# I'm new and i need some help!



## PSUPride923 (Oct 20, 2011)

Hello all! I'll start off with a short story, but for an anniversary present my boyfriend decided to get me a betta fish. We went out and got a Veiltail Male and man is he pretty. We named him Triton after the Greek God of Water. We went out and got a small 1/2 gallon tank with a silk plant and an aquarium ornament (it says, "No Fishing", I thought it was funny! :-D). Upon doing some research I found that they shouldn't be in small tanks. My boyfriend and I have been feeling really bad because he is in such a small tank we are going out and buying an Aqua Creation 10 Gallon Starter Kit. Which works out well because we eventually wanted to get a bigger tank and start a hobby that we are both interested in together. We have only had Triton for about 4 days and he's very calm and he likes to "chase" us around the bowl.  He makes us laugh and its kind of calm watching him as we are trying to fall asleep. 

My question is with a 10 gallon tank, what other fish can you put in the tank with them. I've heard a lot of different things that they can't be put together and I made that mistake once when I was young and put a Goldfish with a betta. Nonetheless, I didn't have a Goldfish anymore :/ BUT I have heard you can put a few fish in as long as the betta doesn't feel threatened. I also don't want to spend the money on a 10 gallon tank and only be able to have 1 fish inside. ALSO, what kind of water should be put in the 10 gallon tank. In his bowl now we have a mixture of the BettaCare water (purchased from PetCo) and Spring Water. HELP!


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## Bresn (Sep 1, 2011)

Ghost shrimp(A lot of people have them)?


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## Jrf456 (Jun 23, 2011)

Hi there, welcome to the forums!

Since Triton is a male, there are very few choices to go with. First off, stay away from any strikingly colorful fish- and fish with long fins.

You also don't want to get any fish that are larger by far than the betta. I would maybe suggest doing neon tetras? They go great with bettas from my past experience.

Another possibility is to just get a 1g-2g bowl or tank for him and do a female betta sorority. A sorority is when you have many female bettas together in one tank! In a 10 gallon, you can get up to 6 and a few other fish like guppies, neon tetras, glow tetras, white clouds, and more!

I hope this helped, and good luck!


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## TequilatheBetta (Apr 5, 2011)

How about 4 corydoras? They're really cute and extremely peaceful


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

Be careful if you decide to get a pleco. Make sure you get one that will stay small.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

yes the common Pleco gets up to 2 ft long.... or so ive heard...


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## hedgehog (Sep 1, 2010)

Mollies actually aren't the best for a ten gallon because they're quite messy and prefer brackish water. I'd recommend four larger cory species--all the same species--or 6 pygmy cories.

edit: finished reading Mistersmom's post. Cichlids are aggressive and don't belong in ten gallons even if they weren't


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Mollies are brackish, and need 30 gallons, and kill bettas. Only Neon Tetras are good tank mates, not others. Plecos can go with bettas, but not in a tank that small. Oto Cats need a ton of algae, not for beginners. Zebra Danios rip up bettas fins, a no-no. Gourami and Betta will fight to the death, Cichlids need a much bigger tank and will eat a betta, and bettas and swordtails fight. And bettas will kill guppies. If you get platies, either get one gender or Male: Female 1:2


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

From my experience with Mollies, they seem to get along fine with Bettas...


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## cajunamy (Apr 28, 2011)

I'm afraid many of those fish listed here are highly incompatible. 

I'm going to go off of your tank size here, which is 10 gallons.

Shrimp sometimes work, as will mystery snails. Sometimes docile bettas can be kept with platies . If you had a much larger tank (20 gal) you could also get a group of kuhli loaches, minimum of 3 though as they like their own. You could get the smallest cory catfish for a 10 gallon, as they also like the company of their species. I have heard of neon tetras working before as well. 

Tetras will not work (with the exception of neons) as they are generally known for being nippy and a schooling fish. 

Plecos get way too large for a 10 gallon, including size and bioload.

ADF are also not a good idea, based on what I have heard from others here - someone else will have to chime in on why.

Oto catfish like groups, and need a large amount of algae and are also sensitive to water conditions. They are not recommended for beginner aquaraists.

Danios are WAY too active and will stress out the betta.

Guppies have long fins and can look like competition to the betta.

Gouramis are from the same sub species as our beloved betta, and also will not work as they will fight.

Cichlids are too territorial.

I can't comment on swordtails honestly.

Mollies will not work as they are brackish water fish. Tetras will not work b/c they are too nippy.

You must research any possible fish you would like to keep, including filteration levels (bettas like slow moving water and with their heavy finnage can be blown around by a strong filter), heat requirements (betta's like their water 78-80), whether or not it's a schooling fish (space requirements) or a nippy fish (bettas fins will become fair game), and also very colorfish fish can be viewed as competition to the betta and he may fight them.

In all honesty, you are best off with bottom dwellers as tank mates, and when in doubt leave betta by himself.



MistersMom said:


> 1. that betta water is expensive... so u should by dechlorinater stuff, they have it al walmart.
> 2.they will eat the ghost shrimo, its a good snack but not a good pal...
> 3.tank pals..
> Molllies
> ...


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

once again, i found that information on Google, and for certain bettas those may be fine tank mates... maybe yours is too agressive, or any thing else, but i have heard of people on here housing quite a few of there fish with some of those mentioned species... i didnt acknoledge the tanks size, or algea amount, i just mentioned what will go with bettas, period. i had no clue though that Gouramis were in relation to bettas, that was new to me... im glad i found that out for future reference...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

What I think you may not understand, with Mollies and Bettas it isn't an aggresion issue, they live in completely different types of water. It's like putting a Clownfish with a Betta.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

THAT would be AWESOME!!!! no, i get it, it slipped my mind.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks for understanding


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## hedgehog (Sep 1, 2010)

MistersMom said:


> once again, i found that information on Google, and for certain bettas those may be fine tank mates... maybe yours is too agressive, or any thing else, but i have heard of people on here housing quite a few of there fish with some of those mentioned species...


For any bettas cichlids are never fine. Bettas are not the problems in those tanks. Its that cichlids are big and angry. One of the LFS I go to has a tank with red devil cichlid (I think--at the least it was a cichlid of some sort) and they had signs on the tank that said please don't touch the tank or stare at the tank because these fish will charge the glass. I'm sure this was a more extreme case but still I wouldn't want a fish like that with my betta, especially if my betta was peaceful.


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## bahamut285 (Dec 10, 2010)

Oh thank god you shows up Amy, I was going to lose it in this thread, XD!

+1000 to Amy. Regardless of how awesome Google is, I wouldn't trust it completely over something like this.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Wow! I'll try not to ever stare at any cichlids. I wouldn't want any mad at me. lol


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## cajunamy (Apr 28, 2011)

OMG @ that cichlid! That's crazy!

Unfortunately MistersMom, you can't rely on google all the time, you have to do much research on any species to find the correct info.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

My picks for betta tankmates in a ten gallon:
- pygmy cories 
- ember tetras
- shrimp

I'd always go embers over neon tetras. Neons are larger and more active and I don't trust them not to nip. Embers are so chilled, they'll sometimes just stay still in the water for a few minutes, gossiping with the other tetras.  They are entirely peaceful, totally non-nippy and very pretty. They develop a lovely black edge on their dorsal fin.
I have ten in my sorority and they all get on really well with my girls, even at feeding time. I think the girls are like, "What? No way something that small is even a fish!"

On the cichlid note, I do know someone who successfully housed an angelfish and a betta together (with male fancy guppies, no less) with no issues, but it was the stupidest combination I have ever seen and it should never have worked. Definitely don't try this at home, kids.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

It's true about Red Devils. My best friend had one for 12 years or so and he would bite the glass if you laid your hand on the tank. He would also charge and bite. He was scary. Neat, but scary.

If you decide to go wiith corys, wait a while. The tank should be established and cycled before adding any. They can be sensitive. The same goes for shrimp. Though, like Misters originally said in her post, they can easily be eaten by your betta.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

If it's a fully grown shrimp, it's more torn apart. Then eaten. Sorry for the grim thought, everyone. I want one of those cichlids, it sounds cool  really, Ember Tetras are better than Neons? I was going to get Neons for my 29, which Is going to have a sorority, should I get Embers instead?


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I just think embers are better in tanks as small as 10G. In a larger tank, it's probably not so much an issue.  I have heard of nippy neons, but again, the person was keeping them in a small tank so it's not that surprising. In a 29, it's up to you. Personally, I'd get both. They are both gorgeous.  Internet pictures don't really do embers justice, but neons always look amazing.
If it was a male betta, I'd get embers over neons because embers are so chilled, there is no chance of their swimming stressing a male out.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm going to choose whichever has the lowest bioload, as of now it has 6 Zebra Danios and a BN pleco in QT, if the BN turns out to be a girl( it's a baby, I can't tell) I'll get another. The danios will be in the 10 gallon, so in the end I will have 7 Girl Bettas, 1-2 BN Plecos, 6 Neon Tetras/9 Ember Tetras.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

@ cichliblah blah i dunno how to spell

OH MY GOODNESS!?!? what is wrong this those fish???? why are they so agressive???? that is outta wack!!!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

What? Cichlids? It there nature, you don't really change that.....


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

change their nature?? i didnt want to?? im confused...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

They eat small things. That's their thing.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

so i just looked them up on the unreliable Google and they are so PRETTY!!!(cichlids)


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

im still confused, i said nothing to do with them eating things 0.0


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I tell it how it is, I know you didn't ask. They're pretty, but they get big.


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## PiscisAmor (Jul 1, 2011)

neon tetras are good because they're quick and nonaggressive


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Really? I just want the one that works better, would you say Neon Tetras?


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

i want cories


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Depends what you are looking for, Diablo. Both are peaceful, both are pretty. The main two differences are:
- size (neons are maybe half an inch bigger)
- speed (embers will sit around and chill lots, neons tend to be on the go a bit more)
Only you know what will look best in your tank and coexist most happily with your fish.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

You can divide the tank into sections and get 2 more bettas...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Hrmm, yes, ok, I'll continue thinking. The Ember tetras, though, on the TFK profiles they're clearish-red, do they always look Like that or is their red more solid?


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

They are a solid orange on their top half with slightly more transparent stomachs and a black edge on the dorsal fin. Their stomach tends to flash silver. As the colour up they look a lot less transparent, although new ones may look kind of white til they settle in.


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## PSUPride923 (Oct 20, 2011)

I don't know how to start a new thing on here yet, but we bought the tank and the filter seems like it is strong. my boyfriend doesn't think it is, but I just don't want it to be too strong for out little guy :/ what should we do? AND what temperature should the water be BEFORE I put Triton in his new home? I have a thermometer that has a yellow and green area, but I heard that you aren't supposed to "rely" on that. HELP and thanks!


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

78-80 degrees


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## PSUPride923 (Oct 20, 2011)

HEEELLLPPP! We just put Triton in his new tank and he seemed okay, adn then he went up by the filter and puffed up really big and we can't get him to stop. I doubt that it is healthy for him to be puffy like that all the time. WHAT SHOULD WE DO. and quick! i'm worried!


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Puffy?? Flaring you mean?


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## PSUPride923 (Oct 20, 2011)

yes sorry, i meant flaring. i couldn't think of the correct terminology :-/


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Flaring isn't a problem. It's part of what they do/what they are. ^^ 
He's probably flaring at the reflection from the filter where the glass is. My fish do it all the time.  
The only issue they have is when they flare too much and blow out a fin, lol. But it usually heals right back up within a week.


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## PSUPride923 (Oct 20, 2011)

how do I know if his fin blows out? he has a kink in his top fin, but it's been there since we brought him home from the pet store. is something wrong or is it just a little quark he has?


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

A blow-out will look like a straight cut (like a knife cut) right through the fins. I wouldn't worry about the kink. It sounds like it might just be how he was born.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

flaws add character, no 1 wants 2b perfet


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I do!


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

no one except Bombalurina... lol


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Psh, I AM perfect! *tosses hair*


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

EXACTLY! we r ALL perfect lol....


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

youlovegnats said:


> Psh! *tosses hair*


lmao....................like wat i did there? ^^


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