File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
So anon I've gotten myself a 10 gallon fish tanks thats almost ready for me to start putting fish in.

I have a betta in a smaller tank who I'll be putting in, but can you guys think of any other fish that'd be good in a tank that size. (and won't be mean to my betta.)
>> Anonymous
>>280519
Whoops forgot to say that I don't want a fish that my betta will be mean too either.
>> Anonymous
I think Gouramis might be compatible. Make sure to not add any large finned fish since the betta might mistaken it for another male.
>> Anonymous
>>280519
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_Raphael_catfish
>> Anonymous
>>280525
gourmis and bettas usually don't like each other, exceptions being pearls, croaking/sparkling/licorice, dwarfs/honeys/chocolates...
Opalines/blues/paradise/goldens/snakeskins get way too big and mean and will shred the betta

>>280527
>> I don't really know very much about fish
fixed

Raphael cats get WAY too big for a 10g and will preclude you from ever getting anything more suitable for a 10g cuase they will eat it

>>280519
you want tetras, pencilfish, rasboras, microrasboras (30 microrasboras in a 10g looks SOO cool), cory cats, otos, candy plecos, apistogrammas, blue rams etc...
>> Anonymous
African dwarf frog. Not a fish, but pretty damn cool. I had a tank with a betta and the frogs and it was just fine. I even added some plants and it looked fantastic. Plus the frogs are pretty hardy. Your only trouble may be feeding the frogs because the betta might go after the frog food if they don't eat it at first.
>> Anonymous
>>280534
pearl gouramis? fuckers grow to 5 inches, they are too big for 10g.
I would not get goramis with betta. But oyher suggestions by anon (esp. cory cats and otos) sounds fairly reasonable.
Or you can put a couple of female bettas.
>> Anonymous
>>280646
>>Or you can put a couple of female bettas.

How do you make a good suggestion and then type THAT? Don't do that, OP.

Stick to previous advice: Find community fish that aren't super colorful and don't have excessive finnage that will stay 1-2'' in length. Bottom feeders are *okay* as long as you're aware that you'll have to offer them a sinking food (shrimp pellets or algae wafers depending on what you get). African dwarf frogs are also a good recommendation as long as you make sure they're eating and you do, in fact, get dwarves. Otherwise they'll be getting as big as your palm and eating whatever they can stuff in their mouths.
>> Anonymous
wouldnt a dwarf gourami work?
>> Anonymous
There's lots of fish that will work for a 10g in a while, but not many who will be good in the long run. I have a single betta, some olive nerite snails, and some cherry shrimp in a 12g right now and it works out great.

The water quality in small tanks is harder to keep balanced than in big tanks to start with, so adding other fish will just make it more difficult. If you're a beginner, you should probably just leave it at the betta until you're confident you'll be able to keep it steady.

Lots of people are saying gouramis, but all of these except for a single dwarf would be too big. I just wouldn't do a gourami in a 10g at all, dwarf or not. If you had to have more than a betta in the tank, maybe... (and I mean one or the other, not all of these):

Corydoras
Dwarf frogs
Shrimp, snails
A few very small tetras which don't have flowing fins

Your betta might beat the shit out of anything you put in there, though. Some bettas are just more aggressive than others and will attack even non-bettas, but the most likely targets for their aggression would be fish that look like them, such as guppies.
>> Anonymous
Pop 6 more males in there, and watch the show. :D
>> Anonymous
Op here. Thanks for all the suggestions, and I'm not exactly new to fish keeping (I've been taking care of bettas for a good 8 years now.) This is just my second attempt with one in a 10 gallon.

First time didn't go so well with the little algae eater I got for him as a buddy. They were fine for a few months but then the eater just randomly started swimming oddly then did a death leap out of the tank. (betta was fine through all of this) I just thought I'd try again now that I've gotten the space.

I'm kinda leaning towards the dwarf frogs, only issue I can see with those guys is feeding them. (my betta is a pig lol) and keeping them in the tank. Anybody know how big of jumpers they are?
>> Anonymous
>>280705
If you're still calling fish 'algae eaters,' your 8 years of experience haven't taught you much.

Do you keep a top on your tank?
>> Anonymous
Not OP, but another interested anon.

I used to have fish as a kid, and I've been lurkan and thinking about getting a smallish tank(mainly for money reasons). I'm mostly interested in getting a shoal or two of small fish versus a few large fish.

With a 10-20 gallon tank, what are some good kinds of fish to get, and how many of each would be best? So far I've been thinking about some kind of tetras and maybe zebra danios, what other small, hardy fish are there?
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>280758
black skirt tetras are a longtime favorite of fish noobs, otocinclus are the best small algae eater (DON'T get a plecostomus), and Endler's livebearers are recently becoming popular. I also like cherry barbs, as far as small fish go, and harlequin rasboras.

Be careful not to assume it'll be small because it's a tetra. I have a school of 2.5"-3" Colombian tetras- definitely not 10-20g fish. Also don't get suckered in to getting a molly. Most of these popular livebearers (guppies, mollies, platies, etc) have been overbred to the point they have shitty constitution and die easily (plus mollies are actually brackish, not freshwater fish, so in a freshwater tank are more susceptible to disease).

Overall, as far as small, attractive, peaceful and schooling goes, my vote is for the harlequin rasbora.
>> Anonymous
>>280709
8 years with bettas, and thats what the tag thing said where I got him. (hard to find the real name just knowing what the thing looks like). And it wasn't a pleco.
>> Anonymous
>>280709
oh and no I don't have a top to my tank. partially because of the plants I keep in there. So I'm thinking frog isn't a good idea really.
>> tigerfeather !CrwtTbFNxQ
>>280709
Maybe he's talking about Chinese algae eaters, not Plecos.
>> Anonymous
>>280789
I'm surprised you can even keep the betta in without a top. I still suggest inverts as the best tankmates for a betta- plus many species will keep algae down.
>> Anonymous
>>280791
Which is still a pretty shitty choice for a 10g (and as an algae eater in general). And I didn't say he'd had a pleco. Just that you should really be able to tell what's in your tank, at the least.
>> Anonymous
>>280792
Yeah oddly enough I've never had a betta jump before, so usually I don't worry about not having a top. Doesn't mean its not going to happen of course, but I'm really not too worried about it.

And inverts? Hmm Alright I'll look into those more. I've always considered those even with the smaller tank. Don't suppose it'd hurt to take a closer look at them.
>> Anonymous
>>280794
I agree, that was a shitty choice I made when I was younger. (I looked up and Chinese algae eaters and yup thats what he was.) And I'm sorry the fish had to live with my stupidity but whats done is done. Won't be happening again.
>> Anonymous
>>280705

Dwarf frogs hardly ever escape. Mine never have, and they could have crawled out anytime they like. I think your biggest problem is going to be feeding though. I know bettas are pigs and the frogs are pretty tough to feed. If you betta only goes after floating food though, then get a turkey baster, and squirt the sinking frog food to the bottom so they could eat it before the betta does. I honestly think dwarf frogs are better than bettas when in a group, but clawed frogs outdo all three of them. However, I wouldn't recommend a clawed frog for a ten gallon.
>> Anonymous
>>280758
Again

After spending the last few hours perusing aquarium/fishkeeping sites, I've hammered out an interim plan for a future tank. It'll most likely be a 20 gallon tank, and I was thinking maybe 3 otocinclus, a shoal of 8 harlequin rasbora, and another shoal of 5 or 6 zebra danios if there's room. I'm also probably gonna go with live plants instead of the plastic ones I had way back when.

Any glaring flaws with this setup?
>> Anonymous
ultimatebettas.com, check that out.
>> Anonymous
bettas do best alone in Bowls
>> Anonymous
I hate the misconception that bettas do best alone in bowls. I've had alot of experience with bettas, and adding females into a tank with males is absolutely fine. They occasionally flare at them, but are not overly aggressive when in a community tank. Currently I have a tank with one male betta, one large angelfish, Chinese Algae Eater, a couple swordtails and mollies.. and they all get along just fine. Of course it's a relatively simple configuration, but I'm not looking for a challenge.
>> Anonymous
>>280890
An angelfish? Sounds like you're running the exception, not the rule.
>> Anonymous
OP here guys. I sat on the tank :(

Going to hospital to get shards of glass removed from my ass. :(
>> Anonymous
>>280893

Angelfish are rather stupid and aren't as aggressive as they make it out to be. There's also the fact that there's pretty much only one of each fish in the tank anon described, so it's hard for fish to pick on each other.
>> Anonymous
>>280651
Excuse me.... Why can't you keep a couple of female Bettas in there? They're not aggressive like the males and if you keep more than one female, they won't get run ragged by the horny male. Males don't fight with females, only other males.
>> Anonymous
>>281003
males will nip the fins of the females,causing stress.
>> Anonymous
I've had two Bettas that jumped a lot... the first one jumped to his death. Even with a hood on the tank, he still managed to pop out of one of the openings in the back for equipment.

At various times, I've kept them in a 10 gallon with Diamond Tetras, Neons, small blue Gouramis, Mollies, and Clown Loaches (babies that were moved to a large tank later on) and everyone got along just fine.

It's pathetic and sad to see them rotting in those little cups at the pet store. Just because they can get air from the surface doesn't mean that they enjoy sitting in one place for the rest of their lives in a soup of filth because no one changes the water. Get them into a proper environment and they're active and gorgeous.
>> Anonymous
I've never had a male cause female bettas any stress, and I've had one male and just one female before in a tank before. Males are simply not as aggressive when surrounded by other fish. My current male betta mistakes my female swordies for female bettas and flares at them, but he doesn't nip or chase them. I've had alot of experience with bettas, keeping them secluded/breeding them/and just having them in a community tank to 'pretty it up'.

One thing I have noticed about keeping the males and females together, is that the females will get fat and produce eggs keeping them ready to breed. But aside from that, they are in prime condition.

As for my Angelfish.. Exactly what>>280920said. They aren't as aggressive as they're made out to be.. I just watched my male betta flare at the Angelfish and he backed off, even though the betta is more than 1/2 his size.
>> Anonymous
>>281004
You don't know what you're talking about.
>> Anonymous
>>281046
A Male and a Female: In the wild, females stay clear of males, except during mating. When cohabiting in tanks, males might kill females, and are generally kept apart unless (a) they are juvenile siblings, (b) they are breeding, (c) there is a partition, or (d) the tank is large enough for the female to escape attack. Often, before breeding, breeders use a partitioned container to allow female display without risking harm by the male.
>> Anonymous
>>280920
>>281007
>>280893
>>280890

Regardless of everyones' personal experiences/opinions about angelfish, they're not suitable for a ten gallon tank and shouldn't be a choice for the OP, anyway.
>> Anonymous
To the people saying "BUT MY FEMALES/MALES LIVED TOGETHER JUST FINE!": maybe YOURS did, but that's not true for all bettas. You can't just toss the two together and have them live together. It has been reported that even up to 3 passive-natured males have been able to live together in harmony in the same tank. It goes strictly on a fish-to-fish basis. I personally wouldn't take the risk, as bettas don't really live together in the wild, and tend to live completely solitary lives until they feel the urge to mate... so it would be mostly for your viewing pleasure to put them in the same tank.

As for compatible non-betta species, I heartily recommend cory catfish... they only grow to ~2", depending on breed, and absolutely nothing bothers them. I guess it depends on the betta, though; I have a super-aggressive male who refuses to live in peace with any other fish.
>> Anonymous
also make sure its not a short finned male


9 times out of ten they pwn long tailed bettas
>> Anonymous
I had a male and female beta in the same tank but eventually the female got sick and died. The male contracted the disease too I guess because he started shedding scales and turned gray. Died eventually. But I wouldn't suggest putting a male and female both in a tank. Mine were pretty old by the time they were put together so I don't think they gave a shit about each other.
>> Anonymous
>>281087
Op here. And I agree my family used to raise angel fish when I was much younger (around 4). I wouldn't put an angel fish in a ten gallon or with a betta. I know they're not horribly aggressive but they still can be.

In B4 just ask your parents what to get. (they only took care of Angel fish, Oscars and 4 freaking huge goldfish.) all the tanks we had at the time where 75 gallon+.

not going to put in a female betta either. I don't want to kill either of them, and I don't want to end up having baby bettas. If I ever get females I'm putting at least 5 in a 30+ gallon tank with no males.

and Cory catfish? I'll look into those too. Thanks anon you guys are being a huge help.
>> Anonymous
Bettas are relatively difficult to breed anyway. You need standing water in order for the male to lay his bubble nest - and in a community tank the others usually destroy it anyway.
>> Anonymous
I keep red wag platys and peppered cories with female bettas with no problems. I can't imagine a (single!) male betta would have trouble with these species, either.

If you're still worried about it, though - get five or six zebra/leopard danios. (Or glofish, if you're willing to shell out the cash.) They're non aggressive, and would outswim the betta if he went after them. White cloud mountain minnows ought to yield the same result.
>> Anonymous
betta are very natsty to other fish but you can put snails in with them.
my 2 female bettas killed my male :(
>> Anonymous
>>281355
Dumbass.
>> Anonymous
Goddamn this thread got retarded fast.

I was serious about betta breeding for a few years. And I can tell you, there is a reason breeders keep males and females seperate at all times when they are not breeding: because they will rip the shit out of each other. There's risk of death even when you're breeding them. Both females and males can kill each other. I took lots of steps in my breeding techniques to ensure the female wasn't exposed to the male any longer than possible, and as soon as it was done, removed her and treated her for all the wounds she inevitably sustained. I had a few males die from females, and many more had their beautiful fins shred to pieces.

So why the FUCK would anyone think they can live peacefully together, confined in a tank situation? Most female bettas won't kill each other, but fights are still common even without males involved. Bettas are just aggressive towards each other, and some towards everything (one of mine tries to attack the cat through the glass every time she walks near the tank).