Beta community tank ideas?

[Stefan3289]

i currently have two platies, a white dragon beta, and two cories in my 10 gallon tank and I just got a 29 gallon tank. I know I can mix mollies, platies, and cories with the beta but is there anything else someone knows could work or has had success with? If not I will make a platy and molly community.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I would keep the betta in the 10g tank and move the others into the 29g tank.

Bettas are not community fish and shouldn’t be kept as such.

 

[CassCats]

Going to expand on what pheonix said.

1, platies and cories are cooler water fish, needing below 77F. Bettas are warm water, needing above 80F. Theyre not compatible temperature wise. Long-term, this affects their immune system being kept at the wrong temperature.

2, platies are hard water fish, bettas are soft water. Not ideal to mix them.

3, bettas tend to over eat in communities and make them prone to conditions like dropsy, which are often fatal.

4, bettas are finicky and can suddenly turn on tank mates they were perfectly fine with before l.

 

[FishFinatic77]

I agree with @PheonixKingZ and @NCaquatics. Keep the Betta in the 10 gallon, and move the other fish. Bettas should not be kept in a community tank, especially with the fish you currently have.

 

[corylover5]

I agree with what's already been said and adding on to that the cories like to be in groups of 5 or more

 

[Stefan3289]

I can only keep the 29 gallon tank so I will see if I can give him to someone I know or return him to the store. Guess the internet was wrong
Without the betta fish, what are my options to mix with platies and cories (I will definitly get more cories since they are adorable and you recommended more)

 

[FishFinatic77]

Guppies, endlers, or mollies would work with the platies.

 

[Byron]

What are the parameters, specifically GH and pH of your source water?

And I agree with others, a Betta is not a community fish so good to remove him.

 

[Stefan3289]

I don’t know how to measure GH but my PH is around 7.5. However for my South American cichlids tank I used a PH stabilizer to bring it down.

 

[Byron]

I don’t know how to measure GH but my PH is around 7.5. However for my South American cichlids tank I used a PH stabilizer to bring it down.

You may be able to ascertain the GH of your tap water from the water authority, check their website. GH is more important than pH. And pH is connected to the GH and KH and should never be adjusted wqith adjuster products on its own without dealing with the GH, depending what it is.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I don’t know how to measure GH but my PH is around 7.5. However for my South American cichlids tank I used a PH stabilizer to bring it down.

Try to find out. You can find out by going to your local water providers website, or by calling them. We need actual numbers. (Ex. ppm)

 

[Stefan3289]

I found that chlorine was .25 ppm (which is for ph I assume) and for GH I couldn’t find exact numbers but it is classified as “hard”

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I found that chlorine was .25 ppm (which is for ph I assume) and for GH I couldn’t find exact numbers but it is classified as “hard”

Was that water from your tap or from the tank? If your chlorine is .25ppm, your fish are in serious trouble...

 

[Stefan3289]

Was that water from your tap or from the tank? If your chlorine is .25ppm, your fish are in serious trouble...

That is what the water company said is from the tap. However when I treat my water with “Prime” it then goes down

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That is what the water company said is from the tap. However when I treat my water with “Prime” it then goes down

Ok good. It is normal to see chlorine readings in your tap water. Prime is a conditioner that removes chlorine.

If your water is hard, guppies/platys will be good. What species of Cory catfish do you have already? If you do not know, please post a picture so we can ID it for you.