how do i set up my new betta with a 10 gallon tank?

[nehemiahludden]

i wil get all this stuff. can i add a sucker fish to this mix of other aquatics or would the betta think he was food?

[Bluewind]

Oh and I use a small plastic mixing bowl to scoop my water out with. It's the perfect size and has a slot in it which makes pouring the water much easier.
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[Bluewind]

Originally Posted by nehemiahludden

i wil get all this stuff. can i add a sucker fish to this mix of other aquatics or would the betta think he was food?

You mean a Pleco? They look fine as babies, but boy do they grow! They get far too large for a 10 gallon. Look up Oto and see what you think of them. If you decide to go with Otos or Cory Cats in your tank, you will need sand as your substrate. Mine use to like Omega One Shrimp Pellets and TetraVeggie Tropical Algae Waffers. It's also what I feed my snails now.
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[nehemiahludden]

i will eventually move him to a 55 gallon tank with a few more friends for him but i need to know if i can add a sucker fish in with him or not.

[nehemiahludden]

i think i meant a pacosamess or how ever you spell it

[Bluewind]

I'm not an expert on Pleco as I have never had a tank large enough for them. Someone else will have to weigh in on that point. I would definitly wait until you actually had the 55 gallon tank before you bought one as they are HUGE waste producers.
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[nehemiahludden]

ok cool i will do that.

[Laki]

I have seen pleco's as large as my forearm.

[Luxavior]

Get your fish a nice coffee mug to play in, and lots of silk plants.

If you get a terra cotta flower pot, be sure to enlarge or seal the hole at the bottom with aquarium-safe silicone, or knock the bottom out completely, making sure to sand any edges and corners smooth.

10g is a pretty big space for one betta and with barely any decor they can begin to stress due to the exposure, so by planting several silk plants fairly close together in the back, with the flower pot and/or coffee mug laying on its side will help give them security.

I have about 10 silk plants in my 10g: 3 large, 2 medium, and 5 small plants all placed from end to end of the tank, going from the middle to the back of the tank with some of the small plants in plastic drinkware, leaving the front clear for swimming space.
I also have a flower pot and coffee mug tucked under the plants, and a floating craft mesh tunnel.

You probably don't have to over-do it like I think I did though, I just wanted to make sure my guy had things to swim through or sit on at different depths of the tank.

[Bluewind]

Well... I wouldn't trust a flower pot as I have seen them shipped and stocked and too many of them are too close to the garden stuff like fertalizers and pestacides. As porus as terracotta is, I would constantly worry about something nasty leaching out.

I can however give a thumbs up to the coffee mugs (non-chipped!) and glasses as they are hard and therefore cannot absorbe nasty stuff in transit. Guess I am just a little too cautious, but that's just me.