# Tank mate for a 3 gallon?



## KORHC (Jan 24, 2015)

Hey guys,

I have a 3 gallon tank, but i don't want my betta to be lonely. Is there any fish or tank mate for a betta that anyone could recommend for a 3 gallon tank?


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

They don't get lonely. They're happy alone. I don't believe you could even have a snail in a tank that small. Your betta will be fine on their own.


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## cousiniguana (Apr 3, 2014)

A single shrimp and a/or a marimo moss ball


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## Greenapp1es (Dec 4, 2014)

Haha - +1 to the moss ball.

From what I understand, shrimp and betta can sometimes have issues together. Either the betta may attempt to eat the shrimp or the shrimp may harrass the betta. I wouldn't do shrimp unless it was a larger tank with plenty of hides for both.

It looks like you could probably add 1 nerite snail. They have a low bioload and they don't reproduce in fresh water, so you wouldn't have to worry about a snail explosion. I used aqadvisor to check this and tried this stocking for a 2.5gal tank for leeway - that would be about the max a 2.5gal could hold.


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## laur3namb3r (Dec 31, 2012)

You could try a snail, however most bettas prefer to be alone. Especially in a tank that small, your betta might attack/kill the snail. I have a 5gal with a pretty aggressive betta and an apple snail, and I have to separate them sometimes because Bushi won't leave him alone.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

3 gallons is too small for any tank mate besides a moss ball


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

+1 vkj


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

you could get away with a Single ramshorn snail, but you didn't mention if your tank is filtered/cycled or how long it's been established...so +1 to the moss ball aswell


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## Greenapp1es (Dec 4, 2014)

From what I understand about ramshorn though - is that one ramshorn can turn into many ramshorn. They reproduce asexually.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

ive never noticed one ramshorn turn into more then one...but maybe thats just my luck lol


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## SplashyBetta (Jul 28, 2014)

I bought one Ramshorn and within a few weeks it was laying eggs!^^

A shrimp or two possibly, depending on whether your tank is cycled/filtered/planted.

The best option would probably be a moss ball


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

look I suggested a ramshorn because they are a pest snail and if you kill it big woop, you can go buy another very cheap...but just never mind..


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## Greenapp1es (Dec 4, 2014)

Some people aren't really comfortable with even killing "pest snails" though. I suggested the Nerite early on specifically because it has a relatively low bioload and wouldn't breed and Aqadivsor put it at pretty much the *most* that a small tank could handle. The concern with the ramshorn though would be that if a population explosion *did* happen the water quality would fall quickly.

Ramshorn have their place - but I wouldn't see them as ideal in this size tank...especially without knowing if the OP would be comfortable culling if necessary. It has nothing to do with the cost of the snail...it has everything to do with having so little leeway if the snail does the *opposite* of die.

Regardless - I really think that a moss ball is the best bet here. ;-)


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## SplashyBetta (Jul 28, 2014)

I know I personally feel uncomfortable killing even pest snails. Luckily the betta does the job for me, so overpopulation isn't problem, but in some tanks snails can take over quickly.


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

A nerite snail would be okay. If you're worried your betta's getting bored, buy plants, not fish: a moss ball, water wisteria, java/el nino/tropica/windelov ferns, floating plants, or anubias would all be just fine without any special treatment.

Shrimp--for instance, ghost shrimp--would be just fine, unless your betta decides to eat them. If you like, test it out with feeder ghost shrimp and if the betta eats them, well, just don't feed him for a few days.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

well Im not sure what's wrong with my ramshorn, but he loves his 2.5g, with live plants and betta (no babies yet...)and if you don't want to kill the snails just toss em outside jeeze lol...but obviously something's not right with mine so nvm...


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## BettaBoy51 (Nov 13, 2013)

i hate pest snails. one day i had like 4 went on 2 week vacation (tank was cycled also)and i come back orange water dead fish and like 200 snails. i just put the ones i find i put them in saltwater and then crush them. not a big deal to me but to each there own.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

BettaBoy51 said:


> i hate pest snails. one day i had like 4 went on 2 week vacation (tank was cycled also)and i come back orange water dead fish and like 200 snails. i just put the ones i find i put them in saltwater and then crush them. not a big deal to me but to each there own.


Snails probably bred in response to a food source (dead fish). They were just trying to stabilize the environment again.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

+1 to Oly- keep the tank clean and properly fed and you will not have a population explosion. 

Also, it's worth noting that ramshorn snails are hermaphroditic, and reproduce sexually though any two can produce babies. Malaysian Trumpet Snails are probably the only snails you would encounter that can reproduce on their own, though they also have the ability to reproduce sexually (kinda like daphnia). If you had one ramshorn snail and ended up with one there were either eggs or other small snails that snuck in on plants or something OR the snail had already mated and stored sperm and could keep producing eggs.


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## SplashyBetta (Jul 28, 2014)

MattsBettas said:


> +1 to Oly- keep the tank clean and properly fed and you will not have a population explosion.
> 
> Also, it's worth noting that ramshorn snails are hermaphroditic, and reproduce sexually though any two can produce babies. Malaysian Trumpet Snails are probably the only snails you would encounter that can reproduce on their own, though they also have the ability to reproduce sexually (kinda like daphnia). If you had one ramshorn snail and ended up with one there were either eggs or other small snails that snuck in on plants or something OR the snail had already mated and stored sperm and could keep producing eggs.


Oh. Huh. Probably the latter in my case since I check new plants vigilantly myself, and at the aquarium since they have a massive snail problem they always dip plants before selling.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

yeah none of my tanks have a massive snail problem, I mean sure youll see a few here and there (keep in mind I just let them breed, and dont kill any) and I really think its because I keep them pretty clean as far as extra food...I mean maybe im lucky...but ive had no issues with an over run tank yet..


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Assassin Snails reproduce at a much higher rate when they have lots of pond snails as food. Once they clear out the population they slow way, way down.


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

I have a nerite in some of my 3g. And pond or bladder snails as well when they come in on plants. I've had no issues. But a 3g is much too small for any other fish or even shrimp ss most bettas will try to make lunch of them.


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

Olympia said:


> Snails probably bred in response to a food source (dead fish). They were just trying to stabilize the environment again.


Exactly, if there is an overabundance of food you will have a population explosion. Feed only what your betta will eat at feeding time so the snails can't get to any leftovers. Of course you have no control over a dead fish if on vacation.......


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

kjg1029 said:


> well Im not sure what's wrong with my ramshorn, but he loves his 2.5g, with live plants and betta (no babies yet...)and if you don't want to kill the snails just toss em outside jeeze lol...but obviously something's not right with mine so nvm...




noooo don't toss 'em outside! There are some places where they can survive, and overpopulate an area. Sort of like the pet snakes in the everglades, people just released them and now it's a big problem down there.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

This thread is several months old.


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