# betta and friends



## spartagus (Jun 17, 2008)

I have an empty 20galleon tank and would love to fill it with a Betta. It's got a filter and heater with it so that's all good, I won't get the fish till I cycle the tank for a week or so, but I'm wondering about company. I've read bits and pieces everywhere, completely contradicting. I'm thinking with a 20g I should have more "play" room with what I'm putting in. I was thinking just a Siamese Algae eater or two and maybe a snail. I would really like to house him with my turtle, tetras, SAEs, bristle nosed pleco and tiger barbs, but I know that would be a disaster, especially if the turtle and Betta caught wind of each other. 

Anyway, are Betta's compatible with the SAEs? I think they're catfish, so seems like it would work. Someone told me plecos would be ok, but they get so fat and lazy and I don't think I need the amazing cleaning power of one of the more expensive ones for this tank. Any suggestions? I would love to have more than just the Betta in there, are there any other fish that I could house with that much space for him?
thank you!


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## JMeenen (Apr 7, 2008)

Spartagus,

Here are a few :
Cory Cats
Tetras
Mollies
Platties
Rasboras
Swardtails


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## GeegaFish (May 4, 2008)

I actually saw a nice set up with a turtle, some guppies and a couple female bettas in a pet store near me. It can be done, but the tank has to be big enough to give everyone their own territories. There were lots of hiding places and plants in the tank too. 

Personally, I just had a 40 gallon with a 4" painted turtle and 30 guppies! I have sinced rehomed my turtle, tank and guppies, but everyone got along just fine. He stopped seeing the fish as food because they were too fast for him to catch. If one got slow or I "knocked one off" though....you should have seen how fast he swam to get them! :shock:


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## spartagus (Jun 17, 2008)

I would love to combine them all but I'm just not willing to take the risk that my little turtle friend gets hurt! He won't attack anything, but if he feels it's attacking him, game over, but he's not very big yet. He doesn't TOUCH his fish friends except when he knocks them out of the way to get at their food. I've been told it's a bad idea to have guppies in with turtles as the turtles may get bored and nip at the flowing fins, I have a feeling this would happen with a Betta as well. 

Won't things like Tetras and Mollies attack the fins though, because of their aggressiveness?


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

A turtle shouldn't be housed in a 20G tank, unless it is tiny. A good rule of thumb to have is 10 gallons of room per 1" of shell, with double the tank filtration since turtles are very messy. For the smallest turtle species, I wouldn't go any less than 55G. For the common Red Eared Slider, you are looknig at a 100+G tank, since they grow very large.

Now, as to your question, it is possible that mollies and some species of tetras will nip. Mollies are also Brackish fish, and do best in hard water. Also, you will be overrun by fry eventually if you get a female, since they can store sperm for months. Some tetras will aswell, such as the more "energetic" ones, like Serpea or Black Skirts. I would only suggest, possibly Cards or Neons, but even those can be nippy.


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## JMeenen (Apr 7, 2008)

I have Neon Tetras, Black Tetras (not Black Skirted) and Red Tetras.Rasboras and Male Betta....No problems


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## spartagus (Jun 17, 2008)

Cody said:


> A turtle shouldn't be housed in a 20G tank, unless it is tiny. A good rule of thumb to have is 10 gallons of room per 1" of shell, with double the tank <span style="color:#3300FF;" onmouseover="return escape('Process of removing waste material from the tank water to prevent pollution')">filtration</span> since turtles are very messy. For the smallest turtle species, I wouldn't go any less than 55G. For the common Red Eared Slider, you are looknig at a 100+G tank, since they grow very large.
> 
> Now, as to your question, it is possible that mollies and some species of tetras will nip. Mollies are also <span style="color:#3300FF;" onmouseover="return escape('Brackish water: water containing a small proportion of SALT water and a larger proportion of FRESH water')">brackish</span> fish, and do best in hard water. Also, you will be overrun by fry eventually if you get a female, since they can store sperm for months. Some tetras will aswell, such as the more "energetic" ones, like Serpea or Black Skirts. I would only suggest, possibly Cards or Neons, but even those can be nippy.


turtle is in a 55g for the next 4 years, once he gets to be 5 inches he's getting a 120, I don't have room right now. 
He was in a twenty for the first 2 months I had him, until I could afford a bigger tank. He's only 2 inches big right now, so that worked out well. The 20 is now empty, and is the one I'm looking to fill


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I'd worry more about the betta than the turtle! A betta could definitely make a good meal 

As for tankmates, I recommend bottom dwellers the most. They will stay out of each other's space, and won't bother each other. Cory cats are great, as are some small loaches like Kuhlis.

You shouldn't have too much trouble with tetras, provided they are not a particularly nippy type. For instance, serpaes would not work, but neons shouldn't be a problem. Basically I'd try to find fish that are docile and slow moving if they are going to be occupying the part of the water column as the betta.


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## JMeenen (Apr 7, 2008)

Me too..I would think the turtle might eat aa Betta.


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## spartagus (Jun 17, 2008)

JMeenen said:


> Me too..I would think the turtle might eat aa Betta.


not my turtle...the only interest he ever shows in the fish is when he steals their food. But if the betta were to challenge him aggressively I fear that might be different. 

Thanks for all the help!


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Hehe, sorry, we did get a little distracted by the turtle comment, even though you were never planning on housing the betta with a turtle 

Do you have a stocking list? Love to hear how it's going and what you've settled on.


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## spartagus (Jun 17, 2008)

haha that's ok, i would love to house them together but am not willing to risk their lives! 
I was decided on just a snail and a catfish, but then my friend suggested frogs and I was hooked. So I think I'm going with a Betta, 2 African Dwarf Frogs, and probably a Siamese Algae Eater catfish to nix the algae(it will be interesting to see how much they grow in a 20 compared to my SAEs in my 55), and seeing as I'm getting live plants hopefully(something I can't do in the other tank! Turtle snaps those up quicker than I can turn around) I can guarantee there will also be snails. If I get my butt in gear this morning before work I'll go get the tank setup materials and that tank only takes 3 or 4 days to cycle, so next week  Pictures will be posted. I might end up getting the Betta at a fancy (meaning $$$) fish store, just because the ones pet stores sell seem to come with the Fin rot thrown in as a free gift.


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## Tyyrlym (Jun 1, 2008)

I had a turtle once, maybe an inch and a half wide. Figured a 3" algae eater would make a good tank mate and he'd be too big for little Chuck to mess with. The next morning the only thing in the tank was the floating head of the algae eater and a turtle who was looking rather pleased with himself.

Never underestimate a turtle.


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## spartagus (Jun 17, 2008)

Tyyrlym said:


> I had a turtle once, maybe an inch and a half wide. Figured a 3" algae eater would make a good tank mate and he'd be too big for little Chuck to mess with. The next morning the only thing in the tank was the floating head of the algae eater and a turtle who was looking rather pleased with himself.
> 
> Never underestimate a turtle.


hahahaha that's not funny but it is so funny.
I have him in there with 13 small fish, he might bug them when he gets bigger but I don't mind, it's all for the turtle. But if he touches the $25 pleco, he's in big trouble!

I'm excited, as soon as I finish lunch I'm going to go buy all the tank setup stuff!


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Yay! Have fun!


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## GeegaFish (May 4, 2008)

Don't forget to post some pictures when you can! It is cool to see a turtle in with his fishy friends. I didn't mind if mine knocked off a guppy now and then because that's what I put them in there for!


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