Ideas On My Tropical Tank

[sonicboom81]

I've got a spare tank which I want to set up as a tropical tank and looking for some advice and suggestions

I've had cold water fish for years - from gold fish, to tank busting catfish (which I've still got one of until he makes his trip to a new home). I'm currently looking after a small tank with 1 male betta and 1 cory - another cory is in a hospital tank at the moment.
 
So I've got my spare 90cm L x 30cm W x 45cm H (108 litre/28US gal when full) tank, and I'll be using a Fluval U4 pump, which is good for up to over 200 litre tank - I'd put it on the underwater spray bar option as the flow is very strong out the other outlets. Got a hood, light, moonlight, timers, air stones, heater, and about 5 pieces of bogwood - only thing I don't have at the mo is a stand!
 
I'm thinking sand rather than gravel, or a very small gravel? The tank will house the betta and the cory, and hopefully the ill cory if he gets better, as well as a number of other corys! I'm also thinking something like a shoal of mid-water barbs or so. I'd love a small pleco catfish or other small catfish.
 
So any thoughts on substrate (any additives) and who would make a nice addition to community tank to keep betta and cory happy? What sorts of plants would suit this sort of setup?
 
Thanks

 

[sonicboom81]

Am I able to keep any of the catfish like pictus catfish with medium sized corys or other small fish like cherry barb? I've read on one site that pictus catfish and other similar sized one are too big to be kept with betta/corys/small barbs?

 

[Ninjouzata]

I personally would do sand. I love it. IMO it looks more natural and is easier to clean. Plus the cories will sift through it which is fun to watch!
 
I hope your ill cory gets better. Have you made a post on here to figure out what's wrong with it? If/when he does I'd get at least 4 more cories of the same type that you already have.
 
You could do a rubberlip pleco or a bristlenose, if you want. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few more small ones. I like the bristlenose since they come in a variety of colors.
Be sure you're getting them because you like them though, not for algae or anything as they are poo machines and it's your job to clean the tank.

 
If you do barbs make sure they are more peaceful ones like cherry.
Some other types of fish to look into would be harlequin or espei rasboras (espei is a bit smaller).
 
Keep in mind your betta may not like these newcomers. It'd be best to introduce him last since if you put the others in last they'd be coming into his territory. Keep an eye out for anyone attacking him.
Make sure to research what you're putting with him since some fish do not like the higher temps he needs. Seriouslyfish is a good resource for this, and of course you can always post and ask here.
 
*Edit* Pictus cats are too big for your tank, they need a 48x18x18" tank IIRC. They might could eat the betta and smaller schooling fish as they got older too since they have large mouths. I'd stick with the cories

 

[GuppyGirl20]

I know some shrimps are popular to keep with bettas. I believe people keep ghost, cherry, or bamboo shrimp with them. This might be easier than getting fish but (like Nin said) as long as you do your research (and your betta is kind of chill) you should be able to have a happy little community whit your betta.

 

[sonicboom81]

Yeah, my sick cory post is here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/434463-sick-cory-with-possible-swim-bladder-problem/
 
That's a bit annoying that it'd be best to be adding the betta last - he and the corys were due to be the first additions... I'll need to think about this.
 
I've been looking at thinkfish.co.uk, for ideas of community fish that should be fine together.
 
1 x male betta
4 x melini corys (currently have two)
4 x other corys such as peppered corys
2 x otocinclus
4 x galaxy rasbora
4 x cherry barbs
 
That's 19 fish (sounds loads), and  half the max stocking levels. Should all be fine at about 25C.
 
If I'm feeling brave, maybe a bristle nosed pleco or similar.
 
The betta has been 100% fine with the corys - he reacts to reflections of himself in the glass, but not the other fish.

 

[Ninjouzata]

You want cories in groups of 6+ of the same specie. I also would not do peppered cories as they like it a bit cooler than the betta requires. I prefer sterbai cories as they are good in warmer temps.
The galaxy rasboras, cherry barbs, and otocinclus also need groups of 6+. I think this would be too many schools in your tank but perhaps someone better at stocking numbers can say. What is your tank maintenance like?
 
Your betta needs a minimum of 78F (25.5C) and I would actually not put in neon tetras as they can be nippy (most tetras can be but these seem particularly so to me).
 
I'm not trying to be negative it just takes a bit more looking into when trying to mix bettas with other fish.

 

[sonicboom81]

I've taken tetra out...
 
The current small tank has been around 25C - 26C - but we've had a number of corys die, probably due to it being 20Litres - in my defence it's not my tank, but I've now taken over looking after it because of corys dying - know many corys are sensitive to water quality issues. The new tank needs to be set up and cycled. My priority is to get the betta and the two corys into the bigger tank when it's cycled. Other additions would only happen if it was okay. I'd think that the betta would be fine with upping the melini corys to 6
 
So we'd have 1 betta, 6 melini corys. The temperature ranges overlap Betta 25C+, melini 22C - 26C, so a 25-26C would hopefully be fine. Just read that cherry barbs might not do well with a betta - getting all the food first, and possibly attacking his fins.

 

[Ninjouzata]

That's very kind of you to help with the tank and upgrade them! I'm sure they'll love it. If the betta is fine with the cories now he should be fine with some more but just keep an eye on it

 
Are you following the cycling article on this site? Oh I see, perhaps it would be best to leave cherries out then. I have not looked into them with bettas just always heard they are very peaceful.

 

[sonicboom81]

I think I know that I'm going to do. As I'm pretty happy that the betta and my type of corys can live together in 25C-26C temp, and the betta has never shown aggression to any cory or snail... I'll set up the 28 gallon tank and follow the correct fish-less cycling: hopefully I can speed things up as the pump I'll put in is my second pump running in a 250l tank. I'll put the two corys in the big tank and add more over time until I have 6. Hopefully of the same variety if I can get them!
 
The betta will stay in his 4.5 gallon tank by himself, and I will try to add him to the main tank when it's established with enough hiding places. I'll keep the 4.5g tank going for a while incase he doesn't like it so he can go back. I'd think he'd be fine, as he's not been aggressive like I've heard other betta be.
 
When he's in, I'll consider if adding in other corys or catfish is going to be okay. I can't see much problem if he's okay with corys now, then he's unlikely to be upset by corys in a big tank, and hopefully should be okay with ottos or suitable pleco.
 
I've read loads of things about betta - best alone, best in small tank, best in bigger, some are fine with other fish, some must never be with other fish, etc. I'll have my back up plan, so just going to go for it.
 
I'm not sure my sick cory will pull through, so there might only be one cory. The 4.5 gal tank isn't big enough for more corys as has been proven, so I don't have much options. Hopefully my healthy cory will be fine for a month or so until the bigger tank is ready.

 

[attibones]

If I were you, I would not put the betta in the community tank at all. I'd give him his own ten gallon and then stock a community tank without worry.

If you did this, you could do a decent sized school of the barbs or the rasboras. About fifteen of them. Then get your school of Melini Cory started, probably eight of them. You could also have a BN pleco if you'd like. Shrimps and snails are always nice. If you would like to keep tan anabantoid as the "show" fish, a honey gourami would look lovely.
EDIT: we replied at the same time! A 4.5 gallon would be fine for a betta, so do that. I keep mine at 83 fahrenheit (28), and they really do love it warmer like that. You're on the upper limit temp with those corydoras, so I wouldn't put them together.

 

[sonicboom81]

Yeah, I'm wondering if the temperature is an issue with these corys, and a possible reason why they've not been doing so well. The tank has usually been about 26C, but it's probably due to water quality issues.
 
I kinda feel it's a shame to have a betta on it's own, but they are perfectly happy by themselves yeah and it's actually a 5.3 US gallons tank, but a good portion of space is lost at the back as the filter/heater is separated at the back in the tank.

 

[Ninjouzata]

I absolutely would prefer bettas kept by themselves (that's how mine are now after an incident), I just didn't think you were keeping the other tank (not sure why I assumed that).
It is up to you though (and the betta, depending on how he responds to the changes).

 

[sonicboom81]

I was planning on keeping it as a hospital tank
 
My small betta cory tank (cos of the powerhead is at nearly 28C It'll probably cool a little over night, but might need to figure out what to do with this warm whether. My sponge air filter hospital plastic container (so not a tank actually) is at a much nicer 24C