Any Suggestions For Betta-friendly Schooling Fish?

[susangc]

Hello!

I'm considering what to put in a 20G planted tank. A betta's a given, but I thought I'd add some schooling fish to this tank. So far, this is what I've thinking about:

1 betta
3 cories
2 otos

I had thought about a half-dozen neon tetras until I read advice not to house them with a betta. Can anyone suggest another, more compatible species? Thanks for your help!

Susan

PS -- I'm posting this on the betta board as well.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I take it its a male betta? One of the issues with bettas in community tanks is that they are very slow fish in comparsion to many other fish, and so finding great difficulty in competing for food with other fish and often become very exhusted as a consequence. Personally i would avoid putting any fish with a male betta that directly shares its main food source i.e flakes or high protein foods, there aern't any tetras, danios or barbs i can think of unfortunatly that wouldn't easily out compete a betta for food or stress it out in other ways.
Personally if i were you, looking for more fish to add to a betta community, i would increase your oto count to 6 as they prefer to be in groups, the larger the better- what types of corys do you have? I would also get some more corys. Shrimp and snails are also another option, plus other types of catfish like a small growing candy striped plec?;

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...ckolti/75_F.PHP

or how about some khuli loaches? The main varietys of khuli loaches are the black ones and the striped ones.

 

[mikev]

there aern't any tetras, danios or barbs i can think of unfortunatly that wouldn't easily out compete a betta for food or stress it out in other ways.


Blackline rasboras may be the option to consider. I keep them as the ultimate pacifist background fish that does not bother anybody and --- unlike barbs or danios -- does not try to eat everything right away.

 

[susangc]

Great suggestions

I love plecs but can't seem to find any but the larger varieties around here. I'll keep looking, because I really do love them... I'll consider upping the oto count as an alternative.

I'm surprised that a betta would be considered "at risk" against schooling fish. Mine have always lined themselves up as soon as they saw activity outside the tank. (I could swear that they've been conditioned to associate movement outside the tank with food.) Thanks for giving me something to think about! I will also consider leaving the betta where he is, in a tank by himself.

Oh, and I'll look into those rasboras!

Susan