[makoisland]

After discovering that I can't easily keep goldfish, another idea popped into my head that I'd like to look into.

Can several female bettas live with a small group of neon tetras in a 10 gallon tank? I have read online that bettas and neon tetras may live in the same tank together, but I'd like other people's insights.
Here's what I'd like to have and what I'm prepared to set up for these fish:
Three female bettas
Six neon tetras

Heater
Filter system
Gravel
6-8 plants
1 or 2 logs or caves

Please tell me your experiences with this type of setup (bettas and tetras), and if this setup will work well. A few questions I'm focusing on finding the answers to:
I have heard that you shouldn't have two female bettas together, but one or three or more will be better. Should there be more tetras or fewer bettas?
Will I need a larger aquarium?
How well do these fish usually get along?
I won't be setting up this aquarium for a while, months probably, so I have plenty of time to prepare and gather information. I'm planning on buying one or two things (plants and such) a month so that it won't seem like I'm spending a fortune when I buy the whole setup. lol

Please give me your experiences and opinions! Thanks!

 

[kfryman]

Nope that would be a sorority, so you need at least four bettas, the neons will increase the bioload and will be overstocked, which may also cause aggression problems. Neons need at least 6, a sorority needs at least 4. you would need a 15 gallon to do that, and it still may not work because of the swim levels.

 

[Myates]

You definitely will need more females then just the three, and more plants then that to make a safe sorority.. I'm talking about very densely planted.
I would go with 1 female and the neons, or 6 girls and skip other fish..

 

[makoisland]

Would I definitely need at least six females, or would I be able to have four with no other fish?

 

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

The lower the number of girls the higher number of problems.

 

[makoisland]

Okay, thanks... after reading every single comment on the sorority sticky, I feel at least a little more informed on sororities and how many females should be in them.

 

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

5 or 6 is a good number for a 10 Gallon, with no other fish.

 

[makoisland]

That's what I was thinking. Would I be able to add a snail, to help keep the tank clean?

 

[Bombalurina]

Snails really don't help keep the tank clean. They poop a lot, so they raise the ammonia levels faster (more work for you) and will only eat certain types of algae, so you'd have to clean the rest yourself anyway. I really wouldn't bother with a snail.

 

[makoisland]

Hmm, thanks.

 

[Bombalurina]

If you want neons plus a trio of fish, why not consider 6 neons and 3 male Endlers Livebearers?

 

[makoisland]

Ooh, those are pretty. I'm pretty I wouldn't be able to find them around here though, and I love the idea of a sorority; bettas are simply growing on me. xD (a little too much, perhaps? lol)