# 8 gallons, what fish?



## BatCakes (Mar 25, 2013)

I currently keep one 10g planted tank with a betta, but am purchasing a 7.9 gallon cube tank from a friend. I mainly want it as a planted tank, but would love some shrimp or fish for it. Since I devote most of my time to college classes and already have one betta (and may soon be adopting a parakeet) I am wondering what I could have in this tank that people would consider "Low Maintenance". 

I consider myself generally knowledgeable about bettas, but know nothing about other kinds of fish, so I'm looking for suggestions of something simple and fun to keep. Shrimp are adorable and fun to watch, but I know they can be very touchy about parameters. The other benefit would be that shrimp are not as messy as other fish, so that's a benefit, but I'm looking for other suggestions. 

Let me know what you think!


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## IceCreamMomo (Aug 1, 2014)

Maybe some guppies, one betta, or 2 with a divider. A few tetras or platys.


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

If you can find a betta who doesn't mind roommates, I've found that platies get along pretty well! They're friendly enough, don't require a school, like roughly the same temperatures bettas do, and their fins aren't so long as to be threatening. You could probably fit two platies and some shrimp in easily.

Guppies are always kinda questionable due to their long, colorful fins and basically the fact that they look like mini bettas, but if you have a really chill betta, you might get by with them. Two or three guppies would be fine as long as the betta's OK with it.

Mollies are bullies, I wouldn't risk getting those.

If you don't like guppies or platies, you might get by with a small school of five or six neon tetras, or four or five otocinclus. But you'd really need to keep the water clean and not go overboard with decor; schooling fish like open spaces.

Note that you'd need hiding places if you want shrimp, so either don't mix them, or strike a balance where there's enough hiding room for the shrimp but enough open space for school swimming.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Any of the nano fish would be great in this tank. I actually have two of those cubes (the Fluval 7.9 gallons). I have a betta and pygmy cories in one and a betta and kubotai rasboras in the other.

You could get a nice school of nano somethings. Ember tetras, kubotai rasboras, pencilfish, celestial pearl danios. You could do one or two sparkling gourami even with a small school of other nanos- pretty little fish with big personalities.


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## hgual22 (Jul 18, 2014)

I would go with some endlers! They are small, super pretty fish. I have 5 in my 10 gallon with my honey gourami. a few male guppies would also be pretty.


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## BatCakes (Mar 25, 2013)

Thanks everyone for all these great answers! It's so great seeing the variety I can have and is really helpful to me!


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