# Tank Mates For Betta.



## Mikayla (May 14, 2012)

I will be upgrading my betta, Fistandantilus, to a bigger tank soon. I was wondering what some good tank mates are? I was looking at dwarf frogs, snails, cory cats, and otocinclus. Are any of those good mates? Suggestions?


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## lilyrazen (Oct 25, 2009)

I have known all of those to be okay, provided the betta isn't too aggressive.

My favorite is the cory, because small schools of them are really neat to have in a tank if there is room.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

This depends on the size tank. If you are upgrading to a 5 gal, all you could have with him is snails and shrimp. You need at least a 10 gal for other fish. Cory cats are cute, but you need at least 5 of them. Otos are neat, but they are much more sensitive. They need an established, planted tank and will often starve to death in a new tank.


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## Mikayla (May 14, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> This depends on the size tank. If you are upgrading to a 5 gal, all you could have with him is snails and shrimp..


What kind of shrimps? I will most likely be going to a 5 because we have an old one, I am just testing it for leaks right now. But if it doesnt work out i will be buying either a 2.5 or a 10(they are the same price at petsmart, i just dont know about space for a 10). Do either of you have experience with the dwarf frogs? I just think they are adorable.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

The frogs would have to be in a 10 gal. Basically any kind of shrimp. Glass shrimp, red cherry shrimp. I don't know much about them as I haven't kept them (want to one day). I just know they are some of the only things that you can keep with a betta in a 5 gal.


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## lilyrazen (Oct 25, 2009)

ADFs are great- I've had four in the past. Sometimes (mostly) they like to be in pairs. You'll either have to use a baster to give them food, because they only eat when they SEE the food, or train them to know where the food is (which takes a while). Their food tends to get eaten by bettas otherwise.
They are fun to keep though.

I have had shrimp too, and like them just as much, with the pro that they clean up. Ghost shrimp are relatively cheap, and I think they're really neat.


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## Ginzuishou (Feb 16, 2012)

So far, my betta has done well with Red Eye Tetra and Neon Tetra. He chases them for fun once in awhile but has never attacked.

I have a mystery snail and the betta fish annoys it constantly.


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## Mikayla (May 14, 2012)

Well if I use the 5 gallon, I will look into snails and shrimp. If not, I will try and get a 10 gallon because I like the idea of having some cory cat or ADF in there. Do the shrimp require live plants of any sort? I haven't really decided how I am going to decorate the tank yet. He is a blue and red halfmoon. I don't know what colors will compliment his. Any suggestions? Also, my teacher has an orange vieltail in her classroom in a 2.5 gallon and I think he needs better hiding spots, what has been successful for you guys in the past?


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Shrimp and betta don't require live plants, but they really do benefit from them. Shrimp will breed like mad if you give them some moss to hide in. 

For hiding spots, caves are great. Male betta love caves. Tall silk plants are also great. I've calmed my most nervous males by giving them caves and a thick mess of plants to hide in when threatened.


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## Liquid (May 12, 2012)

Ghost shrimp also work. I have a male crowntail with an african dwarf frog and four ghost shrimp in his planted 5 gallon.


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## Mikayla (May 14, 2012)

It looks like my 5 gallon is going to work! I havent decided on tank mates yet. I am leaning towards the shirmp and snails. What types of snails are there? Don't most of them populate like super fast?


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

I would get a Nerite snail.  They can't reproduce in freshwater, they stay small, and great algae eaters if you have any. 

As for shrimps they are hard to take care of since they often act as a tasty treat for Bettas. If you provide enough cover and hiding places they can thrive and populate the tank easily. I would suggest getting any type of moss for them to hide in, and some plants to make it more dense. 

Two of the most easiest shrimps to care for are Ghost and Red Cherry Shrimps. I would suggest starting off with Ghost Shrimps mainly because they're inexpensive and used as live food most of the times. They're scavengers and eat leftover food, and algae. While RCS are primarily algae eaters, they'll graze on plants scrape off the algae, they will not hurt in the plants in the process either. 

Hope that helps.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Snails only overpopulate if you overfeed. I have snails in all of my tanks and none are overpopulated; I don't use any type of snail control other than regular water changes and not overfeeding. I like Malaysian trumpet snails as they burrow in the substrate and only come to the sides of the tank at night. Some people like apple snails, but they cannot survive just on algae and need to be fed.


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## Mikayla (May 14, 2012)

Do you know what kind of snails Petco and Petsmart would have? I have the feeling they don't carry a variety. I may try and look into some LFS's.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Petsmart and Petco usually just have apple snails. Sometimes they will get in Malaysian trumpet snails, but since they aren't in the system, they will just give them to your for free.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Ghost shrimp shouldn't eat algae, they are scavengers for a reason. They are like vultures, but for an aquarium. They would probably only eat algae if they are hungry. They prefer meaty items, catfish waffers work if it has fish meal or other fish in it.

Before you get shrimp make sure you cycle your tank! They are very sensitive to ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.


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## Mikayla (May 14, 2012)

I should be making a trip to the petstore this weekend. I am going to look around at the different snails and shrimp that they have so i can get a better idea of what's out there. I hope to have Fistandantilus' new tank up and running soon!


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

I know snails are really great for bettas. I have two nerite snails in my betta's 10 gallon tank. She leaves them alone for the most part!


They are really entertaining to watch, actually. LOL. I have one that is a little smaller than the other and the small one was crawling on the larger one's back. AWW  They can produce eggs in fresh water,, but the eggs cannot survive unless they are in salt water.  They eat any algae or leftover fish food. But I have algae wafers in case. BTW My larger snail's shell was a little scraped when I got her.. 










(Sorry for this one's poor quality, I took in on my ipod since my camera died.)










I got these two at petco for $2.99 ea. They have other types of snails but I liked nerites the most. They also don't get very big- at most 1 inch in diameter. If you decide to get a nerite- your tank would be best for only one nerite.


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## Mikayla (May 14, 2012)

teeneythebetta said:


> I know snails are really great for bettas. I have two nerite snails in my betta's 10 gallon tank. She leaves them alone for the most part!
> 
> 
> They are really entertaining to watch, actually. LOL. I have one that is a little smaller than the other and the small one was crawling on the larger one's back. AWW  They can produce eggs in fresh water,, but the eggs cannot survive unless they are in salt water.  They eat any algae or leftover fish food. But I have algae wafers in case. BTW My larger snail's shell was a little scraped when I got her..
> ...


I looked at Petco and they have some of the nerites for 2.99 so I am going to get that one. It is my favorite. I actually just bought one of those pineapples and I was wondering what size yours was? I am not sure if the small one will be big enough for Fist or if I need to go back and get the bigger one.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Mikayla said:


> I looked at Petco and they have some of the nerites for 2.99 so I am going to get that one. It is my favorite. I actually just bought one of those pineapples and I was wondering what size yours was? I am not sure if the small one will be big enough for Fist or if I need to go back and get the bigger one.


Mine is the smaller one. The neuritis LOVE the pineapple- neuritis need a variety of hiding places and things to climb on. My betta does not rest in the pineapple, but she often swims through it.

Extra word of advice- I feed my neuritis hiker algae wafers. When they sit in the water and the snails eat them, they get all broke down and stuck in the gravel. I bought a little white rock-ish cave from walmart called a "moon rock" found in the fish section for $4. I put the algae wafers in the moon rock- that way I can remove the moon rock and clean it out rather than making a mess of my gravel. If you have any more questions, feel free to message me!


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Here is the moon rock I was talking about...










It actually glows in the dark too


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