Betta Buddy Recommendations?

[tanknewbie]

Hi guys. Yes, it's another compatibility question, sorry. I have a 29 gallon tank that has been cycling for about 6 weeks now. It still isn't perfectly in line, but it is pretty close. It has housed an angelfish from the very beginning (long FUBAR story) and a betta part time. After about 3 weeks the two started fighting, so the betta goes into a bowl for a day or two and back into the tank for a day or two. It's not the best solution, but it is the best I can do for right now.

Anyway, the tank isn't 100% in line, it has about .05 ammonia which I am working on. I'm getting ready to do a serious vacuuming and a large (not complete) water change. If the conditions hold for another week or so, then I want to add more fish.

I'm going to take the Angel back. The entire point of getting the tank was to give a betta a happy home. I'm absolutely smitten with bettas and the entire tank centers around him. If it doesn't work for him, then it isn't for this tank.

So, I have a rather large credit at my local fish store from the FUBAR mentioned above. They don't have a huge selection and most of what they have seems to either get very big or are overly aggressive. I liked the fancy guppies and bubble mollies I originally had, so I thought about getting those again. Again, the angel is going back, so the guppies won't end up as lunch, lol. I would also like a bottom feeder (not to be confused with an algae eater as the pet store did). I want something that will eat the food that sifts down to the bottom of the tank. A catfish will do that, right? What else?

Anyway, so assuming I do the guppies and mollies.........how many should I do? What kind of bottom feeder and how many? And don't forget to count my betta. TIA. (Oh, and P.S., the guppies and mollies will all be male. No breeding allowed!! :D )

[Cody]

Mollies could work, but Male Guppies can be risky. Bettas can be housed with anything that doesnt have long fins. Male guppies, unfortunatly do. I have housed bettas with mollies with success, but I have not tried guppies.

For bottom feeders, you could do a small shoal of cories (3 or more). They are very comical to watch in a large group, and they will eat most of the leftover food that falls to the bottom. Make sure they do get their food, since they will not go to the top and eat (they might).

You could add some sort of Tetra instead of the Guppies.

[Lindsey88]

Balloon mollies (I believe thats what you are talking about) should be fine. For bottom feeders I would suggest cories. Get a shoal of 6 or more. They will eat sinking wafers. You could also try a couple of mystery snails. I put a betta in my community tank with a fancy guppy and the betta shredded his tail all the way down to the bone in one night and killed him. After that he got along with all the other fish which included platies a female guppy and a balloon molly. If you really want guppies you could get male feeder guppies.

[tanknewbie]

Balloon mollies, that's what they are! (sorry, my fish store called them "bubble bodies" Took me forever to find them online........).

Ok, so now we have one betta, 6 corgies, after that.........how many balloon mollies and/or tetras? The mollies are a given, I will get some of those, just need to know how many. The tetras, we'll see.

Also, sinking wafers? I've only seen "algae" wafers. This pet store I'm talking about (regret ever going there) only feeds flakes.......nothing else, ever. Their treatment of bettas is worse that WalMart!! Would they be used to going to the top for food or would they wait patiently at the bottom? (this is assuming I cannot find said wafers). I haven't seen that this store has any snails. That will have to wait for a trip to the city if I decide to do those, I guess.

[Lindsey88]

Yes they can be given algae wafers. Cories will eat any food that falls to the bottom as well. They are terrific scavengers and keep tanks really clean.
These are some foods they can be given
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...amily&keepsr=1
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...amily&keepsr=1
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...amily&keepsr=1
Balloon mollies don't need to be kept in schools so just get the amount you want. I would just get 2-3 of them if I were you.

Not a tetra but i've heard these guys can get along with bettas well
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_rasbora.php