# Eels, colorful fish and tank cleaners to go with a betta male



## LugiaChan (Mar 8, 2012)

Hi there, i'm new with fish so i'll need easy-care fish ^_^; JUST wondering about this!

1) What types of eels can go with betta fish, I wish to know their tank requirements too but I can research them myself ;D

2) [Continued thru the post...] I know that colorful finned fish ARE a bad idea for a male betta but I do wish for ideas in fish I would like and I have feelings there may be something out there for me that maybe surprisingly works out with male bettas and planted tanks.


I do not like... :-(
Browns, greys or all one standard color or two.
Plain old guppies they're very standard in color.
The typical sword tailed guppies because they still look plain.
Typical cat fish tank cleaners.
Snails. Bleh. I might be interested in painted shelled ones.

I love... :-D
colorful salt water fish for an example (yes I will need fresh water Lol) 
STRANGE, UNIQUE, Odd fish. 
BRIGHT fun colors!

Also almost all eels and see-thru fish some times. Long snouts, long bodies, colors, odd and interesting shapes I guess- I know nothing may exist in these categories but I will keep my head up and try 


... But I do like these ... (I do know these dont belong with a betta, but I question the colorful guppies which may not also be the best idea but willing to know).


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

What size of a tank do you have? To have other fish with a betta you need a 10+ gallon tank.


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## twinjupiter (Aug 20, 2011)

Knowing the size of your tank will help us with our suggestions 

If you don't like cleaner catfish like plecos, i recommend Amano Shrimp. Corydora cat's are also pretty cool, and come in a few different colors/patterns.

As for eels, or any other scaleless fish for that matter, you have to be REALLY c careful of your water quality and other factors. My boyfriend had a couple loaches and a stingray... they are pain to take care of.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

The smallest eel species would still grow large enough to eat your betta 
These are my suggestions for a TWENTY gallon tank (I think I heard you say that's what you bought earlier?)
Loaches:
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Pangio&species=semicincta&id=1491
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus='Protomyzon'&species=pachychilus&id=1589

Rainbowfish:
Threadfin:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2838215872_02ef4c0201.jpg

Furcata (fork tail blue eye):
http://www.oddballfish.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/furcatus-rainbow-group.jpg

Gertrudae:
http://watershed3.tripod.com/P_gertrudae_Cadell_River.jpg

Hatchetfish (this is common, there is a marble variety but it is difficult to maintain. hatchetfish are surface dwellers, and may cause conflict if your betta prefers being at the surface..)
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Gasteropelecus&species=sternicla&id=1001

Note; These fish are very colourful, but your pH and hardness MUST be the way these fish need it. DON'T bother altering it, you should just work with what you have.. Loaches enjoy soft water, low ph.. Rainbowfish prefer harder water and higher ph... They will show their colours at their best in their preffered conditions.. A threadfin in bad conditions will look more like this:
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/images/iriatherina_werneri_male_2.jpg
(Also have more than one male is good, since they will colour up to compete with each other)..


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## LugiaChan (Mar 8, 2012)

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> What size of a tank do you have? To have other fish with a betta you need a 10+ gallon tank.


Woops! Sorry, it should be a 10 or 15-20 gallon i'm not sure yet because it's coming this week! Sorry for forgetting that information.


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## LugiaChan (Mar 8, 2012)

Olympia said:


> a TWENTY gallon tank (I think I heard you say that's what you bought earlier?)
> 
> Loaches
> Rainbowfish
> ...


Wow, I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE ALL OF THESE!!! Lols! Please tell me if you know any more! My tank should be a 15-20 gallon (maybe more?) tank it's coming from my aunt this week and she doesn't know the exact measurements.

Which are easiest to take care of or can eat typical betta food? How do I grow algae for ones requiring to eat it  I may get 1-3 different kinds and i'm loving these so far!


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## LugiaChan (Mar 8, 2012)

twinjupiter said:


> Knowing the size of your tank will help us with our suggestions
> 
> If you don't like cleaner catfish like plecos, i recommend Amano Shrimp. Corydora cat's are also pretty cool, and come in a few different colors/patterns.
> 
> As for eels, or any other scaleless fish for that matter, you have to be REALLY c careful of your water quality and other factors. My boyfriend had a couple loaches and a stingray... they are pain to take care of.


Aw  I see, hehee. There's a reply post on here with some very interesting and really unique fish!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Some species of blue-eyes can be nippy, and the brighter colours of the fork-tails may attract the attentions of a particularly aggressive male. 

I don't know if the activeness of the blue-eyes and threadfins would stress a male betta out. I have blue-eyes in a temporary 10 gallon and that feels way too small for them. A 20 gallon long is an ideal size, as they will enjoy having the space to move about.

Several species of blue-eyes do well in softer water, as do threadfins. Not all rainbowfish need hard water to thrive. My honey blue-eyes come from tannin-stained creeks. 

However, I find blue-eyes will do always best in a heavily, natural planted set-up. You might even get to see them sparring/spawning.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Olympia has you covered for a 15+ gallon.  Just got to say, some of the more unusual (read: expensive) types of pleco are very interesting, such as clowns and sailfins. Gorgeous.

In a ten gallon, you are really limited. Apart from the standard cory cats, etc, your best bet are microfish, such as:
- borasas brigittae
- borasas maculata
- ember tetras
- Endlers Livebearers (all the colour of a guppy, non of the nipping potential)
- Emerald Dwarf rasbora

Some of these little dudes can be very sensitive, though, so you need pristine water quality and preferably a densely planted tank. You also need to have the right water in terms of pH and hardness.


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## twinjupiter (Aug 20, 2011)

Don't know if anyone has suggested these yet, but I've heard White Clouds do well with betas. They are small and very pretty in schools. I also think ember tetras are awesome.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

White clouds are ok in terms of temperament, but they are sub-tropical and prefer much cooler waters to bettas. One species will generally be uncomfortable if you keep both together.


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## LugiaChan (Mar 8, 2012)

Bombalurina said:


> - Endlers Livebearers (all the colour of a guppy, non of the nipping potential)
> - Emerald Dwarf rasbora
> 
> Some of these little dudes can be very sensitive, though, so you need pristine water quality and preferably a densely planted tank. You also need to have the right water in terms of pH and hardness.


Ah, my tap water came out perfectly for betta fish, absolutely perfect conditions. I add water conditioner to my water, and the Endlers Livebearers stuck out from the list you gave me.  I plan to have a planted set up with moss and good lighting.

I am also wondering about CPO fish. I just found out about them, I like how lobsters look and behave. Little things that pick at the ground a lot kind of creep me out, but I do like the reddish/orange of the cpo fish so i'm curious about them now ^^ <3 thanks!


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## LugiaChan (Mar 8, 2012)

Bombalurina said:


> White clouds are ok in terms of temperament, but they are sub-tropical and prefer much cooler waters to bettas. One species will generally be uncomfortable if you keep both together.


Sorry to say i'm not a big fan of them XD ^^ You can call me strange!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

What's CPO fish? :s
White clouds are cold water and probably wouldn't colour up as well in warm water anyways.. Lugia wants something colourful 
Endler's are good too if you can find them. They are livebearers so you should end up with lot's of them  Which is fine because they are oh-so-cute.




LittleBettaFish said:


> Some species of blue-eyes can be nippy, and the brighter colours of the fork-tails may attract the attentions of a particularly aggressive male.
> 
> I don't know if the activeness of the blue-eyes and threadfins would stress a male betta out. I have blue-eyes in a temporary 10 gallon and that feels way too small for them. A 20 gallon long is an ideal size, as they will enjoy having the space to move about.
> 
> ...


I was planning on the blue eyes for my 17gallon tank with a betta. I hope that it works out okay o-O I figured it saying they can live in a 10 gallon meant they were generally calm fishies. I know someone on here keeps them in a 15 with a betta.. It may depend on the fish..


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