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Hi all, just had a question on bettas and some fish I could put with them. I've been doing some research and just wanted some clarification and personal input. Are cherry barbs for the most part a good or bad betta buddy? I know most are fin nippers, but some recommend cherries, yea or nay? Endlers ok? There isn't too much on this combination. Now for the controversy. Guppies! I know there might be some confusion by the betta because of finnage, but could it work? Has any one had success with fancy guppies and bettas? Would it be better to get unfancy female guppies instead? I really love guppies, but parents wont let me get another tank, and betta was here first. Hows about killifishes (not sure what kind, poss least killifish, formosa livebearer??? really clueless on that one). Any information would be much appreciated!

Hello and welcome

My first question is what size tank is your betta in?

Betta issues with other fish can go either way: they are the troublemaker or the victim.

Personally I wouldn't chance guppies; again the potential problems either way.

Endler's are small and fast, they might be ok.

Depending on what size tank this is my favorite choice would be a pair of cherry barbs. Some barbs can be fin nippers but IME cherries keep to themselves. Another good point is that they can be kept in pairs.

I don't have killie experience, maybe someone else can give you input regarding them.

Another option is an ADF. I just posted a couple recent pics of mine [link=http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/26702.1.htm?4#[/link]. I've never known them to bother fish. Fun to watch...this is a picture of the one I still have with a female betta:



Attached Image:


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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

I figured that would be the case. Oh well, maybe someday I'll get some guppies. As for the tank its 2.5 I think (I know uber small!) If it was up to me it would be huge! Anywho I was considering ADF's , my mom said something about newts! How that would work out I have no clue! Has anyone ever done this (she could have the wrong reptile). Anyways thanks for the input, I know I'll probably be looking at one MAYBE two fish more at max, but any extra information would be MUCH appreciated .

bump

Cherries won't fit in a 2.5. Using 1 inch per gallon, you'd need at least 4 gallons for a pair of cherries.
I think an ADF would go in there okay.

Or maybe an interesting snail or shrimp.

I have two fancy male guppies in with my betta in a ten gallon right now, I would say if you have the space for the guppies if something goes wrong, go for it! Mine get along great, because the guppies stick to their own space, and the betta is quite friendly with them, has never flared once I have successfully put bettas in with:

otos
platies
khuli loaches
fancy guppies
corydoras catfish
harlequin rasboras
cherry barbs (only two though, as soon as I added two more they ganged up on everyone else)

I would say that cories, platies, and harlequin rasboras are your best bets or cherry barbs, they were quite peaceful. But if you think your betta might be aggressive, don't try the guppies, unless you can seperate them, just because my betta is nice, doesn't mean yours will be

Hope that helps, and good luck with your tank, Jess

Fish are like potato chips. . .you can't have just one

I would do this for your 2.5 gallon

~betta
~2 khuli loaches OR

~betta
~1 cherry barb (this would really be a last resort, as cherry barbs are a bit active, and I don't know how happy one would be on it's own ) OR

~betta
~1 platy

I think with your tank size that is really all you can do, I wouldn't put the fancy guppies in with the betta in that small of a space, even if the betta is friendly, the guppies won't have anywhere to hide. . .

Jess

p.s- is your betta by any chance red? I have heard (though mine is blue) that red bettas are more aggressive. . .wouldn't bet on that though. ..

Fish are like potato chips. . .you can't have just one

No platies or kuhlis in a 2.5g. Way too small of a tank for that size fish, not to mention with a betta in there also.

In a 2.5g, your choices are limited. I think you can have an ADF in there. But, it would be best to only keep the betta in that size tank. If you got a bigger tank, like a 10g, you could have a pair of cherry barbs or some neons...but not in a 2.5g. Sorry!

*Kristin*

Well thanks for the info so far I figured my choices would be really slim. Do I have any hope in a least killifish, or endlers livebearer? Just checking probably wont work though. Well at least I still have an ADF as an option, or maybe some snails or shrimp. Any preferences as to what kinds of snails or shrimp would be best? Thanks again for all of your help

Do you have live plants or plastic ones in with the betta? Mine is in a 10g with live plants, 5 harlequin rasboras, 2 otos and 3 panda cories. The planting is nice and thick and he loves rooting around in and around the plants and can happily amuse himself hunting for bits of food all over the tank. When he was alone in a smaller tank I would put a mirror by the tank so he could get some exercise and he has found a spot in his bigger tank that has a good reflection and he likes to flare at himself. I think he's just admiring his impressive finnage, he's blue and red and so feisty when I come near the tank.

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

Amano shrimp (also called cherry shrimp, i think), would be good. They are bigger than ghost shrimp. Some people have had the bettas try to eat the shrimp, but I have also heard of them being kept together with no problems.
I have snails with my Bettas...but I don't want them. They came in on my plants and are mostly pond snails, with some ramshorn snails too. I am not sure what kind of snail to get if you actually want one.
An ADF is a great idea. I am thinking about putting one in my 5g, with my betta...since there are really not any other good tankmates for that size tank.

*Kristin*

In a ten gallon tank a trio of killifish would be fine they tend not to mess with the beta. If you get an overly fancy killifish it may be seen as a threat from the beta but my Golden Wonder Killifish are excelent partners with a beta and the males have a wonderful gold colour with red fin tips. So from my experiance the Golden Wonder Killifish and Betas are fine, after that some killi's are just to flashy I would think.

Thank you all so much for your help! Here's what I'm thinking of adding:

1 poss 2 ADFs
OR
1 ADF and some (2 maybe 3) cherry shrimp (so cute)
OR
1 or 2 endlers or least killifish

AND with whatever, some nice java moss or fern (the moss floats up top right? and the firn is like a normal plant? or are they the same? So lost.

Anywho, thanks again for all of your help (I know tons of ?s, but I really want to get this right). Let me know what you think. (do they generally sell cherry shrimp, endlers livebearers, and least killifish at pet stores? that definetly would help)

I would go with the shrimp. Cherry Shrimp are quite cute. I think you could get two in there with a betta, but i would reccomend not getting any more fish, as most are too big/active. Sorry, but it's my opinion.

AND with whatever, some nice java moss or fern (the moss floats up top right? and the firn is like a normal plant? or are they the same?

Java Moss will kinda float and settle were it wants unless you tie it to a rock or piece of wood wich is probably recomended. From what I understand of Java Fern it acts like a normal plant, however it MAY and I am not sure here be a rihzome that can connect to rocks and wood. Again I am not totally sure on that point so hopefully someone will follow up on that.

Yep mrwizerd...Java fern needs to be attached to wood or rocks.

*Kristin*

I bought a little Amazon Sword today (couldn't find a java anything at the store) I saw some ADFs, so cute ! So i'm thinking one of those, and some ghost shrimp (couldn't find any cherry shrimp either ) I didn't see any killifish or endlers either, so I guess I'm outa luck. Has anyone else seen these at petsmart/petco before?

1 Betta, 1 ADF sounds like a good setup, but you may want to look at this thread.

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/27041.1.htm?13#

I have a DWARF amozan sword in my 15, and i think that should be okay.

Anyway, good luck with your fish. Try and pursuade your parents to get you a bigger tank. I tried for 4 months, but i got my 15

I've been trying but the real issue is I dont really have room for a bigger tank. My room is really small and doesn't exactly have a ton of surface space or floor space. Once my hamsters get old and die I should have room for a bigger tank. Its weird the plant got so big some online info on mine said 6-8 inches max, maybe it was a different variation of Amazon Sword?