# 1 Beta - 5 Cichlids = 55g (Am I cruel?)



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

I have a 55g with one male VT Betta, 5 neon tetras, and I finally added 5 Cichlids.


My Betta has been flaring at everything, and I am not sure what to do because I have grown attached to him.

I recently buy a 5g tank but I put another Betta in there, I am not attached to this one - but it's colors are nicer than the one I currently have.

So here is my situation...

55g - 5tetras, 5cichlids, and 1 betta

5g - 1 betta and 1 bumblebee goby

fish bowl - empty and I don't want to put the Betta here...


Is it best to keep my betta in it's tank and see how the cichlids treat him? 
(So far the Betta is bossing around all the cichlids, and no nipping has happened within 24hours)

Is it better to give my Betta back to the pet store where it sits in a cup with 15+ other bettas (slim chance of someone buying him)? Or is it better to risk him in my tank?


https://youtu.be/S5ba6htt1mc

Here is a video I uploaded to youtube, please give it 15 minutes to process (posted 5:33PM PST)


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

https://youtu.be/S5ba6htt1mc

Is the actual video


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Well, it really depends on what kind of cichlids they are! There are soooo many species so we can't help too much until you tell us what kind they are ^_^

If they're dwarf species (generally south american cichlids) like Rams, Apisto's, Kribs, then they'll likely be fine. If they're African then they will not be fine, besides their water parameters being much too high for a Betta, they are also very aggressive and will likely bully or kill your Betta!

Betta's do need a densely planted tank regardless of the size of it, so if you don't have that then you could also stress out your Betta as well which can lead to disease and other disaster. 

I can't see the videos since they're being processed. Can you post pictures (or stills from the video) to this post instead of the cichlids? You can hit Go Advanced and then the paper clip icon in the tool box to attach a picture to your post.


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

lilnaugrim said:


> Well, it really depends on what kind of cichlids they are! There are soooo many species so we can't help too much until you tell us what kind they are ^_^
> 
> If they're dwarf species (generally south american cichlids) like Rams, Apisto's, Kribs, then they'll likely be fine. If they're African then they will not be fine, besides their water parameters being much too high for a Betta, they are also very aggressive and will likely bully or kill your Betta!
> 
> ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5ba6htt1mc&feature=youtu.be


I will upload pictures shortly, and I have a feeling the Cichlids I have are aggressive.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh no.....yeah, those are Jack Dempsey's. they get HUGE and they are super aggressive! Your Betta will become a snack shortly! I recommend getting a breeder box to keep the little boy in for now or you can use that vase if you want to keep him. Just keep up with twice weekly (at least) water changes and he'll be just fine in that  the issue comes about when the tanks aren't cleaned enough or heated. It may just be easier to keep him in a breeder box but that's all up to you, just shooting out some idea's here.

Jack Dempsey's can get up to 10 inches in length which means you should only be keeping 1 in that tank size as they grow. You may end up with one just out of process of elimination (they can/may eat each other if one is really aggressive or if they don't have enough territory spaces. You may also be lucky too but why chance it?) You may be able to keep a full grown pair in the 55 but usually 60+ is recommended due to their larger size (a 55 is only 13 inches wide which means that's 3 inches roughly of clearance for those fish!).

I don't know your situation but is it possible to return the JD's and get something more peaceful for your tank? It looks like it has a great start so far, you just need some smaller fish in there ^_^ We can help you stock the tank if you'd like so that your Betta can stay in and be comfortable!


----------



## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> Oh no.....yeah, those are Jack Dempsey's. they get HUGE and they are super aggressive! Your Betta will become a snack shortly!


+1

Your Neons will soon become food also




> 5g - 1 betta and 1 bumblebee goby


IMO not the best of tank mates gobys can be nippy


----------



## StellaMaris (Apr 9, 2016)

My dad used to have a 120 gallon tank of cichlids and I hated it. I couldn't bear to look in there-- they have a definite pecking order and whomever's on the bottom gets bullied until they die, and then the next one, and so on... 

He left it as a natural tank and never removed the fry when they reproduced, and usually only 1 would survive long enough to try and join the group, but as the smallest they usually became the target.


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

I have learned a bit on this forum and another:

-Demseys get big

-Cichlids eat plants (or damage them)

-I am sad for mixing all of these fish and thinking I would get it my way... Reality check, I need to figure out what to do.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Well, can you return the Dempsey's? If so, we can help you find a better stocking list.

Here's one that you might enjoy:

1x betta
4x Bolivian Rams
15x Cherry Barbs or 25x Ember tetras (my fav with bettas!)

There are many fish you can have in that tank size and with a Betta just fine! You should have some more top cover of plants for your betta though, some floating plants or large leaffed plants will do great for him! Bettas notoriously stress out if the light is too bright, or more importantly, the tank is much too open like yours is. Easy fix is just to get more plants when you have the money to do so! :-D


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

I am going to remove all six of the cichlids


----------



## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Those are electric blue jack dempsey's and although a bit more mild mannered then the standard jack dempsey I agree that it's probably not a good idea to keep them with the betta. You could maybe partition off a section of the tank for the betta but once the Jack Dempsey's get some size on them the tetras might become food. Too bad because the EB JD's are a beautiful fish.


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

I donated the cichlids to a fish store...

I miss them, but I wasn't happy with them. They look good, but I really do not like aggressive fish.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Do you need any help in finding some nice peaceful fish to go with your Betta? We can list off a bunch of nice fish for you that stay smaller and will be better suited for your little man ^_^ Just let us know and we'll be happy to help!


----------



## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

I am also happy to help! Depending on your aesthetic, there's plenty to choose from.


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

Thank you both,

My stock list so far:

1 VT Betta
19 Neon Tetras
2-5 Corys (the ones that have a pin stripe and stay small - I want to remove them, not so cool looking so I may donate them)

Now, what I really would like is:
2-3 blue blue rams - or just regular blue rams
and about 30 shrimp (15 blue, 15 red)
(maybe more if possible, 15 yellow)


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

For rams, I suggest getting a sexed pair from a breeder if you can. Rams usually live only about 2 years but the quality from pet stores isn't always great. Rams are extremely sensitive to Nitrate's so you shouldn't let your Nitrate get over 5ppm if possible, if you can test your source water to make sure you don't have any nitrate in the first place, that would be ideal! Apisto's are very similar but not as sensitive as Ram's are, you may want to look into those as well! Again, getting a bonded pair is the best way to go, otherwise, you could end up with 3 males and eventually just 1 with the dominant male killing the others. In your tank size, it's not likely to happen but it's best to just try to avoid it if possible ^_^ females will bicker as well so try to stay with 1-2 sexed pairs or bonded pairs preferably. This way the two pairs can have different territories if you add enough plants and sight-line breaks on the bottom!

Be careful with shrimps, they can easily become Ram and Betta food! Expensive snacks essentially! haha. If you provide plenty of plant cover and lots of hardscape hides for the shrimps, you should be fine with the adults unless your Betta is simply a killer; this happens fairly frequently. Shrimps are a natural part of their diet, same for Rams or Apistos.

Don't mix colors of the same shrimp genus. Red, blue, yellow, orange are all under the Neocaridina species of shrimp. By combining the colors, the shrimps will breed and eventually turn into the natural wild brown color, reverting back from their brilliant colors. So if you don't want to eventually end up with all brown shrimp, stick with one of all the same color so they don't muddle the genetics. You can try other shrimp species like some of the Caridina species. You can mix different shrimp species, just not two types from the same species because they will inbreed and cause a mess. If you don't care about that then that's fine too, just wanted to warn you is all!


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

lilnaugrim, Your posts are always so insightful and a pleasure to read, check out my tank please:


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Aw, thanks! I do my best to help out!

Your tank is look better and better! It's going to look even more amazing once those plants fill in! Boy, am I jealous of such a beautiful tank!

Are you dosing any fertilizers to the tank or using any co2? You may not have to, I was just wondering! Some plants require it and some plants don't 

Also, not sure if you know about it or not so I'll just say it anyway, but the fuzz on your driftwood is totally normal! It's a fungi that appears for about 3-6 months roughly when the wood is first put into the tank. It can get pretty unsightly but as I said, it's normal and it won't hurt the fish at all! If you want to, you can take it out weekly to scrub it with a metal brush or anything like that. The fuzz will come back quickly though, so it only gives you a couple days of nice looking wood. For the most part, you just have to wait for it to go away is all ^_^


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

Thanks again for making me proud of my tank!

The only thing I have dosed is Seachem Flourish Comrpehensive (1/2 cap every week) and I have been using it for two weeks..

Thanks for the information about my African root wood.

I can't wait for the fuzz to go away


----------



## scootshoot (Oct 11, 2010)

xquisit said:


> I am going to remove all six of the cichlids


Have fun trying to catch them all. Looks like you'll be rearranging that tank of your when it's all said and done :wink3:


----------



## scootshoot (Oct 11, 2010)

Your tank looks beautiful, nice job with the aquascape


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

scootshoot said:


> Your tank looks beautiful, nice job with the aquascape


Thank you very much - you know that makes me feel good :smile2:

This is my first tank and I have had it empty in my room for four years before starting the cycling process.


I tried to keep the scape the same after your post regarding good luck catching them all, you were right I had no choice but to empty out my tank and catch them all.



I added a scary Godzilla fish to my tank


A four inch long Ornate Bichir, and when it gets big I will sell it. I just want to keep it while it is small.


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

Someone please help me

My Betta has damaged fins.

I cannot tell if this is an accident from hitting sharp edges from my Seiryu stone or if it's my new African specie of fish: Ornate Bichir?


Livestock:
Neon Tetras
Pigmy Corys
Galaxy Rasboras 
Scarlet Badis 
Green swordtail platy
Ornate Bichir
Red Cherry Shrimp


----------



## brandy3392 (May 15, 2016)

I'm guessing the bichir attempted to eat the betta. I've kept a few bichirs before. They are really cool, but they will eat ALL the other fish in your tank. The first bichir I had ate at least 6 tankmates the first night I had him (this was before the internet, and the pet store never warned me). Tankmates need to be a lot larger than the bichir's mouth in order to be safe. They will stalk other fish, especially at night. Unless you only want one fish in your tank, get rid of the bichir, quick!

This is not my video, but will give you an idea of what they can do. Do not watch this if you are bothered by seeing live fish being eaten.


----------



## xquisit (May 1, 2016)

That's weird because my betta killed my two electric blue ballon Rams recently 

It was a couple day later after I introduced the bichir so I was not one hundred percent on the Rams picking on my betta... This was just a presumption that my betta was getting revenge.


Though I believe even my greensword platy has been nipped by someone recently... My betta is always trailing her.



I suppose I should just remove the bichir but I find it weird he doesn't eat the Scarlett baddis that hang out in his tiny cave.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yep, say good by to your other fish and shrimps now that you have that Bichir. Doesn't matter what size it is, it WILL eat your fish and shrimps. I advise taking it out immediately! Unless, you want just a single fish in there after a few weeks; he will eat everything.

Betta's being fin nipped is the most common thing to happen in community tanks which is why it's imperative that you have fish that will get along with him and not fin bite. Some fish will nibble if they aren't in a big enough school to direct their attention away from the Betta. Betta's generally mind their own business and do not seek revenge like you're thinking. Do not anthropomorphize your fish, they are only there to survive, not to think and exact revenge. However, some Betta's are more aggressive and will pick on other fish just because they can, again, this is not revenge but survival.


----------

