Betta Friends?

[nikkifro8994]

I have a male betta in a 5 gallon tank. He has a cave and an amazon sword plant. He looks extremely lonely in there. Can I put any fish with him? What kind and how many? my LFS said I could do 2-3 of most tetras. Would this work?
Nikki

This is the tank.

This is my betta

 

[Jakey02578]

I don't know much about that, but your betta is awesome!

 

[nikkifro8994]

Thanks!

 

[Rummynose]

First, don't believe your LFS. Most Tetras need a lot more swimming room, and they would be very unhappy in a group less than at least 6 of their own kind.

Second, not all Bettas are accepting of tankmates and you would have to have something on stand-by to be able to separate them if things are getting bloody.

Many of the Tetra species are fin-nippers and your Betta would be very unhappy getting his fins attacked.

You could try a golden Mystery Snail, or Apple Snail?

 

[pyrofishtoo]

not all Bettas are accepting of tankmates

Would some small (Pygmaeus or habrosus) corys work? They stay small and at the bottom of the tank where the betta is going to hang at the top? My only concern is the tank size.

 

[Rummynose]

not all Bettas are accepting of tankmates

Would some small (Pygmaeus or habrosus) corys work? They stay small and at the bottom of the tank where the betta is going to hang at the top? My only concern is the tank size.

Corys are schooling fish as well, so no less than 6. A 5 gallon tank is just not big enough! If your Betta gets along with any tankmates at all really depends on your Betta's personality.
Also, he's been in there by himself a while and this tank has become his territory. Bettas often do better when they are added last into a community!

My Betta did not get along with a Golden Mystery Snail in his 10 gallon tank, he literally torpedoed her with his body!!! But he adores the Kuhli Loaches as his tank mates and he often lets them climb all over him. He often goes looking for them where they are resting, as if to say "hey, wanna play?" and then swims off again.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Maybe some endlers but as rummy nose said it is already his territory and he could become very aggressive towards any fish that come into his territory
So I reccomed moving around the deco and getting a couple more silk plants to make sure that he does not get aggressive towards the endlers, oh yeah and make sure that you add the endlers first or add them at the same time
Shrimp like amanos, ghosts, and cherries could also work if you have enoughcover but you might want to watch out with the ghosts and cherries as they can get eaten by a Betta, IME of there isn't enough cover and the shrimp can fit into the bettas mouth, most likely he will find the shrimp as a tasty snack

 

[nikkifro8994]

He's already had a taste of shrimp. I bought ghosts the same time i bought him and all 5 were gone in 2 days. He was a fat, happy betta. I don't think shrimp will work. Maybe a snail.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Yeah a snail could work

 

[seizethecupcake]

I have had ZERO luck keeping apple snails with bettas. Males or females, they've tormented my poor snails and chomped off their antennae! My three snails live a posh life in a tank of Endler's.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Yeah it's not uncommon for them to do that, I've heard of it many many times

 

[pablothebetta]

If he's munched on shrimp, it's unlikely that he'd get along with any other fish. I'd try a snail and if that fails, then I think he's going to have to be by himself. Try a nerite snail, they're quite attractive and from what I gather (for I have not kept them myself), they cannot breed in freshwater and make good algae eaters.

 

[Rummynose]

I had our Betta (in a 10 gallon tank which is 37,8 liters) with a nerite snail, he did not like it, changed to apple snail, he did not like it....saw someone having 5 Kuhli Loaches in with their Betta, decided to try it and he's happy as a clam! Even though they are not supposed to be compatible!?

 

[bettaboy150]

I have had ZERO luck keeping apple snails with bettas. Males or females, they've tormented my poor snails and chomped off their antennae! My three snails live a posh life in a tank of Endler's.

lol i had snails in my tank, the bettas never bothered with them ,i think they were scared lol.

i forget what kind, they had a gold shell...

 

[nikkifro8994]

I really want to keep some of my platy fry when I go to college, but I can only take my 5 gallon betta tank. This is probably not a good idea, but I'll ask anyways. Can I take out the betta, put him in a different tank for a while, rearrange the decor, add 1 platy, then add the betta a week or 2 later? I know platys need more space and groups, but he would be in with a betta. The only issue I have is that when I added the mom to my fry tank, my betta flared at her. Their tanks are next to each other so they can see each other. I put a piece of paper between the tanks and now he's fine. Would he maybe flare at and try to kill the platy that would be with him?