# any luck mixing tetras with Bettas?



## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

As many know - I have a sorority going - 5 VT bettas with 3 albino cories (& a snail) in a 20 gal. tank.

I am buying a tank from someone on CL - a 30 gal that is coming with fish - some of the fish are really not good choices for s 30 gal. tank and I'm considering to bring them to a pet store, maybe to trade for some live plants? - anyway - here are the fish that are coming - which should I keep and what should go?

- 1 bala shark - DEFINITELY MUST GO 
(3" now but already described as being psycho)
- 8 neon tetras - 1" each
- 2 orange/black tetras - 1.5" 
(I think they may be red minor serpae tetra?)
- 1 mystery orange/silver colored fish 
(no further details so can't even research it)

Since I'm planning to turn the 30 gallon into another planted tank - I am thinking about whether I should keep any of these tetras or not - and if they can be (at least interim) kept with my betta girls tank. 

The thirty gal. tank eventually, I would like to have for:
1 gold gourami (currently "2" - but can grow up to "6")
3 Boesemani Rainbows (can grow up to 4")
and whatever is kept from the above list if they too are compatible?

My 12 gal. is currently holding the gold gourami and 3 threadfin rainbows and can also be 'possibly?' used for temp holding - although it could be risky because the tank isn't cycled yet.

Advice much appreciated. 
-thanks, 
RoseyD


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

thanks to a trip to petco looking for plants. as well as setting up 2 of the 2 g tanks thinking I wanted a boy... and maybe some cherry shrimp... yes I planted one of them.

I came back from Petco with 6 bettas. 3 small girls to add to the sorority. 1 IS A V. 2 are ct. very pretty. 

and 3 boys. - 2 halfmoons and 1 king betta...

so the 2 tetra are going in the 12 g with the neons. the 30 gal will take the theadfins and the gourami girl and after a quarentine ... the king betta. ... fingers crossed that enough floaters will keep things peaceful... 

anyone have luck making a king b into a community fish?


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

*an update*

The 30 gallon tank is full - and in some late part of the cycling process - the chemistry tests today showed 0 ammonia, but nitrite level of 1, and nitrates 5. 

It now has two juvenile girl gouramis (pearl and gold), 7 threadfins, 2 boesemani, 7 neon tetras, 2 cardinal tetras, 1 mystery small fish who's fins had been destroyed by the last owners tanks' inhabitants. 

I've been considering to introduce the king betta into lovely mix - he is very low key. 

however, I am testing first to see how he would do with my other tank where there would be more 'inch' grow space for him. - The 12 gallon - also running to the end of its cycle - (0 ammonia, nitrites 2 (then did partial 30% water change) nitrates 5) - has an adult flame gourami and 2 long finned red minor serpae tetra. I decided last night to hang a breeder net on this 12 gallon, and put try to acclimate king Arthur, my king betta - to this tank. I moved his small cave into the net so that Arthur has a place to hide if he wants to ... he's very shy and loves his cave (even when he was alone in the 2 gal.) 

Results thus far - the Serpae tetra don't care less. They're still hanging together and fluttering around, like butterflies more than fish. The first half hour or so of the hanging 'nest' - the Flame gourami was a bit more aggressive with the tetra - chasing them away when they entered his 'corner' or swam in his path. But then he got more courageous and swam up to the net to look in... 

He is very curious about Arthur. He circles the net, and I've seen him tasting 'nipping' at it ... But king arthur doesn't seem much concerned. He spent some time in his cave, and some time swimming around outside of it. No noticable flairing - no irregular breathing or showing of fear either. 

I'm thinking to give the net a few days to continue acclimating the flame gourami to the idea of sharing the tank - but Arthur really seems unconcerned with the others. (maybe this will change when he's swimming with them?) 

I'm liking more and more, the idea of having Arthur in the 12 gallon, so I hope that the Flame gourami will settle down and that they'll become friends. 

I'll keep you all posted. 

-RoseyD


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## TaraHanon (Jun 18, 2009)

I had my male betta in with a bunch of neon tetras and they got a long great. Most people here say that it depends on the Betta's personality too. Which is quite true. I've never had any problems though mixing my betta with other tropical fish. And your orange/silver mystery fish sounds like it could be a white cloud mountain minnow... I have a few of them in my tank. They're pretty mellow. 
Hope all your tanks work out and your new guys/gals sound beautiful!


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

*Happy endings! Good tidings for all!*

:-D I was really surprised by how easy it was for my king to acclimate with all the other fish. Such an easy going fellow! 

There's a happy ending in the works; but it definitely took some effort to get there. 

The 12 gallon test did not succeed. My king betta was perfectly happy with the other inhabitants, and I had brought in his cave, and added a lot more fake plants to change the scenery- but it was the flame gourami male that jinxed the happy home idea - when he went into attack mode both times he swam into range of the betta. 

And my poor Arthur, each time, made a hasty retreat. So I put the plastic cup into the tank and Arthur swam right into it! That's how happy he was to be leaving the 12 gallon. 

The happy ending is that I next took him to the big tank - I'd spent a few hours before that to finish planting the 30 gallon with the clippings that had just arrived in the mail. I brought Arthur's cave and put it at the bottom beside several of the other caves there. And, after a little while of having the other fish checking out the cup and the smaller fish not even bothering to check it out... I released him ... He, at first, didn't want to leave the cup. 

But I gave him a minute or so and a little bit of pushing, and he made his way into the tank and all the activity. He discovered the floating plants and hid for a bit. He swam to the bottom and was very shyly hugging to the sides of the buddha head, and the other caves, trying to stay hidden... 

He didn't like it when my Goldie (girl juv. gourami) came over with her feelers, but she was not aggressive with him, and didn't pester him too much. He got a similar 'meeting' from Pearl and her feelers - and then they left him alone - It was at least 2 hours before he felt comfortable to swim fully around the tank without 'looking' over his shoulder. 

I went to bed at 2:30 last night, and he was enjoying the space by that point. And this am when I checked on him he was swimming, swimming, swimming around the tank, figure 8's, playing in the current from the filter, and the lower power-head - seeming to really enjoy himself. Occasionally, he crossed paths with the gouramis and was already acting relaxed with them. And, the Pearl was interested enough in his 'tactics' that she spent some time imitating him and his mirror/glass shimmies.  

Success! A happy home for King Betta with a Gold and Pearl Gouramis (Girls), 2 Boesemani rainbows (boy/girl), 7 threadfin Rainbows, 7 Neon Tetras, 2 Cardinal Tetras, 3 Albino Cories, and 1 mystery livebearer (I'm really thinking it's an endler). 

I may need to make space in the tank as some of the inhabitants grow to their more adult sizes. In a few months I'll consider moving the tetras into the 12 gallon tank with the Meany Flame gourami and Serpaes. But for now - what an exciting community tank! Such a pleasure to watch them all.  

All's well that ends well.


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## Shawtee (Jun 2, 2009)

haha thats dead cute, i only have a 30 L tank but i have a dwarf puffer and a gawjus Betta called eskiminzi, currently theres 3 widow tetras or w/e and um a cory but i dunno wether i should put anything else in, i want to get rid of the three widdow fish... there so annoying, amnd ugly,... and ones ill... x


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## 5green (Jul 31, 2009)

Shawtee said:


> haha thats dead cute, i only have a 30 L tank but i have a dwarf puffer and a gawjus Betta called eskiminzi, currently theres 3 widow tetras or w/e and um a cory but i dunno wether i should put anything else in, i want to get rid of the three widdow fish... there so annoying, amnd ugly,... and ones ill... x


 aww poor widdow fish:-(


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

yes poor fish...

research before you add more. puffers arent supposed to be community fish... are they?

cories shouldnt be kept as single fish.

tetras... ugly or not... deserve to live and be happy. if you dont like them you can always find them a new home.


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## luvmybettas63 (Aug 17, 2009)

My experience with tetras and betta were they kept nipping at the bettas tails and tearing it too shreads. I had to remove my betta from the tank. Good luck Rosie


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## luvmybettas63 (Aug 17, 2009)

Rosie, can you tell how to tell if the bettas are boys or girls? I feel silly for asking. LOL.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Males have longer fins and females have a white egg spot on their bellies.


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

(I'm not so scientific.) The girls are sold in cups that say 'betta girl' on the top... 

I posted a Craigslist ad today to get rid of that dwarf gourami, and the 2 serpae tetra. If I can find them good homes... 

I'm going to put Topaz in the 12 gal . 

Topaz needs her rest now - and is in solitary confinement - the 2 gallon tank - to heal after I noticed that she got really badly nipped and shredded while in the community tank. 

They'd been behaving so well, and last week I changed the dynamic - by moving the cories out, and the otos in... 

And added those 3 other little girls... 

I guess it was too much for my bettas - because one or more of them tormented Topaz. And, I found the sole remaining un-named girl dead on Sunday ... her tummy ripped out. 

*SIGH!* 

So Topaz is now removed - and, the rest of the tank is on watch duty. I may move the two youngest out of there and put them in the 12 with Topaz... 

I may add the neons to the 12 gal. - or not - depending on how many bettas will be in the tank with Topaz. None of the neons or cardinals - have attempted to nip at my king betta while in the 'big tank' - so if they are alone in the smaller tank with a betta - I'd hope for similar good luck with them. 

One betta with 9 lil tetras wouldn't be a bad mix. Nor would 3 bettas alone, either... So I have a lot to think about. 

I guess, I was too quick to consider that my 20 gallon was easy-peasy, 100 percent happy home... It worked well with 5 bettas 3 cories, but it evidently did not - with 8 bettas and 3 otos. 

The bio-load on that tank was maxed with the 8/3 mix. - I could add a few fish to a 6/3 mix - but not the neons - without considering to break up their school. Although, if I were taking out the 2 mini girls - it would be a 4/3 mix - on the 20 gallon, and perhaps I could add the whole 9 tetra school to their tank ... 

There's lots of potential for that blend - and 3 betta girls in the 12 gallon would be pretty sweet.


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

Well, a lot has happened since the last time I posted on this thread. 

Last week, a day or so after I removed her - topaz died.

this past weekend I added a new filter to the tank, and a few days later 2 more fish died (Baby and Sapphire). - I did a write up of this on the sick/emergency forum. 

Yesterday, after seeing Sapphire dead on the bottom of the 20 gallon tank, I decided that there had to be something going wrong with my tank that was really hurting my bettas so I removed the last remaining four so that I could address what was making my fish sick. 

I got some advice that it could be linked to my filter - so I went home last night and took apart the new filter, and squeezed out the sponges, and re-rinsed the matrix in about 5 gallons worth of the tank's water. 

I cleaned out the second (first filter that was still running on the tank) - the duetto 100 - and then added new dechlorinated water to the tank. I brought my four bettas back from their holding areas - and, resettled them in the tank. They still have the stress marks and I'm still worried about them all - but, I hope that the 2 days of '25%' water changes and the filter cleanings will be enough to take what was bothering them ... out of the tank. (fingers crossed!)

I have to admit I'm still worried about them - I got up this morning, and first thing (pre-coffee) was to go do a headcount to make sure all were alive and well. I know that the new filter is the biggest change on the tank - and I'd like to have the 'increased' filtering capability. The duetto's is really 'too weak' to handle the 20 gallon -high mulm content of this fresh planted aquarium. 

My poor babies. I hope they'll bounce back soon...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm sorry about Baby and Sapphire!


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## Vikki81207 (May 27, 2009)

I'm so sorry! 
Is the tank cycled?


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

yes, it only had a tiny cycle - since it's a fully planted tank. (It's becoming an underwater jungle). the nice thing about all those plants is that they need the fish 'fertilizer' - my tank is very nutrient heavy and I have an ongoing algae problem which the otos are forever working on - but once my plants grow in more - the algae will dissapate too. 

I tested the chemistry on the water several times this week,and everything reads zero. With all the partial water changes I did, after the first betta death (30%), followed by the next night's need for tank water to wash out the filter medias(25%). Followed by last night, I did a 15% change to do some further siphoning of the tank bottom ... there's not even nitrates showing. 

I had to remove Pearl again this morning. As a cellophane, it's hard to know if it's just stress - or if there's something wrong with her - I noticed that she has some black micro dots on the sides of some of her scales. She's seemed to be doing a lot of hiding in the 20 g tank near the bottom. In the fish bowl - she's swimming at the top - and I think she's not upset to be in the '2 gallon bowl' and needs some alone time... Or it could be that she's noticing Lovely Sir Lancelot in the bowl next to her. It was too cold to be in the small planted tank, last night, and he wasn't his happy bubbly self last night - so I decided to move him into the warmer side of the apartment. 

I do believe I will have to find my Lancelot a larger heated tank soon. In the next few weeks - I'm hoping to find something on Craigslist or a good sale so that I can give him more room and a decent heater before winter settles in.


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## RoseyD (Jul 12, 2009)

Well, my pearl doesn't seem to be complaining, for all that she's in a bowl 10 times smaller than what she'd had... she's sharing the top of my linen cabinet with another bowl with Lancelot inside... And, he's really liking what he sees in that other bowl. 

 Now, I'm not planning to breed them but having male and female close together is putting them both on their best behavior. 

I took Ruby out of the big tank and she's now in lancelot's old 2.5 gallon planted all by her lonesome - but in easy view of Sir Gawain. It's really interesting to see how Gawain's response is much different to Ruby. He flares his lovely fins - yes. But then, he also puffs out his gills - Now he had a similar behavior when he was in view of Lancelot - so I always took that to be pure aggression. Am I right? 

Fin flare good, gill flare bad? 

So, since his gills are doing that... I put a white paper up between the two tanks so that they can't see each other (same as I did when Lancelot was there). There's no point in riling the boy up for no reason... 

Ruby definitely needed a break from the current in the big tank. I'm in a shopping search for a spray bar to reduce the current capacity coming out of the outtake tube - it's too intense for the big girls. My li'l crowntails aqua and blue aren't complaining - but, it sure was bothering Pearl and Ruby. And after losing Sapphire and Baby - I don't want to risk any more of my girls when all I require is a fix for the high current. 

In all the calling around I've done - none of the pet shops in my town carry spray bars though. I'm really frustrated that I won't be able to fix the tank quickly. And I've been looking around online to try to find out which spraybar will match my filter. 

If any of you have experience with spray bars and the enheim ecco filters. (my model is the 2232) - what did you end up ordering? 

My 20 gallon has been taken over by a whole host of other fish so that I don't lose my cycle. There now are 2 l'il crowntails, 1 adult male flame gourami, 3 cories, 3 otos (munching on zuccini), and 7 neon tetra. - what a crowd! 

I don't think the flame is going to be a long term resident. He's not actively chasing the bettas, but if he corners them, he does nip. He's beautiful but really a big meanie. Such a shame, because his unique colors/look really adds to the tank mixed between all the green foliage and floaters.


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## 5green (Jul 31, 2009)

very pretty fish


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## loppy656 (Jul 31, 2009)

you should clean the hole tank and acsesares and things thay stay in for cleanig with hot water and let them soke for a mint or two that might help get rid of what they don't like


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