# 5 Gallon tank mates



## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

Well im pretty new to the whole betta fish thing...i was at a pet store the other day and randomly decided to get a betta fish because i had a fish bowl at home...then a day later i decided the bowl was to small and bought a 5 gallon tank package with a filter and heater...really im just wondering what would be good fish to put in a 5 gallon tank with him...if any fish at all...i know a 5 gallon tank isnt that big but it seems big enough to me where i could have 1 or 2 more fish?....also would a air pump and bubbler be ok in this setup?....i always read that betta fish dont need them but i saw a cool bubbler decoration that i liked and was just wondering..... thanks for all the help...let me know what you think


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Personally, I wouldn't put any tankmates in with my betta. They are solitary fish and do fine by themselves.But you could try a few ghost shrimp. I think they are only something like 40-50 cents a piece so if your betta decides to make a snack out of them then you're not out of a whole lot of money. Other people here can give you some other, maybe better ideas. You can use a bubbler if you want to but it really isn't necessary.Hope this helps and welcome to FishForum.


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## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

hey thanks...how big are ghost shrimp?? if my betta fish could eat them they must be kinda small i would thing....and if i got some of those would i have to feed them somthing different?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I don't know how big they are but they can't be too big if the betta could eat them. I've just heard people talk about them. Your betta needs a pellet or tropical flake food as his staple diet and you can also feed them frozen or freeze dried bloodworms, daphnia or brine shrimp. Frozen food needs to be thawed out before feeding and freeze dried food needs to be rehydrated. These foods are to be used as a once or twice a week treat. Hope this helps.


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## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

ok yeah..ive been feeding him the pellets... 2 of them twice a day....i just feel like one fish in a 5 gallon tank isnt enough....i really like sharks and always wanted a couple of those...but i dont think they would get along with my betta fish.....and now that he is used to his 5 gallon tank i dont want to move him back to the smaller bowl...also...he seems to be fighting the current from the filter at times...is this bad? i read somewhere that betta fish dont like current in the water...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Bettas don't like a whole lot of current. If the flow is adjustible, I'd just turn it down a bit. No, sharks wouldn't go with bettas. In a 5 gallon, I think you're kind of limited as to what you could put in with him. I'm sure other members could tell you what you can have.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

Ghost shrimp are only supposed to get to 1-1.5 inches. I am going to put in maybe a pygmy cory, a dwarf frog *still needs more research*, or a few tetras in my 5 gallon with my betta. But he is really curious so i think he would do fine. He loves to interact with things. 

Bettas don't like current. I have an undergravel filter that seems like they don't mind, or i also have the kind that has a piece sticking down sucking up water (I am sure there is a better word for this) and it was to strong. So i put in a piece of sponge at the bottom. seem to do well...

Some fish like bubbles, others don't. One of my bettas LOVES his bubbles, the other one is just kinda "eh" about them. Good luck. I would write more but my mom is yelling for me to go... ttyl


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## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

i think i might get a couple of ghost shrimp....i also heard chichlids would go well with betta fish aswell.....i dont think my betta fish likes the current in his tank very much..and i dont have adjustable flow on mine...so im going to have to figure out some way to slow down the current a bit... at times he likes to hide at the bottom of the tank behind one of the plants...im guessing its because he is somewhat tired of fighting the current..... anyways thanks for the info everyone...if you have any more comments on how i could slow down the current...or for what tank mates i can give him please do...


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## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

i have also heard that cories go well with bettas...


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Cichlids: ABSOLUTLEY NOT. They are way too aggressive and need a completely different setup.
Cories: Not in a 5G.

Don't get any fish with a betta in a 5G unless you happen to come across the rare pygmy cories. I wouldn't even do that, but you obviously really want more fish. Other that that, go with shrimp. They are way more interesting than you are thinking. A 5G is way smaller than you think as well.


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## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

yeah i can see how a 5 gallon is small..i kinda wish i got a 10 gallon now....maybe i will have to go to the local pet stores and look for some pygmy cories...i really only want like 2 of those....and from what ive heard they stick more towards the bottom of the tank.....so if they stayed around the bottom i dont see how the 5 gallon is really that terribly small for 2 fish...but thats just me? thanks for all the help again..and keep the comments coming if you have any input...also wondering if bettas like decor on the bottom of the tank..such as things to hide in.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

There are all kinds of decorations you can get at the petstore that you can get. You can also use small terra cotta pots for caves or glass votives. 5 gallons is a pretty good size for one fish but you're kind of limited as far as what else you could put in there.I think cories are a schooling fish so I don't know if 2 would work or not.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

You have to have at least 6 pygmies, like I said before. Any less is very stressful for them.

I highly doubt any pet store (key word there is pet) will have any also.


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## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

since my betta fish really only sticks to one side of the tank...would it be ok to put a divider in and give him half and then put a couple other fish in the other half of the tank?....i also woke up this morning and fed my fish and when i got out of the shower i noticed he hadnt ate...is there sotmhing wrong..its only happened this one time...maybe hes just not hungry right now?... thanks for the help guys


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

That would be even worse. I'm telling you, just get shrimp. You can't fit anything else in that tank and you need to understand that.

What is the temperature of the tank, and the parameters?


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

idk if anyone mentioned this already, but you need to cycle your tank before you can get any other tankmates.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

If you planted your tank and waited a few months you could get some ottos! they need a well-planted, well established tank, tho........ you might be able to do a few dwarf danios, but they are fairly uncommon


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## berice17 (Mar 23, 2009)

my tank is filtered and heated and has been at a solid 76...i have 3 fake plants in it right now...would it be better to get live plants? i was also thinking of getting somthing he could swim inside..... What exactly does it mean to cycle the tank...i let the water sit for 24 hrs before i put fish in it or add water...is that what it means? or the fact that its filtered?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Cycling a tank means building up of beneficial bacteria in your tank. Someone else can explain it better than I can. You'd need a filter to cycle.You can use real or fake plants but don't use plastic because they have sharp edges that can tear a betta's fins.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

Do a water change (probably around 25%) and then get a test kit. Ammonia has probably built up in your tank by now which is why your betta is acting off.

Sorry, I'll explain it better tomorrow but it is really late here and it's a long topic. Maybe google search "fishless aquarium cycle" and read up a bit then I can help you out from there.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

Fishless Cycling Made Easy maybe this link will help!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Great info, veganchick! I printed it out for future use.


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