5 g betta tankmates ans stocking

[zacheyp]

So i plan on setting up a 5 g heavily planted tank in the coming weeks!I will definitly have a betta fish, snails, red cherry shrimp, and tons of plants. I want a moss bedding of some sort but i am not sure how possible that is. What do you think? My other big thing is another fish... it is a must. I was thinking a tiny school of rasbora's. If you dont think that would work what would you reccomend? Thanks

[Olympia]

No other fish species can live comfortably in a 5gal with a betta, it's not enough territory and close quarters will make the betta aggressive to his tank mates.
You can add more fish in a 10gal aquarium ;)

[zacheyp]

Originally Posted by Olympia

No other fish species can live comfortably in a 5gal with a betta, it's not enough territory and close quarters will make the betta aggressive to his tank mates.
You can add more fish in a 10gal aquarium ;)

even if the tank is VERY HEAVILY planted?

[Myates]

It's not about just aggression, a 5 gallon won't be as safe with added bio from other fish.

In a 5 gallon, the safest set up if you don't just want a betta is with a single snail (most snail's bioloads are huge, and they spawn rather quickly- so a single one is the best option), or a small community of shrimp.. be it cherry or ghost.. something small like that. The only thing you will h ave to keep in mind if you go the shrimp route is to make sure there are plenty of hiding places among different types of live plants and live aquatic "grasses" for them to hide in and eat from.. as the betta will tend to be interested in snacking upon them.

You may be able to get an african dwarf frog- but look into them prior, as sometimes it's difficult to keep one in with a betta (the betta will like to eat their food since the frogs need more live/frozen foods).

But for a 5 gallon, the bio load will be too great for any type of other fish along with the betta, as well as there isn't enough room for multiples.. a lot of "betta safe" tank mates require 6+ in school, or at least a few of the same type if you are looking at some live bearers. The 5 gallon won't have enough swim space to hold them all- too small of room will create aggression since they will feel cornered.

So over load on bioloads, not enough room to swim and feel comfortable and have their own space, and not enough room for most other species of fish that require adequate groupings and numbers (not to mention adequate tank size for the sizes of the fish).

Making the tank heavily planted will have them even have less room to swim around in and feel claustrophobic. But a heavily live planted 5 gallon for a single betta is awesome.. you can also divide it in half and have two bettas :)

[Pitluvs]

^^ Ditto, what Myates said :)

[Olympia]

I'd go with a shrimp colony, or a nerite snail since they can't reproduce in fresh water (most snails can reproduce with themselves.. O.O)
For african dwarf frogs, you'd need 2, since they like company. They'd need hiding spots also, and you'd have to be pretty dedicated to them. Aggression is possible both ways, betta could bite off frog toes, frogs might be tempted to chase a bright betta and nip fins. Also they are very slow at food, as Myates said, so you'd most likely have to shove the food right infront of their faces to make sure your betta doesn't eat all the food. A good choice for food is the HBH frog pellets, available at petsmart, with supplements of bloodworms. All in all, unless you have your heart set on them, I wouldn't do it ;)

[Bombalurina]

+1 to Myates, Pitluvs and Olympia. I have kept a betta with a pair of guppies in a 5 gallon out of sheer necessity (a rescue after someone dropped a guppy in a betta jar at a pet shop), and for the short time I had them together, it was not good. No one really had enough space, even though the tank was a 5 gallon long, and the bioload was not fun to deal with. If you want more fish, get at least a ten gallon. :)