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I went out and got a small little 1 gallon tank(AquaView Plus) for my girlfriends betta...she has had this betta for over a year and it has always been in a small little glass bowl and I felt bad for him (Big Red)...

The tank itself has no filtration at this point, just a little air stone...but I was curious to if I add some small filtration...is there a relatively small fish that has a low bioload that I could add to Big Red's new home to give him a companion...

P.S...Big Red is much happier, much more active now!!!

Thanks alot,

Abso

That size of tank is really only meant to keep a betta alone in. You may be able to put an african dwarf frog (ADF), but there are others that would know more about that than me that may reply.

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

I would say no to an african dwarf frog. They like companions and are sometimes picked on by bettas. A 1 gallon tank is extremely small. I would suggest you stick with the one betta.

with the 1 gallon, that is to small for most fish. if u were to put a fish in with the betta, then u have another problem to deal with: depending on ur bettas aggression, he might attack or get attcked by the other fish. the betta by itself doesn't need an airstone or a filter.

thanks alot guys...i figured i wouldnt be able to put anything with the betta but i thought i would ask...

if u want u can try putting the betta into a bigger tank, with other fish, but again depending on your bettas aggression.

It's possible that you might try a ghost shrimp... BUT, they can jump/climb so you need a lid and they might be eaten by the betta (or might be totally ignored). A bigger tank would truly be better if you wanted to add something else to the tank.

Edit: to expand on bettachris's suggestion... you can try the betta in something like a ten gallon tank with various different fish. Of course, that includes filtering and possibly heating the tank. If the ambient temperature is pretty stable, you might try a school of white cloud mountain minnows (some people suggest a twenty gallon for them, but I've never kept them, so don't have firsthand experience about their activity level) or some other small fish.

I keep a male betta in with female guppies. I also have a male betta in with male guppies and danios. I do NOT suggest the last example for the inexperienced. I know my fish's temperments by now (I've had all the fish seperately for a while and just put them together recently) and was pretty sure I wouldn't have any problems. Luckily, I didn't.

I highly recommend keeping male bettas in community tanks with appropriate companions... they become so much more active, and I think, healthier overall.

Last edited by Kitten at 02-Apr-2005 17:56

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

thanks again...I would love to put him in a bigger tank...but for now I just don't have the money...when I do I intend to buy a 55 or larger tank...then I can use the 10 gallon I have for the betta...till then he will just have to be happy with his new arrangements...

abso

is it stressfull on a betta when he flares his gills at his reflection in the glass???

yes and no. if u betta is a milder betta, then he may flare and then swiming away and turn dull, and get stirpes, that is when it isn't a good idea. but with other bettas, flaring is a form of exercise, and good for the mind.

All things in moderation my friend. It's actually healthy for him to do that alittle each day. It's like getting a workout. However, after a while, it will start to stress him. Everyday, I put my betta tanks together and watch them flare. But, after 5 - 10 minutes, I seperate them.

- Dj :88)

If a betta gets to flaring all the time, that is stressful. For instance, standing a mirror next to a betta's tank will usually cause it to flare at its reflection constantly, and stress it out in the process. Being in aggression mode all the time isn't good for any fish. However, it won't hurt the betta if it wants to flare every once in a while. Flaring brings out the colors in a specimen, and makes them look intimidating. Some bettas like to flare at anyone and anything, and that's okay. They aren't being enticed to flare; they are doing it because that's what they want to do. Others rarely ever flare. I had a betta who I'd only seen flare twice.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

what do you mean by stripes???

well he sits right next to my computer and I can see him all the time...i would say he does it on average once every 20-30 minutes probably...