Two Tanks, Tank Mates?

[Meggie :)]

Hey everyone! I have two 5.5 us gallon tanks (21 liters I think)... Both have sand wood and live plants...one of the tanks has my old boy in it...I have had him for at least a year and a half and when I bought him from the chain pet store I don't know how old he was... But I found This and everything it mentions (besides cataracs) matches exactly with him...since he has mellowed out and is usually hanging out by the plants, could I get some other small fish in there? Would he be happy with them? Is there anything else you think I should put in there besides fish? (I have a backup ten gallon just in case I doesn't work out...)

The other tank has a younger betta (in his prime) but he has swim bladder disease and always wedges himself between the glass and the filter...like he is back there for more than 90-95% of the time...and I have the same questions for him and his tank as I asked about my old boy, klaus

Thank you!
Meg

Edit: the betta with swim bladder physically cannot go to the bottom of the tank, if that makes a difference for shrimp or something

 

[pablothebetta]

21L doesn't really leave much room for other tankmates. I believe someone on here has a betta with ember tetra in a tank of a similar size though. You could maybe try a couple male endlers with them, I'm not sure about much else other than shrimp and/or snails though. Shrimp are suprisingly fascinating creatures - so long as your bettas don't eat them. Microrasbora might be pushing it a little, I'm not sure. You mentioned about getting to the bottom of the tank - there aren't really any cories suitable for a 21L tank. Pygmys do better in tanks nearer 10 gallons (and also dwell more towards in the middle region of the tank as well as the bottom).

 

[Meggie :)]

Thank you so much! (does that mean I could put pymies in my ten gallon? teehee ) What do you suggest for each of these tanks exactly? I want to get it right

Thank you so much!
Meg

 

[seizethecupcake]

I keep a group of 7 Endler males with a male betta and they do very well together in their 10g tank. You'd just have to try it, I'm afraid, though it's great that you have a backup tank. Someone might suggest a snail as a tankmate, but I've had poor luck with that. Nearly all of my bettas--2 of my 3 boys and all 5 girls--will munch off a snail's antennae in a heartbeat. Give the Endlers a go. They really are adorable.

 

[pablothebetta]

Pygmies would work in a 10g. I remember someone (I think it was Lilfishie) saying 10 would be fine in a tank around that size with a betta. They're adorable little guys

In a 5.5, I personally wouldn't do any more than 1 betta with 3 or 4 male endlers, though others may have different views. I think someone on here has a similar setup in a 5 gal. Shrimp would be fine in any setup so long as they don't become snacks. Once you take into account water displacement for decor and such you won't have 5.5 though, probably around 5 at the most depending on how you decorate.

 

[Cazgar]

I have one of my Bettas in a 5 gal with 3 endlers & some shrimp, & they get along fine.
As far as shrimp go, it depends on the Betta, as two of my others saw them as tasty snack

 

[OldMan47]

The pygmy cories are indeed a good alternative for you. I do not agree with the idea expressed in tat external link of yours. I often keep Betta splendens in a community setting and never see any decrease in vigor for a fish at less than about 4 years old. A fish found in the LFS is almost always less than 6 months old. After all, what breeder keeps a fish longer than he must before selling it? A year old betta is ancient in terms of the care that has been necessary for him to get that old with daily water changes in his quart jar.