Betta: tankmates and filter question

[Taelen]

Hey guys,

I think that my 10g is approaching being ready to have a betta added. I have seen a few posts about tankmates and wanted to get a few more opinions about what I can add.

The other question or perhaps concern is the HOB filter I purchased for this tank. It is likely that the flow from this unit (even turned all the way down) is still going to create a fairly strong current. I guess bettas don't like the current? I don't really want to try and take this back, especially now since the cycle is almost done. Is there any way to further diffuse the current or maybe "muffle" it somehow?

Thanks.

 

[tkos]

Don't worry the betta will adapt. It may take a bit as his muscles won't be ready for it to start since he was probably in a small cup for awhile. I place my filter (on a 5 gallon tank) on one side so that the other side is a little more calm. Within a few days he will be swimming all over your tank.

As for tankmates in a 10 gallon? Well depends, but I would suggest some of the smaller cory catfish. Say 5 peppered or panda cories would be great. They won't compete for space or food which is nice. Bettas tend to be slow eaters compared to say neons or platies or cherry barbs and can easily loose out (IME).

Also it will give you 2 levels of fish to watch.

 

[Alshain]

In terms of temperament, a Betta can be put in with any fish that doesn't have bigger fins than it does. If it looks like it could be mistaken for a male Betta (like fancy guppies), then be careful. As tkos suggested, Bettas do like to pick at their food. Sometimes, my apple snail finds the food and sucks it up faster than the betta does.

Those apple snails are pretty hefty eaters, but they are good tank mates as well. My Betta picked at him a little at first, but after an hour or so of trying to figure out what he was, he has never bothered the snail again.

Cories are some of my favorite fish, for your tank you would want the smaller varieties like peppered, panda or and would avoid larger ones like Emerald, Spotted, Green, and Albino.

Ottos are good tank mates with most fish, but they really don't come out where you can see them.

Despite their picky eating, I really don't think that a small school of the smaller tetras would out feed him. Neons, Glowlights, Slivertips, Cardinals, or Rummynose would all work. I would avoid larger ones like Skirts, Buenos Aires, Phantoms, Diamonds, or Bleeding Hearts.

 

[tkos]

With a smaller schooling fish make sure there is plenty of hiding spots, such as plants (either live or fake). A betta will like to flex its dominance every so often and the smaller fish will need a hiding spot.

A 10 gallon is still a smaller sized tank so i would stick with a small school of one type of fish as an addition. Fight the urge to overstock.

 

[Alshain]

A 10 gallon is still a smaller sized tank so i would stick with a small school of one type of fish as an addition. Fight the urge to overstock.

Exactly, I suggested several types but what I really meant was pick one kind you like and get several of those.

If you choose the snail, I wouldn't get more than 2 and thats pushing it, older ones can be the size of a baseball but most of them don't live long enough in tropical tanks to get that big (warm water speeds up their life cycle).
If you choose the corries, a good group of 4 will be nice and they don't get too large. These guys don't really school but they do like to be in groups anyway, so no less than 4 either.
If you choose the tetras or ottos you could probably get up to 6, in fact I wouldn't recommend any less than 6. Ottos don't school but like the corries, like to be around their own kind. And Tetras of course are one of the most popular shoaling fish there are so gotta have a group.

Thats going to be about reaching your limit.