What to put in 2.5 gallon with betta

[TaylorW]

I have a 2.5 gallon, unfiltered, and I have to change the water every 2-3 days. I looked into getting a snail or shrimp since that's really all that can fit in my tank, but my betta's aggressive, so if your fish is aggressive it's not a good idea.

Bettas sometimes eat shrimp, and some shrimp attack bettas and rip their fins or worse... And snails poo a lot and can have babies without a mate or can carry eggs for months. Sometimes bettas kill them too. So I just have my one fish in my tank, I think he likes it better that way :)

[AngelicScars]

I would just stick with the betta being solo. 2.5 is a great size for one betta, and they really like being alone anyway.

If you'd like a shrimp or a snail, I'd bump the tank up to a 5g. If you'd like more fish, I'd go with 10-20+ gallon tank.

HTH! :D

[Rolling21]

A lot of very helpful answers in this thread. I was just searching the net for what I can put in my 2.5 gal with my lone betta. It does seem the answer is nothing, which I can perfectly understand.

[folion]

Originally Posted by Rolling21

A lot of very helpful answers in this thread. I was just searching the net for what I can put in my 2.5 gal with my lone betta. It does seem the answer is nothing, which I can perfectly understand.

Ya i took the snails out and crabs out took them back to the pet store. But i did a lot of research and found that ghost shrimp are good. They sell them at the pet store at a $1 for 5. From what i have read and seen is that the ghost shrimp are much much faster then the betta and help keep the tank clean. Just before i removed the snails the nitrite level shot thru the roof. In fact my tests showed it at 5.0ppm and that’s as high as the test could go. luckily i had a friend at work that saved me and is baby sitting my betta. He also took one of his sponges from his filters and seeded a new one for me. i then cut the sponge into strips and placed them into a tube that has a air rock in it. It pulls water from under the rocks and up to the top. the nitrites are now dropping like a rock.

[CjRager89]

Right now my betta has two guppy fry swimming around in his 2.5 with him. I origianally put 4 (guppy fry are teeny tiny) as a snack for my betta. He ate the two females quick fast, but has let the two males swim around with him. I think he likes them....he just lays with them sometimes.

[TaylorW]

Originally Posted by CjRager89

Right now my betta has two guppy fry swimming around in his 2.5 with him. I origianally put 4 (guppy fry are teeny tiny) as a snack for my betta. He ate the two females quick fast, but has let the two males swim around with him. I think he likes them....he just lays with them sometimes.

I'm not exactly sure if that's a good idea... If he's not going to eat them, I would take them out! It's torturous to those poor little guppy fry....

[CjRager89]

they dont seem to mind.....and i know it might sound cruel, but i have like 100000000 more lol. those guppies are nuts!

[folion]

The main thing is if you add any thing to your 1 – 2.5 gallon tank with your betta you really must keep a good eye on your ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels. I had a fully cycled 2.0 tank with just my betta and just adding 2 snails and a crab sent the nitrite levels off the scale * literally* in the tank. The more you have the more water changes you must do. I had to learn that the hard way.

[JD3P]

I made the mistake of buying a ghost shrimp, and placing it in the tank with my male betta. It had plenty of hiding spots, but my fish is aggressive and demolished the poor thing =[ I wouldn't suggest getting them, unless you have don't mind them dieing on you, or you are getting them as an extra snack as well as a cleaning tool, and not a pet. Also if you ever do consider getting another tank mate, African Dwarf Frogs aren't always the best choice for aggressive fish. The one I placed in the tank with my fish lasted about four days, and was bloody one morning on his hands/feet, and later that day he died. So far snails are the best way to go, as long as you make sure they eat. Unfortunately the algae wafers can kind of dirty your tank, making it look foggy. I wouldn't use them unless you get a larger tank. Even my 10g with a filter gets cloudy still. Hope you find a good solution. I'm still trying myself, but it seems the best bet for a betta really is to just give him his own home and let him enjoy it all by himself.