tankmates for betta

[skiltrip]

i got a 10gallon, all cycled and ready to go. I want to start with a betta, and get a couple cories. but what other fish would be ok with the betta other than livebearers?

what about white cloud minnows? any other little fish that would work? if anyone has any other suggestions, feel free to share it!

- kip

 

[Paradise_Gourami]

All kinds of fish go good with betta, the thing is dont get fish that rivals the colorfullness of the betta. Tetras, dwarf gourami, and dwarf cichlids should doo well with a betta.

 

[MAM]

the cories are good choice. most tetras would work, jsut don't get any of the long-finned varieties, as the betta may mistaken them for other bettas and attack (same goes for fancy guppies). platies or regular mollies or swordtails would work if you change your mind about livebearers.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi skiltrip

I had my betta in a 10 gallon tank with way too many corys for some time while I was preparing for their move to a 20 gallon long. Ruby, the betta, gets along wonderfully with all the corys and it was an interesting and active tank. You couldn't do much better than to fill the tank with corys and add one betta. You could easily have 3 each of 2 different kinds of cory, plus the betta.

Other than that, I had a small school of glowlights in the 20 long for a few days when Ruby was first there. He ignored them, so I know they will work well for you.

But I'd think twice before putting a betta in a 10 gallon tank with gouramis. They both occupy the same niche at the top level of the tank and I think, since the gouramis are territorial, there could be a conflict. Also, the gouramis are fairly large, even the dwarfs, and would use up a lot of space. This would reduce the total number of fish you could keep.

 

[skiltrip]

do cories basically just stay at the bottom of the tank, or do they swim around a little bit? I know bettas kinda hang out at the top of the tank, so i wanted something to fit in the middle. like tetras, or rasboras, or something like that. anyone have any idea if white cloud minnows would do ok with the betta?

- kip

 

[AquaNut]

Inchworm is right on this, skiltrip. Don't try combining a betta with a gourami in a ten gallon tank. I've never kept white clouds, but I'm pretty sure they like cooler water than cories and bettas do. You could easily keep some rasboras or a small school of glowlights or mabye neons ... they are sometimes nippy. The cories will swim around and are very active and adorable to watch as long as you keep them in schools. My personal experience is that even if they're not all the same kind, they'll still hang around together. I have 2 each of three different kinds in one of my tanks, and they're all buddies.

 

[Inchworm]

do cories basically just stay at the bottom of the tank, or do they swim around a little bit?

Hi skiltrip

Yes, corys pretty much stay at the bottom, where they skitter around and play and eat. But, sometimes they get very playful and swim up and down or back and fourth.

They also need some kind of cave to escape the bright light, but the betta would like it, too.

I've never kept minnows, so I really can't answer that, but don't think you could go wrong by putting in a small school of tetras. I'd select one of the smaller varieties such as glowlights, neons or cardinals.

Just remember that you will want at least 3 corys and the betta and that won't leave too much room for an entire school of tetras.

I do find that my betta spends his time at various levels of the tank since there are no mid level fish in there. He even goes to the bottom and eats with the corys and tries to play with them. You couldn't go wrong, if your betta is like mine, by skipping the mid level fish and getting a few more corys.