# Adding to my tank. :)



## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

Hey, y'all! I'm sure that there's several threads on this topic, but I wanted to make mine tank specific. I currently have a 10 gallon tank that's heated and filtered and has live plants. I would really like to add some smaller fish to Bettasaur's tank, but I'm not sure what kind. I really like the look of the tetras. My petco is having a sale where they're 5 for $5. Would they be ok in a 10 gallon as long as I provided lots of hidey holes? I'm hoping this will keep him entertained for times when I'm not at home for a couple days at a time. He tends to bite his tail when he doesn't have any interaction. :roll: Thanks in advance!!!


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

tetras are big time finn-nippers, be very careful!


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## lexylex0526 (Dec 27, 2011)

A school of six neon tetras would be perfect in a ten gal with a betta. Provided they have lots of hiding places.

Even though I would recomend this, I believe I should warn you this arrangement doesn't always work out. Some bettas are ment for solitary life others do okay with friends, it really depends on your bettas personality specificaly. 

Even though there's a 95% chance this arrangement should work but make sure you monitor your tank closely for tailbiting or harassment.

Best of luck!!!


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

I love the way the neon tetras look. I think the ones that I was looking at were cardinal tetras? What's the difference in these besides the color? I'll be on the lookout for fin nipping. He bites his tail though, so I'm not sure how easy that will be.


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## lexylex0526 (Dec 27, 2011)

bettasaur said:


> I love the way the neon tetras look. I think the ones that I was looking at were cardinal tetras? What's the difference in these besides the color?]
> 
> 
> Cardinal tetras get larger than neons. One advantage of the cardinal tetra is hardiness. Many fish can catch neon tetra disease from neons, However cardinal tetras are virtually immune to the disease, kind of unexpected in a way since their color patterns are so similar.
> ...


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

The cardinal tetras are $1 & the neons are like $6 a fish. I'll probably go with the cardinals. How many can I put in there? They're schooling fish, right?


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## lexylex0526 (Dec 27, 2011)

They are definitely a schooling fish so they should be with atleast 6 of their kind.

So I would say 6 cardinals sounds good for your setup


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

Awesome! Thanks.


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## lexylex0526 (Dec 27, 2011)

bettasaur said:


> Awesome! Thanks.


 No prob!  Definitely keep us updated with your new community tank, and post pics when its up and running! 

Also feel free to message me if you run into anymore questions on the tetras/betta! 

Good Luck!


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

lexylex0526 said:


> No prob!  Definitely keep us updated with your new community tank, and post pics when its up and running!
> 
> Also feel free to message me if you run into anymore questions on the tetras/betta!
> 
> Good Luck!


I'm excited.  Any suggestions on hidey hole accessories for the tetras that the betta can't get into? Bettasaur has a habit of swimming through things that he probably shouldn't. :roll:


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## lexylex0526 (Dec 27, 2011)

bettasaur said:


> I'm excited.  Any suggestions on hidey hole accessories for the tetras that the betta can't get into? Bettasaur has a habit of swimming through things that he probably shouldn't. :roll:




I have a few suggestions! 

I have something similar to this, its a great size and only my tetras can fit:
http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsma...jsp?productId=3412985&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

My tetras also sometimes will hide in these types of things:
http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsma...jsp?productId=2752216&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

But my tetras all time favorite is small logs with fake plants on it. My neons pretty much own the plastic log in the tank lol all the fish no now to mess with it:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aqua-Culture-Medium-Wood-Aquarium-Ornament/17056933


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

Yay!! I love those little logs.


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

What should I feed them?


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## lexylex0526 (Dec 27, 2011)

bettasaur said:


> What should I feed them?



Tetras typically eat any type of tropical flake food. I feed mine : http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsma...jsp?productId=2755146&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

They love it! Also as a treat I sometimes add a frozen blood worm for each of them, they devour those!


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

You can only see a few of them, but there's 8 in there.  Bettasaurus chased them a little at first, but he leaves them alone now.  Btw, he swims through that castle AND the "handrails" on that bridge. :roll:


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)




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## DiiQue (Jul 15, 2012)

Quick question: Would one have to add a few more water changes to one's routine with the additional fish?

@bettasaur: lovely tank and glad to hear everyone is getting along. I'm considering getting some tetras myself, after I add a couple more plants/hiding places to Dr. Z's tank.


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

Thanks! I think you probably would, since there's more waste being produced.


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## Juicebox (Oct 24, 2012)

bettasaur said:


> The cardinal tetras are $1 & the neons are like $6 a fish. I'll probably go with the cardinals. How many can I put in there? They're schooling fish, right?


what store is charging you 6 dollars for 1 neon tetra?that is crazy prices, you can get them for 1 dollar a fish at petco and petsmart!


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

Haha I got them mixed up. The neons are $1 & the glofish danio things are $6. That's at petco & petsmart.


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## TheMCP (Nov 10, 2012)

bettasaur said:


> I would really like to add some smaller fish to Bettasaur's tank, but I'm not sure what kind. I really like the look of the tetras.


I have several bettas in their own tanks. I wanted to add one of them to my main community tank, so I tried each one and watched carefully to see how he'd react. 

Interestingly, each betta had exactly the same reaction. He looked at most of my fish with apparent casual disinterest. Even my fancy guppies, which I was warned might make the betta crazy, got no reaction. But then when he laid eyes on my glowlight tetra (like a cardinal tetra but with an orange stripe instead of the blue one) the betta went *CRAZY *hostile :shock: and frantically went around trying to scare off _all _the fish in the tank that he had previously not seemed to care about... so I had to remove him back to his own individual tank as he had failed "plays nicely with others". 

In summary, warning: bettas may not like tetras.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I vote no to neons but pygmy cories are great have heard of WCMM working.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Cardinals get too large for a 10 gallon. They prefer 15 or 20 gallons. http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/paracheirodon-axelrodi/
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/cardinal-tetra/
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Cardinal_tetra
Also, is your water soft, as that is the kind of water cardinals will thrive in.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Nerite Snails are great.


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

Just wanted to update everyone! Everyone is getting along really well! The only time things get a little crazy is at feeding time, but I'm getting the hang of distracting Bettasaurus. He's actually pretty much stopped biting his fins & they're almost completely grown back out now. I forgot how full & beautiful they were!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

What did you choose?


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

I posted a few weeks ago that I went ahead with the tetras.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Which species?


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