Betta tank mates ideas

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Keels

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I have a betta (I think a half moon) in a planted 15 gallon tank, but instead of being more elongated it has a square-ish shape (it's the 15g Fluval Flex). other than the betta, I spotted pond snails and MTS that came with the plants, which I don't mind having. I want to add other tank mates, but not sure which one would work in that set up. I was considering 3 or 4 Pygmy Corys but my LFS doesn't have any in stalk. any ideas for a substitute? I was told 3 or 4 Panda Corys could work, but I know they would be happier in a larger group.

(also, don't mind his fins in this picture. He used to have fin rot, but isn't very good at growing his fins back.)
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I wouldnt personally.

few reasons.

1. Bettas are finicky. They may decide they dont like their tankmates randomly one day and kill them all. Example: my male hates everything except ghost shrimp and ramshorn snails. He loathes nerite snails something awful! I can't figure out how the nerite is a problem but the ramshorns arent.

2. Bettas tend to over eat. When in a community setting, it is hard to be sure the other fish get to eat their food (pygmy cories are timid slow eaters already) while the betta does not overindulge on it. This often leads to issues like dropsy. When i didn't know better at first, this was how we lost our first female betta. She ate everyone else's food to the point of death.

3. Bettas do better at temperatures above 80F. Pygmy cories do better in the 75-78F range, which is too low for bettas. Corydoras hastatus on a few sites mention it can go over 80 BUT that brings us back to point #1. Many of the smaller dwarf species of cories like midwater sometimes, but hastatus especially. This may trigger the betta into thinking someone is invading "his" space. Panda cories need much, much cooler temperatures than bettas and keeping fish at improper temperatures stresses their immune systems and makes them more prone to health issues.



What i would say, is have a second tank cycled. Get cories for that one ;)

Maybe try out something like ghost shrimp with your betta, but even that is a gamble.
 
also you have gravel and they need sand, Corydoras should be in a group of 6 or more. pygmy ones should be at least 10
 
I wanna try out either amano or ghost shrimp. I think I'll get 2 or 3 and see how he reacts to them... that is after I get rid of the hydra problem I have.... :whistle:
 
both good choices :)
 
I concur with other members completely. Male Bettas are not community fish and are always best on their own.
 

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