# 10gallon tankmates?



## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

So I've been considering getting a 10gallon for my female betta when she's big enough, but I don't want her to be alone! I'm having difficulty deciding if she should be in a sorority of just bettas or if I should get her some other fishes to cohabitate with.

Been considering corey cats (2 min) for sure.
I really like guppies and mollies (especially the balloon bellies), but I think they have to come in sets of 3-5 to be happy. I used to have/breed fancy tail guppies when I was younger. x3
I'd also be totally fine with just an all female betta tank. I hear they have to have groups of 5 or more. (more would require a larger tank.) But I've also read about some people here with just 2 or 3 females in a tank with other fish...


Any suggestions or opinions?


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## Canis (Apr 15, 2013)

Cory cats should actually stay in a group of 6 or more, and most species will do great in a ten gallon, as long as your substrate is fine enough that it won't hurt their little barbels. Guppies are iffy, some bettas will be okay with them, but some will not. My girls do fine with them, though my male guppy is missing a little nibble on his tail. If you go that route, make sure you have a ratio of 1 male per 2 females, otherwise all males or all girls. That way the females aren't too harassed. They also have a lot of babies, so you'll have to make sure that your tank doesn't get overloaded when fry start pouring out every couple of weeks. 
I'd steer clear of mollies. Some people have had success with them, but from what I've heard most have not. They get pretty large, and they like to nip fins. If you do a betta sorority, you have to have at least four bettas, and a LOT of hiding spaces and plants. They are very stressful for the fish, so if you go that route you have to make sure the water conditions stay pristine to avoid illness and sever aggression.


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## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

Canis said:


> x


oh wow 6?! Do you think there'd be enough room for them with 4 betta girls AND a couple of male guppies?! (I don't want to breed guppies this time, I've done that in the past x3 )


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## Canis (Apr 15, 2013)

I don't think I'd stock that high, you'd stress out the tank a ton. Some ideas you could try, though I don't know if I'd risk the first two;
- Four girls and 6 pygmy corries (pushing it)
- Four girls and two or three guppies (pushing it)
- One girl and 6 corries, many types available to choose from though I'd go with pygmy to keep the bioload down
- One girl and 4 -6 guppies (I'd only risk four or five)

Also, just because your betta is a female doesn't mean that she will like or even accept other fish in the tank with her. They can be more vicious than males sometimes, and have been known to kill all kinds of other fish.


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## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

@canis
thats true. Right now my little girl is quite happy and content, so regardless she'll have a safe and comfortable place to live.
Thanks so much for the advice. I had a feeling 6 cores would be a lot x.x


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## Kumo (Oct 26, 2013)

This is what is in my 10 gallon with my boy betta (charmander) and he gets along with them just fine:
-4 corry fish
-2 glass catfish (1 died while I was having ammonia issues in my tank  )
-1 algae eater
-1 snail

As far as corry go, I've always kept 3 minimum and they got along just fine and weren't stressed out by not enough of themselves being around each other. If you want a sorority of female bettas, I always hear minimum 6 with a minimum 20 gallon tank.


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## FrightyDog (Apr 16, 2013)

In my 10 gallon I have 4 panda cories, 3 otocinclius, 1 boy betta, and a (DANGEROUS DO NOT TRY) Green Tiger barb. Epsilon, the betta, flares at him a lot to keep him away. 3 months later, so far so good. If i didn't have the barb first, i would have never tried it.


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## n25philly (Dec 5, 2013)

In a 10gal you should only do dwarf corys or maybe pandas (and that is at best really pushing things) Corys need space to move.


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## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

ok so tiny fish is better x3
if i want to make a sorority with a few extra fishes do you think i should upgrade it to a 20/25 gallon then? There's someone in my area selling one for super cheap.


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## FrightyDog (Apr 16, 2013)

TheBlur said:


> ok so tiny fish is better x3
> if i want to make a sorority with a few extra fishes do you think i should upgrade it to a 20/25 gallon then? There's someone in my area selling one for super cheap.


heck.yes. that Would Help Keep The Peace in The tank AndAllow for a few more happy fish


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

FrightyDog said:


> heck.yes. that Would Help Keep The Peace in The tank AndAllow for a few more happy fish


^ yup

I think a lot of people are unaware how big full grown cores are. 
pandas and pygmies do fine in 10g ..pygmies are better suited though

if you decide on getting the 20/25g then your options do open up greatly.. However in no tank do I recommend a sorority. MANY ..I'd saw a significant majority of sororities end with illness due to stress.. it's not a stocking *they* would like. 

I'd do 1 betta and then other fish in a 20/25g a school of corys and a school of some type of tetra .. thats an easy good bet at success.


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## Sathori (Jul 7, 2013)

As people have mentioned above - pygmy corydoras.
Oh my goodness they are adorable and I wish I would have gone with them from the beginning. (I have a school in my 2nd 10 gallon) 
They are very active in a larger group, so I don't find the need for a "middle fish" since they are usually all over the tank anyways (on the decor, all over the plants, popping up to the surface here and there).
If I get a 20 gallon or larger, I'm stuffing it full of pymgies xD


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## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

Ok so I decided to go with a 10 gallon tank and put my female in it when she's big enough.

I also plan on having a few guppies. I'm familiar with them and have bred/raised them in the past with much success. (Just not with a betta  ) I'll most likely get all males for color.

I've had my female for a few weeks now (since she was a fry), and she's not showing any signs of aggression or flaring. Mostly she's just really curious about things.

I'd also probably get 1 or 2 ghost shrimp and a snail for algae control.

RECAP:
in a 10 gallon tank
1 betta female
3-5 male guppies
1-2 ghost shrimp/snails (haven't decided yet).
I plan on also having silk plants (not live).

I haven't decided what to do about the groundwork tho (substrate vs gravel/rocks). I've never had substrate before. Is it easier to clean than the rocks or gravel? Also, if I get rocks or gravel can I still have shrimp or will it be too rough for them?

Thanks guys you're being so helpful  <3


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

Watch out with those colors. Some bettas will get really aggressive if they think a colorful fish is another betta.


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## Wiggyl (Feb 13, 2014)

If in doubt check out aqadvisor.com it's a really useful tool!

A 10g won't be able to hold that much... I recommend endlers! I have some, they're livebearers and some people consider them guppies, but they are quite a bit smaller, so you can do a good size school. Also their fins are shorter, so they're faster and less likely to be victims of betta aggression.


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## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

I wasn't going to aim for the crazy flashy colors.

I've also been considering 3 or so mickey mouse platy instead of guppies... I would consider tetra but I think they need more space than a 10 gallon for a decent sized school right?

I checked Aquadvisor.com too and it said I could put in 3 guppies, 1 female betta, 2 ghost shrimp and a snail at about 90% capacity. I've also heard aquadvisor.com makes it so that your tank is sparingly stocked at 100%.

Any other fast swimming little guys I should consider that my betta girl won't think is a male? XD (just in case the guppies don't work out)

@Wiggyl: omg those are soooo cool looking! I wonder if my petco/petsmart has any...


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## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

Ok so I aqadvisor'd my tank with endlers

I can do
1 betta female
5 endlers guppies
2 ghost shrimp
1 mystery snail

70% stocked with 16% water change per week (Omg thats so low it makes me laugh).

*Note, I also plan on having a filter I just don't have one right now so I can't estimate with that factor as well x3


Also I searched my local Petsmart/Petco online and they don't have any endlers guppies, just fancy tails. Those are the ONLY pet stores in my immediate area. Any suggestions from those particular companies would be helpful as for small community fish to add.


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## FrightyDog (Apr 16, 2013)

as to the Mickey Mouse platies, BeCareful as they die pretty quickly if not in brackish Water. My platy still lived a year, but thats it.


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## Wiggyl (Feb 13, 2014)

I got mine at Petsmart...maybe you can ask if they've ever had them. They labeled them as "cobra endler guppies", despite not being the cobra tailed ones! I brought it up and everybody was like what? Anyways, they aren't great at remembering the names of things q=

I would round it up to a nice school of 6 if you can get endlers. I'm pretty sure somebody on the tropicalfishkeeping classified section had some for sale if you want to try getting them that way.


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

Tetra was only a suggestion I was giving for the 20/25g tank you were considering getting ... Not for a 10g


Sent from Petguide.com App


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## TheBlur (Apr 16, 2014)

Yeah I would have gotten the 20 but it won't fit on my tank stand XD oops~ at least I measured first tho!

So basically I should look for docile, fast swimmers with short fins


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