10 gallon with male betta

[LittleBettaFish]

If you feel you have enough algae or are able to provide a supplemented diet for more than one otocinclus, I think you should bump your numbers up to 3-4 individuals.

Otocinclus do seem to prefer being in each other's company as they are a shoaling fish by nature. I have found their bioload to be fairly negligible in a cycled tank. However, the difficulty is in ensuring that they are all well-fed as it is not uncommon for them to refuse to transition over to other food.

Depending on your betta's propensity towards aggression and the capabilities of your filter, you may be able to get away with a school of small tetras or rasboras. Just remember that there are more species out there than just neons and some are very suitable tankmates for a particularly gentle or indifferent betta.

Downside is some of these species can be sensitive so if water conditions aren't to their liking they can rapidly decline in health and cause all sorts of problems.

Do you know what the hardness/softness of your water is along with a pH value? That can help with selecting appropriate tank mates.

[mkayum]

Originally Posted by Alcemistnv

Well, it's advised to have multiple cories since they're a shoaling fish, and having only one or two can lead to stress/health problems for it :/

I mean, I have an oto cat in my tank, but she's tiny and doesn't take up much room. I have a feeling that if it wasn't for the constant water changing/having a cycled tank, things wouldn't be so well.

I've actually read 4-5 cories in a 10, but I may be wrong...

Me too! I have only one oto cat in my community tank because three of her kind died for no reason. But only one survived! I think I had her/him since two months and a half now. I do water changes every weekend and I think that's the reason why this little guy was alive and kicking! It kept my whole 20 gallon including the plants very clean!

[Alcemistnv]

Originally Posted by mkayum

Me too! I have only one oto cat in my community tank because three of her kind died for no reason. But only one survived! I think I had her/him since two months and a half now. I do water changes every weekend and I think that's the reason why this little guy was alive and kicking! It kept my whole 20 gallon including the plants very clean!

She does very well in the tank. Sometimes I see Squirt looking at her, but he has never done anything to her, and I'm happy :)

Originally Posted by LittleBettaFish

If you feel you have enough algae or are able to provide a supplemented diet for more than one otocinclus, I think you should bump your numbers up to 3-4 individuals.

Otocinclus do seem to prefer being in each other's company as they are a shoaling fish by nature. I have found their bioload to be fairly negligible in a cycled tank. However, the difficulty is in ensuring that they are all well-fed as it is not uncommon for them to refuse to transition over to other food.

Depending on your betta's propensity towards aggression and the capabilities of your filter, you may be able to get away with a school of small tetras or rasboras. Just remember that there are more species out there than just neons and some are very suitable tankmates for a particularly gentle or indifferent betta.

Downside is some of these species can be sensitive so if water conditions aren't to their liking they can rapidly decline in health and cause all sorts of problems.

Do you know what the hardness/softness of your water is along with a pH value? That can help with selecting appropriate tank mates.

I think I might keep my one oto in the 5 gallon, and get a group of either pygmy or panda cories for the 10 gallon to go with the one betta in the tank. I also have the option of getting more otos and NOT getting cories. This way I can also maybe get some other schooling fish...

I have not had anything tested for a bit, to be honest. But my pH was always about 6.5 or 7. My water at home is very soft because of our softner, but I don't know about my school's water.