# BN or Pitbull pleco with Betta in 10 gallon tank?



## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

Hey everybody,

OK so here is my 3rd and final thread on this subject. 

Questions about PITBULL/BRISTLENOSE pleco

1) can they live in a high ph (7.8-8.0)
2) can they live in hard to very hard water
3)can i put ONE pleco and leave it in there (long term)


NOTE: i have alage wafers, alage, and fresh veggies i can give to them for food

NOTE: i clean my tank every week and it has hard water and a high ph

NOTE: My betta would be the only other living thing in the tank, and he is not really aggressive, although he has been in the tank for almost 1 year and a half

I would not mind giving the whole tank to just the pleco, as i love them just as much as bettas, but unlike bettas, have never had them, obviously because of my tank size. This is until i spotted the BN and Pitbull pleco.

Would i need a better filter? What filter out of the following do you recommend?

1)MARINA SLIM (10 or 20 gal. one)
2)AQUACLEAR (10 or 20 gal. one)



I just want some happy and healthy fishes, but, if there is no chance a pleco would survive in my tank long-term, i am not going to risk its life.



ALL about my tank:

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=105583


Thanks again! (note- i am still somewhat a beginner-


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I don't think so.. The pitbull is the smaller of the two, but they do like groups, something most people don't expect of plecs.
These fish have humongous bioloads, they poo and poo. Even the little guys can do a lot of damage. Most people say 20 gallons for a bristlenose, and only one or two. 
What are the dimensions of the tank?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

i don't know the dimensions, but it is a standard rectangular 10 gallon. There is a pic of my tank in my albums. I would guess the dimensions are about 12 by 24 by 12 inches.


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## BettyBoop (Jun 29, 2012)

I have an aquatic frog with my Betta fish aka Fireman Sam which my 3.5 year old son named. I'm looking to get a 10 gallon fish tank today, I wanted to know if snails would be able to placed with Fireman Sam? I know betta fish don't necessarily need to have an oxygen filter as they get oxygen from the water and go to the surface to, but is there any harm in having an oxygen filter?


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

BettyBoop said:


> I have an aquatic frog with my Betta fish aka Fireman Sam which my 3.5 year old son named. I'm looking to get a 10 gallon fish tank today, I wanted to know if snails would be able to placed with Fireman Sam? I know betta fish don't necessarily need to have an oxygen filter as they get oxygen from the water and go to the surface to, but is there any harm in having an oxygen filter?


Snails can be put with betta fish, but it depends on how aggressive "fireman sam" (cute name btw) is. By oxygen filter do you mean an aerator? No, i don't think there is any harm in having an aerator, do you like the bubbles?


Good Luck:-D


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## laoshun (Apr 3, 2012)

yeah, one of my baby albino BN plecos **** a months worth of betta poop. They have a hugeee bioload.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

bn plecs need like 20 gallons.


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

Thanks everybody! So looks like after 2 years, i will be adding more fish. Here is what i was thinking:



I need a hardy bottom dweller that likes "cleaning up"



2-3 bronze or green corydoras
OR
4 dwarf (pygmy) corydoras
OR 
some shrimp


Can any these fish/invertebrates live in my water parameters?


In your opinion, which animal would be MOST successful in my water parameters (high ph, very hard water) and is the hardiest?

Thanks i appreciate all answers and @ Laoshun, LOL!



NOTE: I ALSO HAVE GRAVEL< I WILL POST A PIC


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

Ok so for anybody who wants to know how my tank looks and to see if the gravel is OK for cores and pygmy cores:


Sorry about the bad pic quality, my tank is actually sparkling clear, it is just the glare from my window that makes it look brown and musty


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## laoshun (Apr 3, 2012)

Corydoras can adapt to hard water, but they come from softer water.(someone with more knowledge might come along). As for shrimp you can have as many as you want as their bioload is quite small. 
If I were you I would get pygmy Corydoras. (If it is possible that is.)


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

laoshun said:


> Corydoras can adapt to hard water, but they come from softer water.(someone with more knowledge might come along). As for shrimp you can have as many as you want as their bioload is quite small.
> If I were you I would get pygmy Corydoras. (If it is possible that is.)


Thanks so much! I think that i will be getting the pygmy cories, and have them special order/requested from Petsmart. i was reading on their site, and turns out, they probably breed them in-store, so they are already in my water conditions  How many would you recommend?

Will the gravel bother them?

Also, one last question,

how should i put them in without stressing my betta who has been in the tank for almost 2 years?>


Thanks!


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## laoshun (Apr 3, 2012)

Well, Gravel is fine if it is not sharp. But they just love sand, I guess thats information for future reference. 4-5 is fine as long as those are the only fish + your betta in the tank (well since they are pygmy I'm sure you could go at 5 because they love schools of 5. Make sure to get some kind of food for them that sits on the bottom. I'm not too much of a corydora expert but I just know that much.
as for adding them it shouldnt be too much of a problem because they will be at ground level.


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

laoshun said:


> Well, Gravel is fine if it is not sharp. But they just love sand, I guess thats information for future reference. 4-5 is fine as long as those are the only fish + your betta in the tank (well since they are pygmy I'm sure you could go at 5 because they love schools of 5. Make sure to get some kind of food for them that sits on the bottom. I'm not too much of a corydora expert but I just know that much.


Thanks! I have sinking algae pellets/tablets and i can feed them live vegetables and possibly frozen bloodworms(?).


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## laoshun (Apr 3, 2012)

yup, as long a they get some kind of food!


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

thanks! BTW, did you see the pic of my gravel? what do you think? (is it okay for them?)


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## laoshun (Apr 3, 2012)

uh I see it, but I am not too sure. I guess the only way to tell is to feel it and if there is nothing that feels sharp then it should be ok.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Pygmy cories are tiny. Though gravel may be fine for the larger species, I would not have them in anything but sand for health concerns.
Also, I doubt pet smart breeds them. O__O


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

my bronze cories love sand. their barbells have become long and beautiful since i brought them home  i'd recommend switching to sand no matter what cories you get. particularly little ones, like Olympia said.


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

Thanks everybody! I do not want to restart my tank yet, but i will once Honeycomb passes away. Then i will redo my tank with sand and the betta and the pygmies.
I will just settle for shrimp for now. What should i do about my filter intake tube? Could the ghost shrimp get caught(its not wide enough for a full grown to get through)in it? Also, i am worried the shrimp will stress my betta who has been in this tank for 2 years. Last but not least, my final concern is that the shrimp won't get any food because i only feed my betta 2-3 pellets 6 days a week, and my betta always gets to them and eats them. Can the shrimp eat algae wafers?



BTW< what type of sand would be the best as in grain size, texture, and for the filter. I will be getting an AQUACLEAR HOB filter soon, so i don't want a sand that clumps or will get sucked up in the filter.


Can pygmies do okay in hard water and a high ph?


Thanks again!


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Cories need sand and should live in groups of atleast 5 or 6
plecos poo WAY too much for a 10 gallon. not to mention they will soon out grow the 10 gallon.
You are better off with either some shrimps or 1 or 2 netrie(sp) snails


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

MyRainbowBettaFish said:


> but i will once Honeycomb passes away.


WHOA WHOA WHOA!
Are you giving up on your betta and just going to let him die?!


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## laoshun (Apr 3, 2012)

^if you read it correctly it is just implying when the life of the betta has ended, the person will redo the tank with sand.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Cories should, I say need sand. If it was up to me don't get them as gravel can injure their barbels and casue infection leading to death if not cared for. Shrimp are hit or miss and if you want a clean up crew they won't do anything, you will just have to feed more things, which makes you gotta buy more food.

How about doing something called research? If you are going to get an animal can you at least know what your gonna fees it or have to feed it (No offense). Ghost shrimp are scavengers and need meaty products, no algae for them. So toss those out of your head if you wanna feed them algae.

Why do you want a "clean up crew" in the first place?


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

kfryman said:


> Cories should, I say need sand. If it was up to me don't get them as gravel can injure their barbels and casue infection leading to death if not cared for. Shrimp are hit or miss and if you want a clean up crew they won't do anything, you will just have to feed more things, which makes you gotta buy more food.
> 
> How about doing something called research? If you are going to get an animal can you at least know what your gonna fees it or have to feed it (No offense). Ghost shrimp are scavengers and need meaty products, no algae for them. So toss those out of your head if you wanna feed them algae.
> 
> Why do you want a "clean up crew" in the first place?


Thanks Kfryman, i have researched fish for almost 2 years now, and have viewed thousands of books and websites. I appreciate the information you have given me, so instead of another fish, i might just add a live plant and some shrimp(yes i have researched those too . I wanted to just add a little bit more "movement" in my tank, as it felt a little empty. And no, I would NEVER give up on my animals, wether they are a fish or a horse, i love them all.


Thanks for all the great info!:-D


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

FishyFishy89 said:


> WHOA WHOA WHOA!
> Are you giving up on your betta and just going to let him die?!


No FishyFishy, I would NEVER give up on any animal, wether it is a horse or fish  I just wanted to have a game plan in the event that he did pass( i would be devastated!). From now on, i am going to ONLY keep bettas and possibly inverts (shrimp, snail) because i am going to divide my tank 


I appreciate your concern for Honeycomb, but i would never do that and he's doing fabulous! :-D


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

djembekah said:


> my bronze cories love sand. their barbells have become long and beautiful since i brought them home  i'd recommend switching to sand no matter what cories you get. particularly little ones, like Olympia said.


Thanks, if i do choose to get them, i will redo the tank with sand. What brand/type of sand do you recommend?


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Quikrete playsand from home depot is great.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

Olympia said:


> Quikrete playsand from home depot is great.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks! Is it hard to clean before i put it in the tank? Can i use a gravel vacuum and just hover it above the sand for cleaning? Is it aquarium safe?


Thanks!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yes, it's inert so it won't affect water chemistry or anything. For cleaning, I just put some in a bowl and swish it around in water, dump the water and swish it around a few times. Plop it in the empty tank, you can pour water on a dish to keep it from stirring. It may take a couple days to settle at first, but once it does it settles extremely fast. 
And yup that's how I clean the tank.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

Olympia said:


> Yes, it's inert so it won't affect water chemistry or anything. For cleaning, I just put some in a bowl and swish it around in water, dump the water and swish it around a few times. Plop it in the empty tank, you can pour water on a dish to keep it from stirring. It may take a couple days to settle at first, but once it does it settles extremely fast.
> And yup that's how I clean the tank.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


went too the website! Perfect! Thank you so much!


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