How many betta and corys can I put in my ten gallon tank?

[Danni4]

So I've had this tank for a while, but recently the goldfish I had in it died after it's mate did, I was wondering how many Cory catfish and betta fish I could put in it without it being a danger to any of them. The tank does not currently have gravel but it does have a heater and heavy duty filter.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Definitely only one betta. Never put multiple (males) in one tank together and females can be put in a sorority of at least 4, but most be in a larger tank.

 

[Essjay]

10 gallons is also on the small side for cories. Pygmy cories could be OK if the footprint of the tank is at least 18 x 12 inches. But bettas don't need or want tank mates and 10 gallons is a nice size for a betta.

What exactly do you mean by 'heavy duty filter'? bettas do not like strong water flow so if you mean a filter with a large water turnover for the size of the tank, you would need to turn it down.

Gravel or sand is important on the bottom of the tank. Not only does they stop a fish seeing its refection, they are also home to a whole host of important micro-organisms. Only tanks for fry should be without a substrate.

 

[JuiceBox52]

With a betta you would need gravel or sand on the bottom or it would be really stressed. You could put some snails with a betta or, depending on the bettas temperament maybe some shrimp

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

There is no way this tank will work. Your tank needs substrate for a number of reasons. A 10g tank is just the right size for a single Betta, no Cory’s. They wouldn’t work together anyway. Cory’s need bigger tanks. Get some substrate and some live plants. And just get a Betta once your tank is cycled.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Or just skip the betta altogether - they're an over-rated fad it seems to me - and resemble an Afghan dog. 10 gallons is just so small - I'm surprised you had goldfish in there. But there are Cherry barbs (peaceful - some of the other barbs are semi-aggressive), Rasboras, maybe two dwarf Gourami's ( they are pretty) or 2 Honey Gourami with 5 Rasbora's or 5 cherry barbs. You will have a very calm peaceful tank. Ideally get a dark/black substrate - all these fish look very pretty on against a black background and also put a sheet of black aquarium plastic on the back of the tank (it's a pain to do but just measure carefully and spend an hour or so working out the bubbles) - this too will make the fish feel safer and give your tank a context against which you can add plants and other decorations (otherwise you're just looking through bare glass at the wall behind it - not too pretty. Fish like to feel safe/secure. Get some floating plants for them to hide in. Some fish like "caves" but not all - so a hollow log or ceramic fake works - buy one and see if anybody uses it.

You could also have ONLY a few of the neon tetras. These fish have been genetically modified to be bright colors like purple and green and red etc - they don't get very big and swim in small schools. But if you get 4-5 tetras that's enough fish for a 10 gallon tank. If you like betta's you'll like the neon tetras and they do make a color statement. These were originally designed by scientists to change colors in response to certain conditions in waterways, then somebody got the bright idea to make the color permanent and sell to the public.

If you have a bubbler stone and pump - just one on one FAR side of the tank since most of these fish like slow waters you could get a small loach. Like a Recticulated Hillstream Loach - they are very small and quite cool - look like regular fish when swimming and alien sea creatures when stuck to the glass but they need RAPIDS so you'll find them living in the bubble stream. They supposedly get to be 3" but I've had mine for over 6 months and none are bigger than one inch but, again, very cool looking fish.

So many options!!! Just remember some small fish need big spaces (like Danio's) because they are big swimmers while other's don't (like the Hillstream Loach which pretty much sticks to the side of the aquarium.

Get your water switched out and cycle your tank - since that takes a while you'll have plenty of time to research out different kinds of fish to get - most fish stores in my city don't carry much so I order mine online usually from LiveAquaria.com (it's really a Dr's Foster Smith company) - huge selection. Prices on the fish are good but you will pay big time for shipping (maybe more than the fish) because they get overnighted in a Styrofoam crate with either a cold pack or heat pack depending on the weather - it's an expensive way to go and most/all of my fish have survived the trip but, like any fish store you buy from you may have an early death once in a while - they offer a 14 day guarantee but will only give you a store credit for the fish - not all the shipping/handling fees. Good people though.

 

[Essjay]

Some of the fish mentioned won't work in 10 gallons.
Cherry barbs, harlequins, neon tetras and dwarf gouramis need a tank at least 24 inches long. Dwarf gouramis are also commonly infected with an incurable disease.
Cherry barbs and harlequins need a bigger group than 5.
Hilstream loaches need fast flowing, cool water so they won't work with any of the other fish mentioned.


Other than a betta there is not mcuh suitable for 10 gallons. If you have soft water you might get away with a large shoal of one of the Boraras species eg chili rasboras. If you have hard water, a few male endlers (no females as they are bigger and will very quickly over populate the tank with fry).

 

[FishGuest5123]

@Jan Cavalieri Bettas are a fad? Really? Fads come in and then go away. Bettas have been around for decades. You can hardly call them a “fad”. They’re my absolute favorite fish next to goldies.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Or just skip the betta altogether - they're an over-rated fad it seems to me - and resemble an Afghan dog. 10 gallons is just so small - I'm surprised you had goldfish in there. But there are Cherry barbs (peaceful - some of the other barbs are semi-aggressive), Rasboras, maybe two dwarf Gourami's ( they are pretty) or 2 Honey Gourami with 5 Rasbora's or 5 cherry barbs. You will have a very calm peaceful tank. Ideally get a dark/black substrate - all these fish look very pretty on against a black background and also put a sheet of black aquarium plastic on the back of the tank (it's a pain to do but just measure carefully and spend an hour or so working out the bubbles) - this too will make the fish feel safer and give your tank a context against which you can add plants and other decorations (otherwise you're just looking through bare glass at the wall behind it - not too pretty. Fish like to feel safe/secure. Get some floating plants for them to hide in. Some fish like "caves" but not all - so a hollow log or ceramic fake works - buy one and see if anybody uses it.

You could also have ONLY a few of the neon tetras. These fish have been genetically modified to be bright colors like purple and green and red etc - they don't get very big and swim in small schools. But if you get 4-5 tetras that's enough fish for a 10 gallon tank. If you like betta's you'll like the neon tetras and they do make a color statement. These were originally designed by scientists to change colors in response to certain conditions in waterways, then somebody got the bright idea to make the color permanent and sell to the public.

If you have a bubbler stone and pump - just one on one FAR side of the tank since most of these fish like slow waters you could get a small loach. Like a Recticulated Hillstream Loach - they are very small and quite cool - look like regular fish when swimming and alien sea creatures when stuck to the glass but they need RAPIDS so you'll find them living in the bubble stream. They supposedly get to be 3" but I've had mine for over 6 months and none are bigger than one inch but, again, very cool looking fish.

So many options!!! Just remember some small fish need big spaces (like Danio's) because they are big swimmers while other's don't (like the Hillstream Loach which pretty much sticks to the side of the aquarium.

Get your water switched out and cycle your tank - since that takes a while you'll have plenty of time to research out different kinds of fish to get - most fish stores in my city don't carry much so I order mine online usually from LiveAquaria.com (it's really a Dr's Foster Smith company) - huge selection. Prices on the fish are good but you will pay big time for shipping (maybe more than the fish) because they get overnighted in a Styrofoam crate with either a cold pack or heat pack depending on the weather - it's an expensive way to go and most/all of my fish have survived the trip but, like any fish store you buy from you may have an early death once in a while - they offer a 14 day guarantee but will only give you a store credit for the fish - not all the shipping/handling fees. Good people though.

Neon tetras are small blue and red fish. They are not genetically modified or altered. I believe you are thinking of GloFish tetras?

 

[Retired Viking]

I had Betta in 5 and 10 gallon tanks over 25 years ago so they have been around. Knowing what I do today, I would get a Betta if I had a 10 gallon tank and try a snail and maybe a couple of shrimp.

 

[Colin_T]

I wouldn't waste my time with a Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) when there are dozens of much more interesting Betta species out there, many of which are peaceful and can be kept in groups or community tanks.

There are mouth brooding Bettas that carry the eggs and young in a buccal pouch in their mouth, like the mouth brooding cichlids do. You can watch the adults open their mouths up and the babies swim out and start exploring the tank. When they are scared, the parents open their mouths and the babies swim back inside to hide.

There are bubble nest Bettas that breed in the same way as B. splendens does, except the males don't kill the females. You can have males and females together and each male will have a small territory and the females can visit whichever male they like.

Why keep a fish like Betta splendens, that basically has to live on its own and kills any males or females that enters its tank. And if it doesn't kill the intruders, the intruders chew the fins off the Betta.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I wouldn't waste my time with a Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) when there are dozens of much more interesting Betta species out there, many of which are peaceful and can be kept in groups or community tanks.

There are mouth brooding Bettas that carry the eggs and young in a buccal pouch in their mouth, like the mouth brooding cichlids do. You can watch the adults open their mouths up and the babies swim out and start exploring the tank. When they are scared, the parents open their mouths and the babies swim back inside to hide.

There are bubble nest Bettas that breed in the same way as B. splendens does, except the males don't kill the females. You can have males and females together and each male will have a small territory and the females can visit whichever male they like.

Why keep a fish like Betta splendens, that basically has to live on its own and kills any males or females that enters its tank. And if it doesn't kill the intruders, the intruders chew the fins off the Betta.

Because they’re stunning.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I love bettas. They’re my favorite fish. (Save Arowanas. )

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Sorry if I offended the Betta keepers. It just seems that the popular beta species male 1. has to be kept alone or maybe with a disgusting snail (sorry snail lovers-I know they have a purpose) 2. It's kill or be killed in betta world. Doesn't seem too interesting to watch one fish. 3. Promotes the industry-wide practice of keeping them in plastic cups with staff that tell people "sure a 1 gallon tank is big enough". Makes me sick how many of these beautiful fish are abused by the common buyer so I'd never recommend one to anybody unless they knew what they were doing. I am happy that Betta's seem to be quite happy being the only fish.

Betta's are stunning fish to look at BUT
I'm far more interested in the behavior of fish and especially the actions between each other. I swear, if they didn't sleep so much, I could spend all day watching my Dojo's and Kubotai Loaches - I be laughing the whole time and you have to admit they are pretty stunning fish to look at and the most comical species that I have ever seen. Get some action in your tank - get a Dojo and an air bubbler. On the plus side, they seem to like everybody. If/when one of my loaches dies I will be heartbroken for days. I don't think I could live without these fish in my life. And they even seem to like me (one likes to be rubbed, the others hand fed) and they also seem to be show-offs so you should at least have 2 or more so they can show-off their swimming and diving skills.

If anybody knows of any other fresh water fish species as comical as these loaches please let me know and I'll think about getting some.

Do you think the single Betta's are popular because there are no other fish to bond with so they bond with the human? Do they bond with humans? I mean I've named just a few of my fish (I have a cichlid named "hot lips" because of her huge lips, corycat named "chubs" because he's chubby, and one of my favorites a tiny chocolate gourami named "Mr Coffee" for no other reason than he looks like coffee with creamer. He comes to his name - I just love how something that tiny knows he's special and has a name - he also allows anybody to pick him up and never freaks out, being a Gourami I know and he knows he can breathe but I would never do this to most fish - even other gourami's - because it would terrify them and I don't even make a practice of doing it to him in case it is scary to him)

Again, sorry about offending the Betta lovers - we all have our reasons for loving particular species. Oh, and what I meant by them being a fad (I also remember them 20 yrs ago) but they were not PROMOTED to go into 1 and 2 gallon tanks, there weren't 2 dozen sitting in cups on a shelf - all looking miserable and I assume sales clerks then actually told people not to add other fish - because they sure don't bother not to now. Perhaps it would have better to say EXPLOITED rather than a fad.

 

[Whitehawk61]

So I've had this tank for a while, but recently the goldfish I had in it died after it's mate did, I was wondering how many Cory catfish and betta fish I could put in it without it being a danger to any of them. The tank does not currently have gravel but it does have a heater and heavy duty filter.

I have a ten gal with 1 male betta and 6 albino corys. Betta two tears old & corys are about 1 yr old. Have 8 "teenager" corys & female in another 10 gal. Babies are going to fish shop to sell, but my female doesnt do as well with them. She had a previous bout with some worms brought in thru nerite snail that was infected so she weaker. Have to do 25 to 50% water change anout every 4-5days. Have 2 five gal tanks with 4 corys & 1 male betta, whick are all about 1 1/2 yrs old & no problems!