Need Stocking Help For 10-gallon With Rasboras & Female Betta

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi everyone,

My 10-gallon has three rasboras and one female betta. The fish get along, it's just that my betta looks stressed. She was that way before I put her in the bigger tank w/the rasboras, but now she looks a bit more pale.

A few questions:

1. Would adding three more rasboras improve the tank relationship so that not only my rasboras will be happy, but my betta may be less stressed as well?
2. Is there enough room to add another fish inaddition to the 6 rasboras and 1 betta. . .basically a fish that gets along with those fish but will be happy ALONE (as in not being a schooling fish)? Any recommendations?

Thanks.

(I want to return the rasboras to the LFS, but my husband said that those are his favorite of all the fish)

 

[kelly528]

1. Absolutely yes.
2. You could easily handle a school of 4 cories on cleanup patrol if you try out a few low-light plants (water wisteria is an awesome one). If you want a loner, I would suggest trying to source out a Batik Loach... they are relatively rare but a LFS should be able to order one for you. Hilarious fish and very pretty-looking (well, for a loach )--- definitely my favorite!

 

[GuppyGoddess]

1. Absolutely yes.
2. You could easily handle a school of 4 cories on cleanup patrol if you try out a few low-light plants (water wisteria is an awesome one). If you want a loner, I would suggest trying to source out a Batik Loach... they are relatively rare but a LFS should be able to order one for you. Hilarious fish and very pretty-looking (well, for a loach )--- definitely my favorite!

How big do Batik Loaches grow? I thought Loaches grow big? I already have pygmy cories in another tank and two of the four died, so I'm avoiding them even though I absolutely adore them. If I do *ever* get another tank, I'll put sand substrate in and try the cories again. It's sad that I have only two and that they'll not be happy because of missing the schooling bonding.

As far as the Rasboras, I'll pick up a three more. I need to double check my ammonia levels first and make sure everything is stable (I ran out of the API liquid on Saturday) and maybe just add one a week for the next three weeks to keep my bioload down. My tank is still relatively new.

ETA - and I ordered Indian Almond Leaf for my bettas

 

[kelly528]

Honestly, there's not many care sheets on them... The one I referred to (loaches online) says they can reach four inches, but my guy has been on a diet of solid gold in a 20 gallon for almost 5 months and he's just under 3 inches! Seems to have stopped growing... before that I had him in a 10g community for a month or two and he was absolutely fine there too!

They can get a little grouchy when fishies come near their wafers, but the most they can do it 'whisker' the fish lol-- quite funny to see! My only advice is to make sure you have a little cave (mine's made out of river rocks) that is too small for the female betta to invade.

They are truly hilarious fish--- I can guarantee you (and your hubby) will get a big kick out of them!!!


PS> I'll try and get you a picture of mine tonight... they're hard to find on the internet... no idea why-- they breed them in Florida!!!

 

[llamalord305]

I can't imagine how adding more rasboras will make the betta happier. She shouldnt be there, imo.

 

[kelly528]

I can't imagine how adding more rasboras will make the betta happier. She shouldnt be there, imo.

Shoaling fish should generally be kept in groups of no less than 6. As a general behavior these fish chase and nip their... um... schoolmates(?) incessantly in order to maintain a loose social hierarchy. When isolated, they can and will improvise and try to school with fish of other species, bugging them just like another tetra. So yes, adding more will get the rasboras off her back.

I keep my female betta with 6 danios and a handful of other fish in a 20g. When I started out with 3, yes, they did harangue her but when I added 3 more they just kept to their nippy little selves. Everyone is doing absolutely fine, partially due (I believe) to the fact that the female's short fins do not pose as much of a temptations as a male's longer fins do. She can also swim faster without any floppy fins dragging her down.

The bottom line is that special consideration needs to be taken with finding tankmates for bettas due to their finnage, speed and highly variable temperments, but they have the potential to thrive in a well-matched community.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I went to the LFS today and purchased two more rasboras to see if that helps. If it doesn't, I'm moving the betta to a seperate 2-gallon bowl with a heater and a live plant. That will have to be her home and I'll be good about water changes.

I talked to the sales gal at the pet store and she said I should just take the betta out now since the fish has stress lines. She seems to think that the betta is older and "mature," due to her coloring.

Crossing my fingers that all works out.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I can't imagine how adding more rasboras will make the betta happier. She shouldnt be there, imo.

She's not any happier. In fact, I think that five rasboras is driving her more batty. She usually swims back and forth across the front of the the tank but is now hiding in the corner. I'm having a difficult time catching the rasboras to get them out of the tank. Maybe a bigger net will help. . .

 

[kelly528]

6 is the minimum otherwise it really won't work.