more fish, you'll probably have another cycle to deal with.

 

[niks93gt]

My tank looks really, really cloudy. Why?

 

[sirwired]

My tank looks really, really cloudy. Why?

It is a bacterial bloom. It usually means you are nearing the end of your cycle, if there is nothing else in the tank.

What does your test kit say your Ammonia, NitrItes and NitrAtes are?

SirWired

 

[niks93gt]

Unfortunately I didn't get the ammonia kit by accident but my nitrites and nitrates both read 0.

Nik

 

[niks93gt]

Since my water is having the bacterial bloom, should I do a partial water change or just let it sit until it clears it up?

Also I've decided on my fish selection:
4 Zebra Danios
1 Betta
2 Small Corys

Hows that sound?

Thanks a million guys! This site is great.

Nik

 

[JustOneMore20]

Cories need a bigger group than 2....especially the smallest types, Pygmy and Habrosus cories. What type were you planning on getting? I'd go with atleast 4.

Danios are very nippy and most likely wouldn't be nice to your bettas fins. I've seen what danios can do because my LFS had them in with a couple angelfish once....bad idea. The angels' fins looked horrible.

I'd either get a group of 6 danios and leave out the betta, or pick something more peaceful like Harlequin rasboras.

It is a bacterial bloom. It usually means you are nearing the end of your cycle, if there is nothing else in the tank.

Hmm...the poster has only been adding fish food for 4 days (well 5 now), so I doubt its the end of the cycle. Seems a little fast to me....but you never know.

An ammonia test would really help you track the cycle, as ammonia is the first thing you see....before the nitrites and nitrates. The cloudy water is probably because you are using fish food and could also be a bacteria bloom because the bacteria colony is starting to build up.