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Male betta tankmates in a 5 gallon?

2K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  LittleBettaFish 
#1 ·
Is it even possible? I really want a couple fish to go with my Betta, but before I go through the same heartache I just endured with Sammy, I don't want to blindly go into this trial and error game unprepared.

I tried my Betta out with an AFD -- worked great!
Blue Gourami -- horrible. Sammy was bullied
Blue Dwarf Grourami -- not as bad, but I think he severely stressed Sammy.

I was thinking maybe a small schooling-type fish would be a good try next?
What would you guys recommend?
 
#2 ·
Blue Gourami -- horrible. Sammy was bullied
Blue Dwarf Grourami -- not as bad, but I think he severely stressed Sammy.
Gouramis and Bettas do not mix, They are both labyrinth fish and will fight.

IMO 5 gallon is too small for a betta and anything.

My suggestion is heavily plant the tank and only keep a betta in it.
 
#3 ·
Yeah... found that out the hard way. Unfortunately, the website I read said they would do well together since they were both in the same family. If I were to get a bigger tank, like a 10, 15, or 20 gallon, what would go well with a betta?
 
#5 ·
Hi

If I were to get a bigger tank, like a 10, 15, or 20 gallon, what would go well with a betta?
Before I can answer that I need to know if you have soft or hard water.

a school of cories will be nice :)
Most Cory’s will do perfectly in a moderately heated tank with temperature of around 25°C (77°F). General water hardness shouldn’t exceed 18°N dGH (321.43 ppm, 6.43 mEq), and shouldn’t be less than 4°N dGH (71.43 ppm, 1.43 mEq) although most Cory’s will do fine in water with dGH of 8-12°N dGH (142.86 - 214.29 ppm, 2.86 - 4.29 mEq). Recommended pH for a Corydoras tank is 7 – which is neutral.
If kept correctly, these fish normally live very long. Once a Corydoras aeneus lived for 27 years in captivity, and 20 years is not too uncommon.
 
#6 ·
Hi



Before I can answer that I need to know if you have soft or hard water.
I'm not really sure how to answer that as I don't have much experience in the fish world. How would I figure that out?

I try to keep my tank around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, but with recently upgrading to a 5 gallon tank, my 15 watt heater is having trouble keeping it at 72 degrees. I'm getting a new heater tomorrow if the petstore is open (we're having pretty bad weather and they weren't open today.
 
#7 ·
I don't mean to sound rude, but before you go off picking out your new fish, let's do some reading beforehand. Water chemistry is a very important knowledge to have in hand. Literally, it's what we need to know to alter their world. So let's start from here:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwh2oquality.htm

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/.../water-hardness-ph-freshwater-aquarium-73276/

EDIT: I do know 75 is OK for Bettas, but I like my tanks to stay 78-82. It's the best temp range IMO
 
#8 ·
Thats what I read and its also part of why I'm getting a new heater because if thats where bettas thrive, I'd rather have him in warmer water.

I'll get some strips and test it tomorrow if the store is open in the morning... hopefully they are.

Sorry for my ignorance... when I was younger we never really worried about any of that stuff when it came to fish. I mainly just researched what was needed to keep my betta happy and alive... I didn't really run across anything when it came to the technicalities of water. Those links were helpful though.. thank you!
 
#9 ·
Oops. I'd avoid the strips if I were you. Go for the API Master test kit if you can. If they're too pricey, at least just get the ammonia one - $7 on Petco.
 
#13 ·
If you go for a 10g or up, African Dwarf Frogs are great with Bettas, in a 10g you can have 6 frogs plus the betta with a minimum of 3. Otherwise 10 Ember Tetras in a 10g with the betta.

Make sure your tank is cycled and established for a couple months before adding tankmates to it though. In a 5g the only thing you can have in there is maybe a mystery snail or a nerite snail. And they really are finicky with water parameters.

Water Parameters are mega important when dealing with any fish. Bettas just happen to be hardy little buggers.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Wait... do you think thats what happened with Sammy? I only had him for about a week and a half and I tried to add fish in there with him...

Would neon tetras or harlequin rasboras do just as well in there with a new male betta after some time for him to get adjusted?
 
#15 ·
Neon tetras are much too active for a 5 gallon tank. Harlequin rasbora are not a species I am very familiar with, but I do believe they also will need a larger tank.

The issue with many schooling fish is that it's not their size, but their activity levels, and the fact that they should be kept in a group, makes them unsuitable for anything under 10-15 gallons.

Now I'm not sure after reading your last post, whether you intend to purchase a 10 gallon tank or not.

If so, you could try keeping neon tetras if your water is suitable, but ember tetras are probably a better fit.

However, both species are extremely sensitive to poor water quality and your tank would need to be fully cycled before the fish go in.
 
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