FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hello all. I've had my betta for about three months and I recently bought him a ten gallon (Including heater, filter, plants, and decor) tank all for himself. I've been thinking about adding some tankmates for a while now, and I've been toying with the idea of adding 5 neon tetras and 2 cory cats. I've been doing research, and I keep getting different responses on how these fish will get along. I'm pretty sure that the betta won't bug the cories and vice versa, but I wonder about the tetras. I've heard accounts of tetras picking on bettas, but also of bettas eating tetras. Also, I'm wondering if the cories would be happy if there is just a pair of them. I don't want to overcrowd, but I also know that cories like to be in schools. If just 2 cories is a bad idea, could anyone suggest a smallish, peaceful bottom dweller that doesn't mind being alone. If I could get some advice on this tank set up, or on possible other betta/tropical fish combinations, I would greatly appreciate it.

"I loathe the expression "What makes him tick." It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together

First we will assume that you have a male. When choosing you tank mates for your betta just keep in mind that it will go after anything that looks like it so no Gourami Profiles and fin nippers are a no no [link=Profile]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/596.htm. [/link]

An idea that Theresa_M had in this thread Thread]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/34579.1.htm?10#[/link] was for African Dwarf Frogs [link=AquaWiki


Something that has been suggested many times over would be a Cherry Barb Trio [link=Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/505.htm[/link] 1male 2 Female. big fan of

As for the Neons that could work but the rule for schoolers is more is better. I know 2 corys could work but they would not be happy fish. There are a lot of big fans on this site of the corys so some will chime in


"No whammy, No whammy, No whammy, STOP!!"

1984-Michael Larsen On Press Your Luck

i have a male betta in a ten gal, with 5 harliquen rasboras (had 6 but cat got one) they seem to get along just fine, ocassionally the betta will flair up (at his reflection) and when he does the harley's group up and hide in the corner

*click *flash *click "whered he go???"

Are all the plants live and not plastic? If they are live it will help with the water.
10g is that an empty tank or is that with all the bits and pieces added? Reason for saying that is that your 10g could easly be 8g or less this means you will be limiting what you can add.
Cories would prefer to be in a bigger school also they would get too big. I would prefer Cardinal Tetras but a minium of at least 7 this will push you tank in to an over stock.
In my betta tank 32lt it is a 45 lt tank I have 1M Betta 7 Cardinal tetras going to add at least 4 more very soon. 2 ottos and one small SAE. It is also fully planted.
Yes that is on the border but I have 35+years experience also very little with small tanks. The smaller the tank the more problems can happen and happen very quickly.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Hi,

Neon tetras will certainly be fine with a betta, they are much more hardy than cardinal tetras whch have very specific requirements with respect to water quality.
BTW, I can not imgine a scenario with a betta eating tetras except fry .... bettas are piscivore but neon tetras are simply too big for their mouths.

Both tetras do not nip. If you really want to have cories I would go with pygmies as they stay much smaller and a minimum of three fish. Real plants and regular water changes will make sure that the fish stay healthy.

keithgh Wrote: Are all the plants live and not plastic? If they are live it will help with the water.
10g is that an empty tank or is that with all the bits and pieces added? Reason for saying that is that your 10g could easly be 8g or less this means you will be limiting what you can add.
Cories would prefer to be in a bigger school also they would get too big. I would prefer Cardinal Tetras but a minium of at least 7 this will push you tank in to an over stock.
In my betta tank 32lt it is a 45 lt tank I have 1M Betta 7 Cardinal tetras going to add at least 4 more very soon. 2 ottos and one small SAE. It is also fully planted.
Yes that is on the border but I have 35+years experience also very little with small tanks. The smaller the tank the more problems can happen and happen very quickly.

I have 4 plants, all of which are plastic and silk. I also have two ornaments, both of which are basically little caves, and both could be easily removed in order to make more room. I've been planning to add real plants, and if you have any suggestions as to some good ones, I will definitely look into them. I'd really like to add several small, middle dwelling schooling fish and besides neon tetras, I've looked into zebra danios, white cloud minnows, dwarf danios and harlequin rasboras. I wish I could find a schooling fish which would be secure in a smaller group, but so far I haven't had any luck. I'd also like to add a single bottom dweller to my tank, but I'll of course take space into account.


"I loathe the expression "What makes him tick." It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together

If you want to grow live plants you will require at least 3ins of a good 1-3mm substrate. If you decide to try plants that are tied to DW you could use less substrate. By the time you have added every thing you could easly be down to a 8g tank. This is where many make the mistake in their water calculations.
As far as Cardinals V Neons they must be different over USA as I think you will find in Aust it is the Cardinals that are hardier as far as special attention far from it all fish require some attention some more than others. I know of an importer who will only import Cardinals and not the Neons.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

keithgh--
That betta tank is absolutely gorgeous! I wish I could do something like that, but I'm trying to keep a tank on a college student budget, so for now I'm stuck with a plain old rectangular Top fin tank. That's not to say, though that I can't make it pretty.

I actually think that I've decided on my new tank make up. This is tentative, but here is what I'm now planning on doing:
-1 Male Betta
-6 White Cloud Mountain Minnows
-2 Otos
-Java Ferns/moss and possibly Hornwort

Can anyone suggest a good, easy floating plant?

"I loathe the expression "What makes him tick." It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together

Well, my recommendation would be a pair of ottos and about seven neons. I've had this in my ten for a year now and never anything close to a problem. Granted, with this load in a smaller tank I do two water changes a week, about 3.5-4 gallons each time to keep things in check. I've found that a school of six neons can be timid and hide a lot but seven or more and they are much more adventurous. Good luck with your tank.

Chole

I have fallen well behind in updating my photos, here is a photo taken recently. There have been some massive changes in respect to plants and their location. It must be very hard trying to keep your tank on a tight budget. I know to get that tank to that stage has cost me big $$.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Attached Image:


Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

I just bought 5 white clouds, and they seem to be doing pretty well so far, although I can't tell how they'll do with my betta, because they're quarantined. They only had five left in the store (they were out of feeder fish and the white clouds ended up on the menu, so I wasn't able to get more, but I was wondering if a pair of short-finned blue danios would school with the white clouds. Anyone have experience with something like that?

"I loathe the expression "What makes him tick." It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together