# Betta Companion (10g)



## Wholystang (Jan 8, 2013)

Ok, so my new Betta tank is close to being fully cycled, and I've been researching companions for my fish (Serious Black). My fish started out all black, and over the course of a month has started getting brilliant red near the body with iridescent blue after that out to the tail. Im assuming that is a good sign? I have been doing water changes every 2-3 days to keep ammonia down to .25ppm, now now nitrite to below .25 ppm. I wish the cycling would hurry! Its a Heated (80 degrees) 10 gallon Marineland tank with a Penguin 100 filter. 

Right now I only have 1 Marimo ball which I bought to see if my LED lights would support plants. I'm going to add one plant at a time and see what happens. If my tank supports it, I plan to switch all fake plants to live plants. So, as far as fish go; I really like Corys, Ghost Shrimp, and Snails. I was thinking I could either go Cory shoal (maybe with a snail?). Or, a couple of shrimp and a snail. The end goal being a healthy tank for my Betta fish. Any ideas and thoughts would be appreciated!


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

Cories like cooler waters than bettas IMO. A nice school of 6-7 Harlequin Rasboras might do nice. 

A single betta would be super happy though, with 10 Ghost shrimp and 2-3 Nerite Snails!


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

One nerite would be good, especially if you can get some direct sunlight and grow a little algae for him. They poop a lot. A small school of peaceful fish like rasbora or tetra will work. You can't have too many fish in a 10 gallon or the output from the fish will be too much to handle. 8 fish of any kind might be pushing it.

Have you thought about dividing the 10 gallon and getting 2 males?

Cories and betta do just fine together IME.


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## fishy314 (Nov 8, 2012)

+1 registereduser.



Crowntails said:


> Cories like cooler waters than bettas IMO. A nice school of 6-7 Harlequin Rasboras might do nice.
> 
> A single betta would be super happy though, with 10 Ghost shrimp and 2-3 Nerite Snails!


Please do your research. Cories, although not nessesarily suitable for a 10g, are a great tankmate for bettas. 10 ghost shrimp is WAY overstocked. Don't even ask about the nerites.


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## Wholystang (Jan 8, 2013)

I appreciate the replies. If I did Corys, they would be Pygmy Corys (if I can find them). I had thought about doing a split tank. However, my end goal is a better environment/more efficient tank for my Betta. So, I was looking to add something to accomplish that goal. There are so many varying opinions on snails, that for now ill count those out. I haven't looked into Rasboras, so I will definitely read up on them. Again, thanks for the replies! Any extra info is always nice when making a decision!


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

Pygmy cories are very cute! You could fit 10-12 in there and it wouldn't be overstocking.

If you are not afraid of buying fish online, these guys have some nice pygmy cories and for cheap! http://aquadesigninnovations.com/shop/shop/pygmy-cory/

Edit: Some other fish I highly recommend are:

-Celestrial Pearl Danios (school of 6-8)
-Ember Tetras (school of 8-10)

These guys are small and perfect for smaller tanks like yours.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

fishy314 said:


> +1 registereduser.
> 
> 
> 
> Please do your research. Cories, although not nessesarily suitable for a 10g, are a great tankmate for bettas. 10 ghost shrimp is WAY overstocked. Don't even ask about the nerites.



Actually, he didn't say they make bad tank mates. It's just their temperature. Cories like the low to mid 70's while betta fish like the highs. As long as it's 76F it should be okay.  Ghost shrimp hardly produce ammonia so 10 is a good number. They don't take as much space either if that's what you meant, too. Nerites will do just fine, they're smaller than mysteries.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

IMO danios need a 20G long at the least to be happy, they're really active fish.


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

LebronTheBetta said:


> IMO danios need a 20G long at the least to be happy, they're really active fish.


Celestial Pearl Danios are much more different that they regular Zebra Danios and only reach about 1.5–2 cm which is very tiny. Many people keep them in 5.5 gallon tanks or larger. They look like this









I never said cories and bettas aren't bad tankmates, it's just the temperatures they like it at are very different, so I don't think of them being very good together because of that.


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## PhischAndChips (Feb 8, 2013)

I keep 3 Glass Catfish in with my betta, Chip. They live in a 10G and they do just fine. Chip chases them around, sure, but that's about it.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

CPDs in my experience tend to be fairly shy. I imagine unless you had an extremely peaceful male they would be harassed. They also be at their best in mature, well-planted tanks. 

Glass catfish need to be kept in large schools, and everything I have read suggests that they need a tank in the 20 gallon and up range.


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## broncosfan84 (Apr 11, 2012)

Thank you Crowntails for the link to the pygmy cories. I've been loking for some for my 20Long sorority. the tank is fully planted and has 6 females and 5 kuhli loaches. How many pygmy cories could I safely put in with them. Also thinking of getting some red cherry shrimp.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

I also have glass catfish in my ten gallon. They do great. I only have one atm because when I got it I was seeing how my betta would react. They get along fine. Also rosy red minnows are good. Does anyone know about mollies? How good are they?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

MistersMom, I don't want to come across as rude, but I don't think you ideally should be giving stocking advice as your own tank is quite poorly stocked. 

Mollies grow too big for a 10 gallon tank and do best in hard, brackish water. Glass catfish require a school so at least 6 individuals to be happier (with this species more is best) and as they grow to 8cm they are probably not going to have a lot of room to move about in a 10 gallon tank. 

Here is a profile on glass catfish

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/kryptopterus-minor/


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

broncosfan84 said:


> Thank you Crowntails for the link to the pygmy cories. I've been loking for some for my 20Long sorority. the tank is fully planted and has 6 females and 5 kuhli loaches. How many pygmy cories could I safely put in with them. Also thinking of getting some red cherry shrimp.


No problem! I'd do around 8-10 of them.


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

Mollies need at least a 20 gallon tank, preferably brackish. Glass catfish need to be in schools in at least a 55 gallon IMO.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

Well it was rude as I've said I'm getting rid of those golf fish I'm giving them to a friend who has gold fish. Rosy red minnows are perfect. I know how to stock a tank, I just like trying different things....


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

And that's why I asked about mollies


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Well if you knew how to stock a tank you would not have goldfish and glass catfish and a betta all living together in a 10 gallon tank.

You can try something new and still have an appropriately stocked tank. 

I recommend looking through the SeriouslyFish database. That has profiles for hundreds of different fish species and covers their care requirements in a lot of details. 

Going by Wikipedia it looks like the fathead minnow prefers temperatures of 50-70 degrees farenheit so that doesn't seem like a very compatible tank mate either.

There are so many nano friendly species of fish out there. The only downside is they tend to be extremely sensitive and so you need an established and cycled tank to keep them in.


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

LittleBettaFish isn't being rude at all. I agree whole hardily him. If you knew how to stock a fish tank, then you wouldn't stock it like that since it is very overstocked and has incompatible fish.

Goldfish need 40 gallon tanks at least. Glass Catfish need at least a 55 gallon Tank. Goldfish like cool waters (less than 70), Glass catfish like it warm (more than 75).


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

YES i know about the Gold fish, LIKE I SAID (already) I've found a new home for them. for petes sake! and ive already read his info for the glass catfish. Quit repeating Him/ Her. Re-reading information doesn't make me want to do anything any quicker it just agitates me, i am however keeping the glass catfish. I like it, he's friendly and he is his whole 10cm long. Wich btw isn't much more than my betta.Sorry. I am also keeping the rosey reds because so far so good, i don't see how you people say Cory catfish are okay but rosy red minnows arent? They are, and they don't even bother my betta, she doesn't bother them either.


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## Wholystang (Jan 8, 2013)

Ok, so Petsmart has Albino Corys on sale for $1 right now. They are really small (less than an inch a piece). Would 5 of those be too much for my tank if I had no other fish besides my Betta? I plan on going naturally planted as stated, but right now I only have the Marimo and 3 small Java Ferns. Also, if I got them now with plans to move to a 20 gallon tank in 4 months or so, would they stay small enough until then? Sorry for so many questions, but id like to do this right!

Thanks in advance.


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

5 would be fine in a 20 gallon tank. I'd get 6-8 actually!


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