Confused about tankmate options

[adadkins1]

I have my male betta in a 5.5g tank planted with cabomba, wisteria, and a small amazon sword. It is filtered and heated, but he seems a bit lonely since his snail died a month ago during the cycle. I have seen multiple opinions and was wondering if I could get some options/opinions. I don't know how he would take to tankmates, he nipped at the snail from time to time, and flared at the dwarf frog when I put him in. I have seen people saying ghost shrimp (probably be eaten), snails, pygmy corys, smaller tetras, nano-fish, etc. What do y'all think?

 

[Fishkeeper26]

In my experience it depends on your fish. It seems that yours doesn't want ant tankmates tho

 

[Justin83]

Pakistani loaches, Ghost shrimp, cardinal tetras, bristle nosed pleco those are the only ones i can think of that some have had success with.. but betas can be really aggressive so I'm not really sure what you could put in there ive read that some do neon tetras .. but ive also heard that neons are fin nippers ..so probably not the best choice for a beta

*Edited for additions*
Maybe some corys?

 

[adadkins1]

I know bristlenose and loaches are a definate no because it is only a 5.5. He seemed to get used to the ADF, the only reason I took the frog out was because it nipped and held onto my bettas fins!

Yes, pygmy corys have been one choice I've seen, just don't know how many would be safe for my tank.

 

[alLexX]

if you upgrade to a 10,youd have more choices.in a tank that size i can only recomend snails and shrimp.

 

[adadkins1]

That is the only problem, parents said no more tanks. I just wanted to get some more fish if possible. I don't, however, want to crazily overstock my tank.

 

[siva]

IMO a 5 gal is the absolute minimum for a betta with no tankmates. He needs that 5 gals to himself. Also I think pygmy cories are better off in a 10 gal. The only fish besides a betta I would keep in a 5 is nano fish such as micro rasbora but I can't imagine trusting something that small with a betta anyway. I just keep a nerite snail in my 5 gal betta tanks. The nitrates stay real low that way too which is great You could try shrimp, but of course they usually get eaten.

 

[adadkins1]

I had just done a search and saw where severum mama had suggested a few cory's for a tank like mine. I just wish he didn't look so lonely. I would have liked the ADF's to work out, but oh well.