# Stuck... can't make up mind.



## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

Part of me wants to just separate the tank and get a second male for Drax to flare at and mess with etc etc...

Then the other part of me wants to get community fish...

10Gal tank, heated, some live plants, well lit, ... pretty much cycled... 

Pros of 2nd Betta: Less work... Drax has a buddy to flare at. 

Cons I split Drax's home in half where now he pretty much goes all over the tank... seems mean to take him from a vase... give him a whole 10gal that he seems to LOVE then cut that in half. 

Pros of Community fish... More bang for my buck on that expensive tank, parents will approve since they love Drax now... but would like more fish to look at. Drax can play and or bully all he wants (Hopefully not too much I wouldn't stop him if he just lightly tailbit... now if tails start vanishing thats another story). I've now gotten myself fully into this hobby and I'm still as giddy as when I first got Drax so not like my OCD like care is going to suddenly vanish with more upkeep. Unless I got tank cleaners...

Cons... more upkeep. Possible diseases spreading. Feeding differences. Fighting... which I wouldn't mind much as long as like... no one looses a fin or an eye but Promise I won't come on here every 5 minutes with new threads going. "Drax is flaring at all the other fish! UGH!" Or get stressed out. This tank... 
*Dons Sunglasses* is to be the ...... chilllllllllllll tank
_YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH_

Oh what fish was it I saw that if it's compatible at ALL is an instant MUST have... they were all in the Petsmart tanks just swimming up to me as if going. "PICK ME!  PICK ME! " I swear it was either one of the Pleco's or... Loaches... it was grey-ish and were dozens of them at the bottom of the tank... gosh in the fish world it was equivalent of having dozens of adorable puppies rushing at you they seemed so excited XD if I was to put my money on it... I'd assume it was the Hifin Spotted Pleco THEIR SO CUTE!
*Glares* Think hard Betta Experts... Would Pleco's be a......

Disastrous (Murder within minutes), 
Experimental (Depends on the fish's personalities, monitor them closely), 
Ok (Ignore eachother), 
Curious (Mild interaction), 
Friendly (They play tag).

http://www.petsmart.com/family/inde...ategoryId=10794142&fbn=Taxonomy|Fish&view=all My Selections... OOOooh they Sell CrownTails! 

... also what weirdo created the Red Lionhead Goldfish? Some of those Goldfish were just... like... WTH... is up with that...

Anyway back on topic since I'm now distracted by the fish pictures... oooh they have Black Ghost Knife's! 

*Slaps self across face* OK back on topic!

... as I said with the Goldfish... the hell is wrong with these Cichlids? They all ... well some just look fake >,>

Ooooh Mystery Snail! *Yep he's lost in fish World... Please help, Tetra's just... eh... just didn't wow me* I want other fish that say... "I'm owned by an Insane But VERY Creative person!" ....... and don't say the creepy fake hybrid fish! I want healthy natural ones............ that are colorful... like PLECO'S 

(Yep... please slap me at ANY time)


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

*Slap* I would go with community. I don't think their are any plecos OK for a ten gallon. They all grow very big. Neon Tetras, female guppies or non fancy guppies, dojo loach, cory cats, shrimp, platy's, clams would all be okay. White cloud minnows and rosy red minnows to.


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

shinybetta said:


> *Slap* I would go with community. I don't think their are any plecos OK for a ten gallon. They all grow very big. Neon Tetras, female guppies or non fancy guppies, dojo loach, cory cats, shrimp, platy's, clams would all be okay. White cloud minnows and rosy red minnows to.


*Gets Slapped* 

NO MY PLANS OF WORLD DOMINATION THROUGH THE USE OF MUTANT PLECO'S RUINED! (didn't realize I could click the pics and see the obvious 55+gal requirements) 

... Dojo Loach? *Looks up* 
OH THEIR GORGEOUS! 
*Drax perks up*
... and... of course so are you...
*Drax goes back to doing mysterious things in his little cave*
Seriously... whats he doing in there? Pot?

Oohh... wouldn't I have to get like several though? *Cringes* or is one fine...

Hmm I really want to do a color spectrum thing... Drax is Red... or... damn... him being a Marble so I don't really know what to classify him as now! 

Can you all tell I didn't sleep? XD And am on ALOT of painkillers Doncha just LOVE Migraines? (Hence the loopy-ness... more than he normally is) 
and yes I am 20yrs old believe it or not and on the Deans list...
I'm not Crazy, I'm just DELIGHTFULLY Insane! :twisted:


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

Bottomline...
(I think I say that too much)

If you have a favorite Community fish you want to push on someone like a religion... go for it. Colors and personality... and Uniqueness keep that in mind... 

Come on fish lovers! Try and sell me on your Favorite Community fish for Betta's! 
(If said fish chosen has issues it will be returned immediately and you will not get somehow blamed)


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

... ok ok went on another site and read alot and pretty much I'd end up feeling terrible putting a Dojo Loach in there since they love to swim around. 

What about a few kuhli loaches?

*Puppy Dog Eyes* If you give me the green light I promise to set up a a soft bedding for entire floor of the tank. 
I know it's easier to clean not having much on the bottom... but I'm so sick of seeing the glass bottom >,>

http://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine/sept07/kuhliloach.htm

Read that... Too late... say hello to Drax's possible new tank mates


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

Cories are great little fish! And they would be my favorite community fish! They come in MANY different colors and have great personality.


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Sorry, I meant kuhli loach. They like to be in 3 plus groups, and that shouldn't be overstocking. Just be sure to get sand or very soft soil if you get some.


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

I, personally, would get platies. I've never had them, but I've heard they do well with Betta, and they come in a lot of different colors. Just don't get the Hi-Fin platies. Your Betta might confuse them with his own kind.


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

Sweeda88 said:


> I, personally, would get platies. I've never had them, but I've heard they do well with Betta, and they come in a lot of different colors. Just don't get the Hi-Fin platies. Your Betta might confuse them with his own kind.


Platies are fine if you only house females as they are livebearers so they breed like crazy!!.. so you will need to know how to sex them.


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

They're easy to sex. If they have the pointy, modified anal fins, they're male. If they're the regular anal fins, they're females.


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

*Taking notes* 

And would Cories or Platies pester Drax? and I mean that in the friendly way lol I think I can honestly say Drax is probably a softy aggression wise (cept for when he bit me but I've made peace with that >,>) so take that into consideration...


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Cories will leave him alone... Though they are social and should have buddies of their own kind (preferably the same variety) to interact with. You should look into the different varieties. I think the cutest are Julii cories, skunk cories, and panda cories. They are small and very docile. They are fun to watch - especially when they interact or during feeding time when they start zooming all over the place.

Platies should be peaceful as well. My platies can get aggressive with eachother during feeding time (they act like starved piranhas!) but they leave my betta alone. When I feed them I sometimes have to put a pellet or bloodworm right in front of my betta so the platies dont get a chance to steal it lol. They are very fun. When I stick a finger in the tank they all gang up, swim really fast towards my finger (I move it around the water so they chase it) and start pecking me. I like to think of it as "kissing" LOL.


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## fredythefish (Nov 29, 2010)

My platies get along with my betta. They usually just stick to themselves. I got them to color cordinate with my guy though.


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

Now Cories... these are like... Cory Catfish right? Just want to make sure I'm looking up the right variety... 

Don't fret I'm looking at Platies too just seeing what I consider "Most interesting" looking.


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

AH! 
Those guys! The PetSmart guy (The one I speak highly of as being really knowledgeable, and not just trying to SELL) showed me the Cories like Salt and Pepper Cories, Albino Cories etc... 


Going back and forth between images... Platies are cute but the Cories just have that .... well but the Platies are colorful... Oooohhh! I want them all! 

Here I thought getting a 10Gal would be so huge for me to take care of and here I havent even stocked it and I've sorta run out of space... Spoke to mom who actually had fish before when she was little she actually remember's having Kuhli Loaches and Cories (Apparently my Grandfather had a awesome fishtank back in the... I dunno mid 60's). 

So she is sorta of leaning towards Loaches and Cories... because they clean and she remembers them being so fun to watch (Hehehe *Evil* Yes mother give into Nostalgia and fond memories you WANT more fish...) 

Sorry Platies... just Drax is rarely on the bottom... well... I feel as if he'd want little as possible interaction so Platies might un nerve him. The Platies are the most colorful but thats it... Like Betta's fight and got great fins... Loaches and Cories have whiskers and Platies..... *Shrugs* Maybe I just prefer fish that don't look so 'OnO' But if you've got a few chill Loaches just chilling out or Cories hovering around he'd probably enjoy swimming over them...

So... Kuhili Loaches or (Possibly AND) Cories? As for Cories... whats the most colorful type or... most personality rich?... if thats possible... I've read that Kuhli Loaches can be quite the clowns! Which excites me! Plus they look like snakes! 



DRAX UPDATE! 
... you sure I'm not starving him from knocking his intake down... now when I feed him I swear he's just being FRANTIC if he misses the food he flips out and can't find it right away (Cuz it's ALWAYS just above his head out of his sight plus I think he doesn't have good depth guaging cuz of his eye). He just seems........ HUNGRY and already today I've fed him 2 Pellets, 1FDBW, then around noon gave him 1 pellet and 1FDBW which is threw up... if thats possible he ate it... wandered around... then just started hacking up bits of the FDBW... (I really think he HATES those things) and flared at me (Oh he knows it's me whose doing this) so I gave him a Pellet which he roared for...

Now at around dinner time (6pm) I gave him 1 pellet and then I figured........... I can't help it guys! He just acts like he's starving now XP.... and... *Glances at tank* he's STILL sitting at the top where I feed him with his head lookin up at the water surface waiting...
Is it possible he just has a fast metabolism? He has been REALLY active (His speed, energy, and personality have easily gone up over 500% since his vase days). I mean if I just space the food out maybe 2 pellts morning... then 1 pellet every couple hours then 2 at dinner? Just mom is all "Oh look at him! He wants food!" ...... *Glances* YUP he's STILL waitin and no he's not sleeping >,> because I tapped the tank and he didn't react (No he's alive and no I only tap if I'm SURE he's paying attention to me because then he doesn't seem to mind and or care I do it with the Tweezers to let him know it's feeding time).


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## fredythefish (Nov 29, 2010)

it's ok, i won't hate you forever for not choosing platies.

and about the food. my most active guy, Jasper, doesn't eat that much, i'll give him a pellet and then he'll swim away. but my other guy, Fredy, who is still active, just not as fast (tisk tisk), will eat 2 in the morning and then beg me for one a couple hours later. Then he gets two or three in the evening and he's perfectly fine.. 

I don't know if that information actually helped but, there you go anyways


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

fredythefish said:


> it's ok, i won't hate you forever for not choosing platies.
> 
> and about the food. my most active guy, Jasper, doesn't eat that much, i'll give him a pellet and then he'll swim away. but my other guy, Fredy, who is still active, just not as fast (tisk tisk), will eat 2 in the morning and then beg me for one a couple hours later. Then he gets two or three in the evening and he's perfectly fine..
> 
> I don't know if that information actually helped but, there you go anyways


It did actually... I guess Betta's eat just like people... some don't eat much but are active, some eat alot but are lazy and never gain a pound, and so on...

Just I sort of cut his intake in half and now he just attacks the food rather than eat it, I have to be fast to drop it in now otherwise he leaps out of the tank to get at it haha if he landed in the Food container he'd probably be in heaven XD "FOOOOOD GLORIOUS FOOOOOOD!" 
So I feel maybe he just burns through alot more, had him pretty much a month now and he's never bloated... well once but that was when my mom was still feeding him to be nice (Oh she's fallen in love with Drax haha she thinks he's so cute) and we didn't tell eachother we had already fed him... then again I DOUBT Drax would have complained XD


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

Oh a side note... well actually to get back on topic...

(Don't worry I'm sane now compared to my first few posts on this thread.)

It's REALLY down to the Loaches or Cories... 

*Going back and forth* 
Cories are little catfish!

Oooh but Loaches... look like snakes! 

Cories... so laid back!

Loaches... so many people say their like little clowns with their antics! 

UGH!!!!!! 
*Throws Betta pellets all over and then gets attacked by Drax* ACK! NOT THE FACE!


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Loaches can get really big. I wouldn't put them in a 10 gallon.


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

Sweeda88 said:


> Loaches can get really big. I wouldn't put them in a 10 gallon.


Kuhli Loaches only get to be around 4inches... 

Dojo Loaches... which is what I originally wanted get to be around a foot and yes THOSE would be too big.


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Oh, ok.


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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

Go with cories!


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Cories!!!! look at them interacting with bettas  It's too cute!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkd12eyyo6M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydnPchgyQ3w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqMTRllDAPw


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## scootshoot (Oct 11, 2010)

I would go with community. Part of the fun of fishkeeping is seeing how fish interact with other species. Just do your research on fin nippers

Far as suggestions, definitely want some Ghost Shrimp. They are relatively cheap (50c a pop) and are interesting little creatures and make good scavengers. Just make sure you have some hiding places for them to roam around at the bottom.


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## DormDrax (Dec 1, 2010)

scootshoot said:


> I would go with community. Part of the fun of fishkeeping is seeing how fish interact with other species. Just do your research on fin nippers
> 
> Far as suggestions, definitely want some Ghost Shrimp. They are relatively cheap (50c a pop) and are interesting little creatures and make good scavengers. Just make sure you have some hiding places for them to roam around at the bottom.



Oh fine... Cories it is... *Huffs because he wanted Loaches but they would just be added work for his mom who will have to feed them when he goes back to school*... I'll still do the water changes on the weekends so it's not like I'll be gone till summer haha plus my mom has really become fond of the tank and Drax she'll probably enjoy doing it.

ANYWAY... wouldn't Ghost Shrimp just escape using that Submerged Vine I have? ... then be found dead all around me room... *Shivers at the thought of waking up one morning and finding Dead Ghost Shrimp all over him (Tank is just a few feet away from my bed). 

Whats types of Cories are the most... fun would you say? Or... in my case... the most Ditzy/Humorous/Downright ya end up giggling every now and then watching them? 

How many, can I have different types of Cories? Etc

Last but not least...

DRAX UPDATE... I forgot to feed him last night (Actually really mad at himself for forgetting). 
I was in the basement and had started reading 'Dr. No' by Ian Flemming and got lost in it >,< 
I don't want to feed him now and throw his feeding off track.
Which is around... few hours from now is normal breakfast for him. 
He had already had 4 pellets yesterday his last at about 4pm. 
Just I told my mom. "Yeah don't worry I'll check on him in abit..." Then I cracked open the book and well... yeah here I am >,<

Is he gonna hate me? :-(

Oh I know Betta's and ya can fast them but he's such a greedy guy and already having restricted his eating maybe he thinks I'm starving him now :-(

Why do I get the feeling your all going to just end up finding this post heartwarming that I got worked up so much over something thats probably NO big deal at all >,> 

Also tidbit... AQ Salt and Epsom salt... I've been sorta putting a few TSP's of each in his tank every now and then (Don't worry I know about how salt builds up and doesnt go away etc). Or should I just use one or the other?


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Cories all act the same (or pretty much the same) but you should try to keep several of only one type. In a 10 gal you can keep a minimum of 3 and a max of no more that 6 I guess (Or things can get crowded). 4-5 would be a good number. The more the better! It depends on how much you are willing to do water changes. When you get them you will have to get them some food. You can get special catfish sinking bellets. Mine like Wardley's shrimp pellets and any flake food the platies didnt manage to devour on the way down. Keep in mind that your betta will probably attempt (and probably succeed) in stealing a few bites lol. If this is the case then you may want to cut down on the pellets or Drax will get chunky :lol: Oh and for the sinking pellets be careful, its very easy to overfeed on those. In my tank, a single pellet (or 2 small ones) feeds 3 cories, 4 platies, and a female betta. They actually double in size once they absorb water. My 10 gal is a little bit overstocked but because the fish have different swimming levels it is not too crowded. Plus I have a strong filter, a bunch of plants, and do fairly large water changes (50% once a week) I can keep up with the bio-load.

*SLAPS*
YOUR BETTA WILL BE FINE. THEY CAN GO SEVERAL DAYS WITHOUT FOOD! YOU ARE SMOTHERING THE POOR GUY WITH TOO MUCH LOVE!

My fish dont have a rigid feeding schedule. I just feed them once a day... Sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes at night, sometimes _late_ at night lol.


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## scootshoot (Oct 11, 2010)

Unliike crabs, Ghost shrimp cannot move outside of water. I noticed this when a petsmart employee accidentally let a ghost shrimp outside his net when he was dumping them into the bag.

It flopped over on it's side as its skinny legs could not hold his body up without the aid of water.......


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

Alex09 said:


> *SLAPS*
> YOUR BETTA WILL BE FINE. THEY CAN GO SEVERAL DAYS WITHOUT FOOD! YOU ARE SMOTHERING THE POOR GUY WITH TOO MUCH LOVE!
> 
> My fish dont have a rigid feeding schedule. I just feed them once a day... Sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes at night, sometimes _late_ at night lol.


This. Same here. In fact, I think they'd be shocked if they got fed at the same time every day. Actually I lie. I feed Tango and Huey twice a day sometimes but Tango is still very skinny and Huey is a metabolism monster.


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