# Tankmates for a 10 gallon



## boro (Jan 20, 2011)

I just picked up a new Betta and a 10 gallon tank yesterday, got it setup with plants (fake) and other decor, a heater and a filtration system, he pretty much have everything he needs...

But that's an awful lot of tank for such a little fish lol, so I was thinking about getting him some tankmates.

I've been reading that some cory cats are probably the most sure peaceful tankmate to get for a betta, to get about 5 or 6 of them, and that they also clean up the tank a bit too which is nice. I'll need to pick up a cave or two for them to hide in also.

Should I wait until the tank is cycled before getting the cories or should I get them now while my betta is still new to this tank and would maybe be less territorial about it? Also would a snail or two be a good idea? I know that the cory cats need algae wafers, but do the snails need anything? Thanks!
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## boro (Jan 20, 2011)

I went back to Petco today to pick up an API test kit (great investment by the way) and asked their opinion. They said 6 cory cats and a couple of snails would be great companions for my Betta, but to wait until after the tank had cycled, then take the betta out, move junk around in the tank and add everyone in.

I also picked up a live plant to add in cycling and general water quality.

Also, my ammonia is somewhere in between 0 and 0.25 ppm right now. Things are looking good, it's a start!
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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

That's some pretty good advice! But it depends on the species of cories. If it's albino or juli or peppered I'd add 3-4 and maybe a mystery snail. If it's pygmys (I'll be adding these to my 10 gallon (=) I'd do 5-6. And a mystery snail.

Are you doing a fish in cycle? If so, you don't want the ammonia to get too high. If it reaches .5 I'd do a (Partial!) water change. Also, you don't need to rearange the tank when you add cories with a Betta as I doubt the Betta will eat the cories :lol: Or, on a more serious note, even be able to catch up with them. Cories are speedy little guys 0.0


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## boro (Jan 20, 2011)

Ah, that's good news! I really like how my tank is right now and I don't want to rearrange it lol. I am going to add another plant or two and a cave for my cories to hide in though.

But yes, I am doing a cycle with the fish, on Petco advice. They said exactly the same thing, at 0.5 or about once a week it's time to do a 50% water change. 

Do you know how many Panda cories I could add? Petco has both those and Albino cories.
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## jessiepbg (Nov 13, 2010)

I believe Pandas are pygmies, so the 5-6 in a 10 is about right. They do seem to be a little more sensitive though, so keep that in mind. I personally have fallen for peppers because they are active and attractive. I've been told pandas are less active, but the ones I had were pretty high energy. It never seemed like a happy active, more nervous than anything. I had a lady recommend albinos because they are both hardy and active, but I've never had one, so I just have to take her word for it.


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

You could get some hatchetfish. They are very interesting fish!


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## tsoto80 (Nov 26, 2010)

shinybetta said:


> You could get some hatchetfish. They are very interesting fish!


 not the one I googled lol


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Yeah, not the deepwater hatchetfish.... I beleive you could do a pitbull pleco if you like those. Kuhli loaches are also a great addition.:-D


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## zpeck30 (Jan 30, 2011)

id say a a combo of some of the fallowing..and i dont mean all of them..

2 to 4 ottos
2to 4 cories
about 5 zebra danios
and kind of loach not too many unless you get a black kuhli loach they stay small
mystery snails
neons
platties


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## coolcucumber (Jan 16, 2011)

I would suggest 7-8 neon tetras. they look really nice when they school, and are excellent tankmates


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## jessiepbg (Nov 13, 2010)

I've never had them, but I've heard that neons can be tail-nippers, just to warn you. They're pretty fish though and are supposed to be easy to keep.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

When I had neon tetras with my betta in a 14g, the neons only nipped when I couldnt get the food into their mouths fast enough. Basically, keep any neons well fed


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

boro,

If you have catfish and loaches, you'll want the tank to have a sandy bottom, with very fine particles. The loaches sift the sand through their gills, and both the loaches and catfish have barbels - projections around their mouth they use to find their food. Their barbels can be damaged in other substrate.

As oldfishlady reminded me, loaches are as social as catfish and should also be kept in a group.

My female VT betta, Baby Blue, is extremely aggressive and killed a catfish I introduced into her tank. She found them to be too active, and chased and flared at them. She is in QT right now and the cats and loach are waiting to move into a 20H once it's cycled.

In a ten gallon, there is room for the catfish and betta... and if your betta is not a manic like mine is, you should be fine.


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Tetras in general are active and nippy... aren't they in the same family as pirhanas?


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy said:


> Tetras in general are active and nippy... aren't they in the same family as pirhanas?


Yep, Characins. Other members are hatchetfish and pacu's.
But only some are nippy.


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Cories are the absolute best tankmates for betta IMO/E. They can be kept in gravel so long as the gravel is smooth and rounded with no jagged edges. I have mine in a gravel tank and they are doing great. Sand would be even better for cories but it can be a pain to clean. in a 10 gallon with ONE male betta you can get 4-5 of the regular sized cories or 6-8 of the dwarf variety. I only have 3 and its very interesting to watch them interact. Sometimes they'll group together and touch heads. Its very cute. I feed mine 3-4x a week on a diet of sinking shrimp pellets and the occasional algae wafer. They also eat fallen flake food.


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## freakumDRESS (Mar 16, 2011)

I also have a new 10 gallon that i set up about 3 days ago, but mine is cycled. I borrowed a book from my library called "aquarium owner's guide: the complete illustrated guide to the home aquarium" by gina sanford. It gives nice advice, but i hate how she treats fish as objects and decorations and urges you to do a fish in cycle, and says nothing about doing water changes to save the fish. It was written in the 90s though. Anywho, from the book, i thought of getting cory cats, about three. Hatchet fish creep me out. I also considered mosquito fish, dwarf chain loaches [but the book said keep 6 or more], pencilfish, glowlight tetra, bleeding heart tetra [if my betta wont flare and attack it], or a zebra pleco but i dunno... I also considered shrimp. Are chichlids out of the question? The book said they need large tanks, and some are and arent peaceful... I have pebbles on one side, and gravel on the other side of my tank, its polished sorta but kinda jagged gravel. I could use sand in the middle...


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

freakumDRESS,

Bettas should only be kept with peaceful fish... they don't like overly active tank mates. Chiclids are to aggressive for betta, IMHO.

With a ten gallon you could have cories. I'd go with a dwarf variety. Be careful to check their adult sizes, because some of them get quite large as adults! 

Stock your tank for the adult size of your fish (1" of adult fish per gallon of water - and remember, your betta will take up 3"/gallons alone), so you don't overload your tank's bioload as they grow.

Try to get fish that swim at different water levels in the tank (fighting less likely). Bettas are 'top level' fish (they need to get to the surface to breath). Cory cats are 'bottom level' fish. Tetras are 'middle level' fish, and are a good choice if you get a non-nippy kind. Here again, you'll want to go for dwarf size adult fishes, as they are schooling fish and need to be kept in groups of five or more.

A word about plecos - most are big, and some are huge as adults... not a good choice for a 10 gallon.

Finally - a new tank set up takes 4-6 weeks to cycle. The benefical bacteria have to grow and establish themselves in your filteration. Our FAQs here on the forum (fish care sticky at top of page - with a light bulb next to it) have information on tank cycling.

Good luck and enjoy your 10 gallon!


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Remember, cory cats really prefer sand so don't buy them if you don't have it. How do hatchetfish freak you out? Did you type marbled, silver, or common hatchetfish?


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## freakumDRESS (Mar 16, 2011)

I had a 5 gallon cycled tank before, then moved my betta's filter, plants, and some gravel to the new ten gallon. I mean the itty bitty hatchet fish with the flat bellies called "marbled". Yup, they scare me. I dunno why. They look like they have a protuding mutant-like overgrown chin. Big chins and beards scare me.


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

FreakumDRESS,

Ah.... well, yes, I guess you are cycled, lol...


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