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Need help finding a friend for Gus :)

19K views 207 replies 19 participants last post by  DragonFyre14 
#1 ·
The Story: I will be moving in a year to a larger place and the place I will be going to has enough space for a nice 10-15gal fish tank. While pricing the supplies I would need at my local Walmart, I found Gus. He was a pitiful little Metallic Veiltail Betta in a little cup of water that was more urine than water (pic can be seen in my album). He was pale, dull colored, ammonia burned, and had a bad case of fin rot, but he ran up to the edge of the cup and bumped up against it every time I came close or talked. He didn't do it to a single other person that passed by, just me. How could I resist? He had to come home with me. I couldn't afford a large tank, the extra accessories, the upkeep price for a large tank, or even have a place to put the heavy thing if I got it, so I got a 1.5 gal tank. He has recovered beautifully since the month I had him and is a happy and healthy baby Betta. However, I don't want him to spend the next year all alone, so I was hoping to get him a tankmate. :-D


The Facts: The tank is 1.5 gal with a plastic plant (his bed), a small rock, and 2/3 inch of gravel making water volume closer to 1 gal. Everything (including gravel) was soaked in a weak vinegar solution and thoroughly rinsed before being placed, so there are no dyes or foreign chemicals floating around. It has a Tetra filter made for 3 gal and the tank is still being broke in. The tank gets a partial water change every week and has a hood with light. I am still shopping for a heater for it, but having trouble finding one for a tank that small! (would love suggestions for that too if yall don't mind). Gus is about 6 months and has recovered from his experience save for a small scar on his head and a tad of freying on the edge of his fins where he is still recovering from ammonia indued fin rot. He is active, colorful, and has a light and feeding schedule. He is fed Tetra BettaMin and is not overfed. His mouth is very small (unable to even gulp down a small fly that landed in his bowl, which he then just chased around :lol:) and he doesn't "puff up" at anything, even my dog! He prefers to "play" with my minpin through the glass, so I feel he has a good temperament for a Betta. :cool:


The Question: Considering the size of the environment, the level of care given to the environment, the filter, and the tankmate, what would be a good fish or invertebrate to place in the tank with him? I feel it would provide enrichment to his little life and would like some options to research. I am leaning towards some type of Cory Cat (would help suggestions on which one) or a pair of small Loaches like Kulli (I would have to get a pair of Loaches as one Loach would die without another Loach). Any suggestions are welcome and the more information, the better. With a tank as small as mine, something that can take temperature fluctuation and breath air is preferred, but not an absolutely required field. :dunno:

Additional Information: The original tank setup I had planned for the large tank was a female Betta, 2 Cory Cats, and 3+ Loaches. My best friend is a fish expert who has an aquarium for years and currently cares for two 30gal tanks and one 10gal bully tank (she keeps fish in it that were showing signs of aggression or "bully" behavior in her main tanks), so I have someone to help me during a tank emergency or just to answer everyday questions. I included so much information because when I googled it and found posts by people who have asked a similar question in other fourms, they were chastised for having a Betta in a tank that was less than 5gal. I hope I made it clear with all the crazy details that my Betta is well cared for, healthy, and loved and that I can handle an overburdened tank so that I can get some good and informed suggestions.
:thankyou:
 
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#3 ·
As I said, 1.5, it's a temporary situation, and I do not think it is healthy for him to be alone. Please keep comments to those that are a tad bit less condescending if you don't mind. This is why I typed all that out. If I didn't get him, he would have died. No question. That's why I had to get him before I could have a nice big tank for him. However, that does not mean that I should deny him a friend. If I did that, when I moved in my new place and placed him in the tank with other fish, he would be more likely to be aggressive toward them. This is a reason behind my wanting to find him s small tankmate. You can help me with my other issue of finding a proper heater for him if you would rather not discuss my request for compatible tankmates. I wish I could give him the best, but right now I can't. Please help if you can as I already know that he should have a larger tank. If my request is unreasonable, the thread will be ignored and the topic will die. I hope it doesn't, but if it does, I will understand. :)
 
#4 ·
Well it's quite controversial about the minimum tank size at this forum. In my opinion, 1 gallon is the bare minimum and only for smaller sized bettas. As long as you keep the water clean your betta can be happy and content. 2.5 is probably better in the respect that your betta can have a little more fun with the space, but it really depends on the betta. I have had a betta who was bored to death in a 1 gallon, and when I moved him up he was very happy and a lot more active. Again, it depends.

RainbowBettaFish is right though. If you want any tankmates, 10 gallon is the minimum. You could get away with a snail or shrimp in a 5 gallon but that would be all.
 
#5 ·
Yeah...you need a bigger tank for that. You mentioned the "larger tank" and your original plan for it. Are you going to use the larger tank for the Betta and it's tankmate? Sorry, Im just a bit...confused.
 
#6 ·
Thank you for the advice! And yes, Gus and his tankmate would moved to a larger tank and his old tank would be set aside as a quarentene for new or sick fish. I will be getting a new tank after I... escape if you will. Abuse and all that. Hard to run with a large tank, but this little one can go right in my front seat! It's amazing the calming effect he has had on me since I got him. He gives me something else to concentrate on. I want him to be as happy as possible! :-D
 
#7 ·
I would wait until you get a larger tank before you get a tank mate. A tank mate now only means illness and death with such a small space, lots of stress, and 100% fights. Betta's are territorial, keeping him with another animal in a space that small will stress him out and he will attack and possibly kill his tankmate. I wouldn't put a tankmate in with anything smaller than 5 gallons.
 
#8 ·
In a tank of 5 gallons or so, the most you can get Gus for companionship is a snail or a small amount of shrimp. Cory cats are schooling fish, requiring more than 2 fish per tank to feel safe and happy. The recommended minimum for Kuhli loaches is 20 gallons. Either way, bettas are (as mentioned before) very territorial, but at the same time, they're quite social, so they're far happier/healthier with human interaction than they are with other fish.

As for your other question about the heater, I highly recommend the Hydor Theo 25 watt. It holds a steady temperature of 80 degrees F and it's adjustable. You can crank the temp up gradually in case Gus ever gets sick.
 
#9 ·
Thanks Deso! I will look for it next time I'm allowed to leave the house. :-D

So he will be okay alone? I didn't think it would be good for him, but if yall think it's for the best. The woman at PetSmart told me to put in an African Dwarf Frong or a Ghost Shrimp with a hidey-hole (meaning I would take out Gus' rock and put one of those in). She also said that Gus would enjoy a real plant more than his plastic one now. Is that true?

Yes I know I am fretting over him, but right now he is keeping me sain! My friends have been on me for a while to run, but I wont do it until my disability goes through. I can deal with it that long. They got me straighttalk unlimited which has helped and Gus helps me relax. Gotta love my little man :-D
 
#10 ·
In a tank that small an ADF is a BAD idea. Either the ADF will kill Gus or Gus will kill the ADF. People have reported betta's and ADF's in small tanks together do kill each other. You need at least a 5 gallon for an ADF frog.

However the real plants are better than plastic. Plastic will shred his fins and can cause infection.

As said before, wait until you get a larger tank to think about tankmates. Now is not the time to consider them with such a small tank. It hardly fits a betta, adding another animal in that tank is just animal abuse and that is no joke. How would you enjoy being locked in a small closet with one other person? Both of you forced to use the same stinky bucket that is changed only once a week? It's not good at all. It's more like prison at that point and with all the stress levels both animals would created they would fight, get sick, even die. Don't bother thinking about tankmates, even snails or shrimp until you have at least a 5 gallon tank. It's the right thing to do for your betta fish to be honest. You may not think so but scientifically speaking it is. If you love your fish don't risk his life and health with poor choices by overstocking his tank.
 
#11 ·
I would just like to point out, that as far as heaters go, I think 25w is way to much. I have a 7.5w for my 2.5 gal and it keeps the tank at the perfect temp (although if the light is on too long it'll over heat it.) a 7.5w Hester would be so much better for your tank.
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#13 ·
25w is overkill for a 1.5 to 2.5 gallon tank, but I suggested it because it's impossible to find adjustable heaters that are under that wattage. I had a 50w in a 2 gallon for a while because Hydor made a mistake in my order and sent me that instead of a 25w. It worked perfectly, but I had to keep it at a lower temperature setting than expected. Before that, I had a 10 watt non-adjustable heater in the 2 gallon that was overheating the tank.
 
#12 ·
So, real plants are good for him (I didn't get a plastic one that could hurt his fins btw and I went over it with a fin tooth comb before I put it in looking for rough edges to blunt. Texture fixation is just a normal part of being an Aspy ;-)), I can get a shrimp if I can get my hands on a 5 gal (would I be able to throw it in the front seat of my car with everything in it? My left side isn't that strong), and say no to ADF. Did I miss anything so far?

So what kind of plant is best? How long do they live? Do I have to put in sand or dirt? Can it spike my levels when the leaves fall off? Would it ever need fertilizing and if so, how would I do it without hurting Gus?

Vic, the analogy was a bit graphic and close to home. I know you were trying to get a point across and on a normal person that analogy would be a great one, but on me... well... I really don't like talking about that kinda stuff because... I like facts though! And data. The ADF info you gave me was very enlightening.
 
#14 ·
The adjustable ones are definitely very nice. I guess if the op got an adjustable one and just kept an eye on it (with it on its lowest setting), They would be able to move it to the 10 gallon if that is what they plan on getting. Although looking at it now... In that case the 25w would be a tad to small. 2 would be needed. But that is later on. I guess whichever one the OP is able to/wants to acquire.
 
#15 ·
Well, my shopping for a heater turned into a downright heater emergancy when a coldfront came through yesterday! No time to order one, so I had to go to WalMart (I got permission to go because he likes Gus) and take what I could get. Found a Tetra 2-15gal heater. It has been keeping the water a constant 76 degrees. I know as I have been checking it RELIGIOUSLY as I have been worried it would boil my fish!

Gus enjoied the attention he got. The fish is the oddest little Betta! He likes it when I put my hand in there! He will interact with me like he's curious, but he never puffs or runs from me. He only does that when people he doesn't ike come near him! XD

Oh! Is it okay that he likes to nap on the heater? It's sideways so he has a little spot he can lay on between the wall and the heater.

And don't forget the plants! I need help finding one that wont require fertilizer (I dont want to introduce that to my tank), is good for the small space, wont take over my tank, and Gus can enjoy. :)
 
#16 ·
I ran out of text per post (on my phone) so I continued it here.

I would also like the plant to be something that would be good in the 10-15gal I am eventually getting for Gus (next year). It might have shrimp (the are pretty cool. Thanks for getting me interested in them!), Cory Cats, and Loaches (no necerally all of those, but some combination of those). Btw, will any of those conflict?

Also, how can I tell one type of gravel from another? I read that shrimp like fine gravel or corse sand, but the gravel I bought in the current tank just said aquarium gravel. How can I tell what grade it is? I want to know if it should be in my next tank or not.

Also, sorry that I can't edit my OP from my phone or I would change it with my current questions...
 
#17 ·
As far as the heater goes, I don't think it is a problem for him to sleep on it... But if you get a chance to go to the store again you can always buy a small 'betta hammock' that they have for sale and it's basically a leave you can suction cup onto the side of the tank. Most bettas seem to like sleeping on it.

There are some fish that are like that. Sounds like he has lots of personality and really loves to play with you. Congrats on getting an awesome betta! :)

For plants, I don't believe fertilizer is necessary. I've heard that nutrients from the food you are feeding and waste expelled by the fish is usually sufficient to support the plant. So you could always get a low light plant (generally really easy to take care of) and not worry about fertilizer unless the plant begins to die. In which case there is a variety of fertilizers that are usually safe for fish.

A couple of low-light plant options would be:
Java fern (a slow growing low-light plant)
Java Moss (low light-medium light plant)
Anubias (very hardy plant, some say nearly impossible to kill)
Hornwort/water sprite (low light floating plant. may be hard to get rid of later on)

Those are some of the more popular low-light plants all of which (I believe) can get big enough to be fine for a bigger tank later on. All of these plants will most likely need to be trimmed every so often so they don't take over your tank but otherwise should be fine.
 
#24 ·
As far as the heater goes, I don't think it is a problem for him to sleep on it... But if you get a chance to go to the store again you can always buy a small 'betta hammock' that they have for sale and it's basically a leave you can suction cup onto the side of the tank. Most bettas seem to like sleeping on it.

There are some fish that are like that. Sounds like he has lots of personality and really loves to play with you. Congrats on getting an awesome betta! :)

For plants, I don't believe fertilizer is necessary. I've heard that nutrients from the food you are feeding and waste expelled by the fish is usually sufficient to support the plant. So you could always get a low light plant (generally really easy to take care of) and not worry about fertilizer unless the plant begins to die. In which case there is a variety of fertilizers that are usually safe for fish.

A couple of low-light plant options would be:
Java fern (a slow growing low-light plant)
Java Moss (low light-medium light plant)
Anubias (very hardy plant, some say nearly impossible to kill)
Hornwort/water sprite (low light floating plant. may be hard to get rid of later on)

Those are some of the more popular low-light plants all of which (I believe) can get big enough to be fine for a bigger tank later on. All of these plants will most likely need to be trimmed every so often so they don't take over your tank but otherwise should be fine.
Not to be rude but Bettas dont poop iron and many other vital nutrients but it depends on the plants in a ten pygmy cories are great in a 5 gallon nerites are great.
 
#18 ·
He is! When I call him, he come to me! He will then just hover in place and look directly at me only breaking away to gulp air or blow bubbles. His body has actually grown nearly half an inch in the 6 weeks I've had him! :-D

I will look up those plants! What about that little green bouncy ball thing? Is that a good one to have in there?

His tank is a bit larger than the box said by the way. the volume at water level is 1.8 gal. Subtracting the volume of the gravel and plant makes his water volume at about 1.4gal. Still not good enough to not get yelled at by yall, but a little better than you might have thought. :)
 
#23 ·
Just wanted to point out that mollies don't make good tankmates. They grow to around 3", are bullies and need a larger tank than 10 gallons. Mollies also need brackish water (added aquarium salt). Long-term use of aquarium salt is detrimental to bettas health.

Also, (not trying to be a back-seat mod) when a new member is looking for help acting the way some of you have it going to scare them off! How hard is it to be a little nicer to someone? Caps are not needed and angry novels on why they can't do this or that are silly! Just make your point in a friendly way. There is no reason to be rude to people who are good enough to seek out help.

I wish you luck in your escape plan. :)
 
#20 ·
Tried to edit my last post, but I couldn't figure out how!

I looked up the plants you suggested. I also ran across Frogbit, Duckweed, or Waterspirit. I'm worried about getting any plants now because I worry they will choke out his little tank! Storied of plants filling up BIG tanks worry me. And I overreacting? Also, could you tell me about moss balls
 
#21 · (Edited)
I think the floating plants could be a problem. Simply because from what I've heard they grow fairly fast and are hard to get rid of once they are introduced.
As far as the plants filling up the tank goes, I don't think it'll be too much of a problem. You'll just need to make sure to trim them down if they get a little too big.

The moss balls, I think would be a great idea. From what I've heard bettas enjoy them and they move somewhat in the tank which makes it seem almost as if they are alive. They grow pretty slow. It would be really happy once you move it over to a bigger tank as well. :)
 
#25 ·
Actually... they kind of do. Calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese and zinc are all excreted in the fish feces. as well as some nutrients are released directly from the fish in the urine or gills to the water, such as boron, potassium, magnesium, molybdenum, sulfur and carbon.

However, I read an article that simply stated, pointed out that the fish food (depending upon the contents of the fish food) and other things in the water (mostly being produced through the fish) can be enough to sustain the plant. I pointed this out simply because the OP was worried about adding fertilizer and seemed to not really want to deal with it.
 
#26 ·
It depends on the plant some aquarium plants have to have ferts some dont anarchis and Marimo you could get away with but swords need ferts some dont some do depends on species in question my Amazon sword was small and unhealthy I added subsrate and liquid ferts it it almost too big.
 
#27 ·
That is true. Some plants do need fertilization. However those plants aren't usually labelled as beginner plants. Most of the plants I listed (like the Marimo and Java fern/moss) are low light plants and grow slowly. Therefore they don't need as much fertilization. And I believe the larger the plant the more fertilization it'll require.
 
#28 ·
Yeah those would be okay but I wonder about CO2 but slow growing plants in my expierence slow growing plants grow faster with ferts and some plants turn red.
 
#29 ·
CO2 may need to be supplemented, but I think the OP shouldn't really worry about it. just keep an eye on the plants and if they begin to change colors and don't look healthy, then look into using fertilizer. Otherwise they'll be fine.
 
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