# Catfish and Betta hiding spots



## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

Hello, I've got one piece of driftwood in my tank, it's pretty large, and at the moment I've only got one peppermint catfish with my Betta, he seems okay with her, but when she tried to come out for zucchini he nipped her once after inspecting her. My question is, should I get something else for the tank that can provide another safe spot for the Peppermint just incase the betta tries to claim that drift wood as his own? I saw my Betta inside the driftwood so I was thinking maybe he sees that as 'his property'. I was thinking of getting a normal Bristlenose baby from the store to go with my Peppermint baby, aswell as a Kuhli loach, do they get territorial? Will the two bristlenoses be fine with each other aswell as the kuhli loach? My Tank is 50 liters, though it looks smaller than it is in the picture below.


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## trahana (Dec 28, 2015)

He nips, which means you need a Really well decorated tank. Think, plant/decorate until you can't see the gravel(very well). Don't add more fish until you can provide for your current catfish, who needs more placed to hide.


Be sure to inspect your catfish routinely, a betta can kill another fish.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I personally wouldn't add another pleco to a tank that size. Even though they are much smaller than a Common Pleco, an adult Bristlenose Pleco still grows to a decent size. I had an adult Peppermint Bristlenose in a slightly larger tank, and it just felt cramped. In addition, they produce a large amount of waste, so you need filtration capable of handling the bioload.

I do think plecos can be territorial, but I'm not 100% certain as my experience with these fish is limited. 

Kuhli loaches are social fish. For them to be comfortable and exhibit natural behaviour, you would need at least six of them.


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## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

trahana said:


> He nips, which means you need a Really well decorated tank. Think, plant/decorate until you can't see the gravel(very well). Don't add more fish until you can provide for your current catfish, who needs more placed to hide.
> 
> 
> Be sure to inspect your catfish routinely, a betta can kill another fish.


Okay, thanks. How would I clean the gravel if everything is on top? I'm guessing the waste would be on top too, but I'm asking just incase, I dunno, maybe some of the waste could still get stuck among the gravel?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

What size is the tank?

Any Betta tank with other fish should be 75% covered with plants. I would rehome the Peppermint Pleco as they reach 4"-5". The smallest suggested tank for them is a 20 long (30" x 12" x 12"). Pleco also need high aeration and good current flow for a healthy Pleco habitat. Some fish can live full lives in tanks with the low flow that so many seem to think is best for Betta; but not a Pleco.

Kuli Loaches needgood aeration, but not necessarily high-flow, in a tank at least 24" long. Kuhli also do best in cold to moderate temperatures of 68-78F; with best being the middle that would be 73-74. As I remember when I had them, they were real diggers and it was recommended they only be kept on soft substrate like sand. According to Seriously Fish, they can damage themselves in gravel and stop eating. I always kept mine on sand so I can't attest to that.

There are many, many fish that have habitat needs comparable to a Betta's to maintain full health and normal behavior. Unfortunately, Pleco and Loaches are not among them. People who want Betta-based community tanks should remember that if there's not enough oxygen in the water the Betta can breathe from the surface; the other residents cannot not and will eventually sicken and die.


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## TheMisfitToys (Jun 26, 2013)

LittleBettaFish said:


> I personally wouldn't add another pleco to a tank that size. Even though they are much smaller than a Common Pleco, an adult Bristlenose Pleco still grows to a decent size. I had an adult Peppermint Bristlenose in a slightly larger tank, and it just felt cramped. In addition, they produce a large amount of waste, so you need filtration capable of handling the bioload.
> 
> I do think plecos can be territorial, but I'm not 100% certain as my experience with these fish is limited.
> 
> Kuhli loaches are social fish. For them to be comfortable and exhibit natural behaviour, you would need at least six of them.



Placos do get territorial if they don't have a big enough tank to claim their own territory. I had 2 rubber nose in a 46 gallon tank and they were fine, but they each had plenty of room to stake their own territory out, and the tank was heavily decorated. I did have two bristlenose in the 46 before, and I had to re-home one of them because they were constantly fighting. I wouldn't suggest more than one bristlenose in anything smaller than at least a 50 gallon. Even with a heavily planted and decorated tank. Just my experience, though.


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## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> What size is the tank?
> 
> Any Betta tank with other fish should be 75% covered with plants. I would rehome the Peppermint Pleco as they reach 4"-5". The smallest suggested tank for them is a 20 long (30" x 12" x 12"). Pleco also need high aeration and good current flow for a healthy Pleco habitat. Some fish can live full lives in tanks with the low flow that so many seem to think is best for Betta; but not a Pleco.
> 
> ...


My tank is about 13 Gallons, and I have been trying to find plants for my tank, but I have been almost everywhere and no one sells any, I heard water wisteria is good for bettas, is that true? But the problem is it gets very big, I'm just starting to realize that this probably won't work out, good thing I have seen an ad for a free fish tank that is wayy bigger than mine at the moment, might try get it, it's about 50 gallons, would that work out?


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## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> What size is the tank?
> 
> Any Betta tank with other fish should be 75% covered with plants. I would rehome the Peppermint Pleco as they reach 4"-5". The smallest suggested tank for them is a 20 long (30" x 12" x 12"). Pleco also need high aeration and good current flow for a healthy Pleco habitat. Some fish can live full lives in tanks with the low flow that so many seem to think is best for Betta; but not a Pleco.
> 
> ...


Would 50 Gallons be alright?


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## TheMisfitToys (Jun 26, 2013)

I think you need to take into account the needs of the other fish before you get a 50 gallon tank. Some of the fish you want require cooler water than a betta, so having a bigger tank still isn't going to accommodate everyone. You need to get fish that all have the same water requirements (temp, water flow, etc). As far as plants go, you can and should trim plants so that they don't over grow your tank.


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## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

TheMisfitToys said:


> I think you need to take into account the needs of the other fish before you get a 50 gallon tank. Some of the fish you want require cooler water than a betta, so having a bigger tank still isn't going to accommodate everyone. You need to get fish that all have the same water requirements (temp, water flow, etc). As far as plants go, you can and should trim plants so that they don't over grow your tank.


I was actually thinking I need a bigger tank anyway because I want to get into breeding Bettas, Bettas and BN are really the only fish I actually like, and will only usually buy. Also due to the fact Bettas can't live with fish with bright colors.

About the plants, any recommendations? I heard water wisteria is good as I've said, but any else? I've seen people float water wisteria and I ask my pet shop if I can float them and they say no, what can I do and what can I not do? ?


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Sappire said:


> I was actually thinking I need a bigger tank anyway because I want to get into breeding Bettas, Bettas and BN are really the only fish I actually like, and will only usually buy. Also due to the fact Bettas can't live with fish with bright colors.
> 
> About the plants, any recommendations? I heard water wisteria is good as I've said, but any else? I've seen people float water wisteria and I ask my pet shop if I can float them and they say no, what can I do and what can I not do? ?


The plants you get depends on what care you are able to give. I don't do CO2, but I do use root tabs, I also have low / medium light in my tanks, and sand substrate. I just got water wisteria around a month ago and it's doing well so far. I also have anubia coin, anubia nana, anacharis, java fern, 2 types of crypts, repens, and ruffled amazon sword. All do very well except for the amazon sword, that I can't get to grow no matter what I try or what tank it's in. 

If you like I can take pictures of 3 of my tanks and post them so you can see what moderately planted tanks look like.


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## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

Rainbo said:


> The plants you get depends on what care you are able to give. I don't do CO2, but I do use root tabs, I also have low / medium light in my tanks, and sand substrate. I just got water wisteria around a month ago and it's doing well so far. I also have anubia coin, anubia nana, anacharis, java fern, 2 types of crypts, repens, and ruffled amazon sword. All do very well except for the amazon sword, that I can't get to grow no matter what I try or what tank it's in.
> 
> If you like I can take pictures of 3 of my tanks and post them so you can see what moderately planted tanks look like.


The pictures would really help, thank you! What would you recommend? I just need something that's low maintenance like wisteria.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Sappire said:


> The pictures would really help, thank you! What would you recommend? I just need something that's low maintenance like wisteria.


Here's my tanks. Everything I have is pretty low maintenance. I trim some of them like the Anacharis, but so far haven't had to trim anything else. I do use root tabs but only add them according to the directions on the package. 

First picture is the 10 gal, all sand substrate, nothing special about the light, sand substrate. I have 3 artificial silk plants in the tank, the rest are live. Plants are 2 types of crypt, repens, java fern, anubia coin, water wisteria, and ruffled amazon that refuses to do well.

2nd picture is the 5 gallon. Sand under the plants, black gravel is eco complete (crypts didn't like it), light is a Finnex Stingray. I use root tabs. All the plants are live. Plants are crypts, anubia nana, anubia coin, moss ball, water wisteria, and anacharis.

3rd picture is my 3 gallon. Gravel substrate. Only light is from the window, no fertilizer is used. All live plants. Plants are anacharis, and I think guppy grass.

4th picture is my 2.5 gallon. Gravel substrate, cheap picotope light (I need a better light), no fertilizer used. 1 artificial silk plant, the rest are live. Plants are anubia coin, anancharis and what I think is guppy grass. I'm having the hardest time growing anything in this tank and I suspect it is because the light if I put the mesh top on is lower then low, working on getting a better light for the tank, but for now I've lowered the water in it and leave the mesh top off.


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## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

Rainbo said:


> Here's my tanks. Everything I have is pretty low maintenance. I trim some of them like the Anacharis, but so far haven't had to trim anything else. I do use root tabs but only add them according to the directions on the package.
> 
> First picture is the 10 gal, all sand substrate, nothing special about the light, sand substrate. I have 3 artificial silk plants in the tank, the rest are live. Plants are 2 types of crypt, repens, java fern, anubia coin, water wisteria, and ruffled amazon that refuses to do well.
> 
> ...


Ahh, I see, I really appreciate you taking the time to take and upload the photos, this gives me a better idea of what my tank should look like. 

So from what I read Water Wisteria, Java fern and anubia coin are pretty easy? Do the anubia coin and Java fern need C02 and fertilizer? I'm looking for plants like water wisteria that don't need either and are pretty hardy and easy.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Sappire said:


> Ahh, I see, I really appreciate you taking the time to take and upload the photos, this gives me a better idea of what my tank should look like.
> 
> So from what I read Water Wisteria, Java fern and anubia coin are pretty easy? Do the anubia coin and Java fern need C02 and fertilizer? I'm looking for plants like water wisteria that don't need either and are pretty hardy and easy.


Depending on the bio-load in the tank you may or may not need liquid fertilizer with those three. I've not needed it. All three of the plants are water column feeders. 

In the 10 gal, my java fern I bought on driftwood and just placed it in the corner, it's the plant in the right background corner. 

In the 10, 5, and 2.5 gal, the anubia coin I just let float, although in the 10 gal I do have it tied to a piece of string and the string anchored with a weight buried in the substrate so that it stays in one place. In the 10 gal it's the plant on the left side with the round leaves, in the 5 gal it's on the right and left sides of the tank, and in the 2.5 it's on the right side.

The water wisteria I did poke the ends of into the substrate in both the 10 and 5 gal, but from what I've read you can leave it floating. It's all the way on the right side of the 5 gal tank and except for a couple leaves really can't be seen. In the 10 gal if you look carefully at the center of the tank it can sort of be seen but blends in with the java fern, the anacharis, and the artificial plant that I'm taking out this week since the water wisteria didn't melt.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

The only one that he mentions that I know about is Amazon Sword, it does require fertilizer aka root tabs along with iron tabs. Without those the plant will not grow right.


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## Sappire (Jun 13, 2018)

Rainbo said:


> The only one that he mentions that I know about is Amazon Sword, it does require fertilizer aka root tabs along with iron tabs. Without those the plant will not grow right.


Oh, okay, thanks for the help.


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