So just recently I changed the living conditions in my 5 gallon fish tank. There isn't a male betta fish anymore. Now there is one guppie, one female betta, and one bottom feeder.
I don't really count my bottom feeder as a number since he hasn't moved out of hiding at all since I got him. He isn't active in cleaning my tank
Anyways, I noticed my female betta is really healthy compared to all the other fishes I have got so far. She eats and likes to explore to the point she wants to mess with the small heater. She tried a few times to jump over it. She is so cute.
Anyways, is one guppie and one bottom feeder fine with my betta? I think it is because so far she isn't getting bothered by anything.
Typically it isn't recommended to house bettas and guppies (especially males) together because the bettas will often mistake their flashy tails for other bettas, get aggravated, and harass them. Guppies have also been seen picking on bettas too. If you have enough decorations and a mellow enough female, it may work. You have to observe them carefully and see how they interact with each other.
What kind of bottom feeder do you have? A lot of people buy bottom feeders to "clean their tanks" but at the end of the day they are fishes too and need to be taken care of. If that fish is sick, then it could possibly get the other two fishes sick. If it is hiding, it might be getting picked on by the other fishes. Also, please remember that a lot of bottom feeders may not get enough food from a tank and end up starving.
I feel good about how the guppie and betta are reacting toward each other. In the beginning the betta was harassing the guppie but after one day she is now ignoring the guppie. It used to been where the guppie came near the betta it would be chased.
I'm worried for the bottom feeder then. I am thinking of returning him so he won't have to hide all the time. Also, since my tank has no plants at all and from the looks of it there is no algae I think I wanna get a snail for it. But what kind?
There are a couple of problems with your setup that you might want to rectify.
1) Guppies are social fish and really should be in groups of 3+.
2) A five gallon tank is really only meant to support one fish. They can't cope with the bioload of a betta, a guppy and a bottom feeder, especially as most bottom feeders produce a fair amount of waste. Unfortunately, this means that you can't afford to add in more guppies.
3) A 5 gallon doesn't afford a lot of space. Even if your betta doesn't have territorial issues in such a small space, it doesn't provide the guppy with a whole lot of swimming room. Personally, I don't think they should be in less than a 10 gal.
4) An unknown fish is a problem - I'm worried for your bottom feeder. Chances are it is one of two things:
a) a pleco, which get to a minimum of 6 inches, with some species getting as large as 2ft. They produce a lot of waste and shouldn't be kept in less than 20 gallons.
b) a cory, which are schooling fish, happiest in groups of 5+. As said above, your tank doesn't have the room to support such a school.
Right now, I wouldn't be adding things as your tank is pushed beyond the limit. If you want to add a snail, you really need a bigger tank.
There are a couple of problems with your setup that you might want to rectify.
1) Guppies are social fish and really should be in groups of 3+.
2) A five gallon tank is really only meant to support one fish. They can't cope with the bioload of a betta, a guppy and a bottom feeder, especially as most bottom feeders produce a fair amount of waste. Unfortunately, this means that you can't afford to add in more guppies.
3) A 5 gallon doesn't afford a lot of space. Even if your betta doesn't have territorial issues in such a small space, it doesn't provide the guppy with a whole lot of swimming room. Personally, I don't think they should be in less than a 10 gal.
4) An unknown fish is a problem - I'm worried for your bottom feeder. Chances are it is one of two things:
a) a pleco, which get to a minimum of 6 inches, with some species getting as large as 2ft. They produce a lot of waste and shouldn't be kept in less than 20 gallons.
b) a cory, which are schooling fish, happiest in groups of 5+. As said above, your tank doesn't have the room to support such a school.
Right now, I wouldn't be adding things as your tank is pushed beyond the limit. If you want to add a snail, you really need a bigger tank.
I agree with Bombalurina. Try and rehome/return the guppy and return the bottom feeder. If you absolutely must have another creature with your girl, try some ghost shrimp but know that they may become betta snacks. You could add a nerite snail but only if you rehome the other two.
I recommend some red cherry shrimp as a companion for your betta.
After losing my corys, I purchased 12 cherry shrimp to clean my 29 gal w/ 9 female bettas.
I've read that they "have no bioload" and are great tank cleaners. The bettas in the tank chase them- funny, b/c shrimp can out-swim a betta easily. I assume any shrimp spawn are being eaten by my girls, so I've started a shrimp farm tank. They are pretty and entertaining in their own right!
I surrendered my Mystery snails b/c of the bioload. I'd rather have a fish than a snail. I bought some ramshorns; they've bred in the filter & provide food for my bettas. The few that escaped being eaten can go ahead as tank cleaners; they're much smaller than Mystery snails.
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
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