# tankmates for 5.5 gallon



## mannyguillen (Apr 14, 2016)

so im not sure if this is the right spot to post so feel free to move.

i am pretty new to all of this. our bettas name is Nemo Washington (named by my 4 year old hahaha)

i have a 5.5 gallon tank i believe the dimensions are 16x8x10 with a couple java ferns and plenty of anacharis a whisper 10i filter for 5-10g and an adjustable 50 watt heater. with pea sized gravel substrate and large rocks for decoration and a sponge bob pineapple house. i do not have an airstone and ive read a lot of mixed opinions on whether it is necessary.

i have a betta that ive kept for almost two months now. he was in a 1 gallon for about two weeks originally before getting this setup. i recently purchased the anacharis along with three amano shrimp and a nerite snail.

i was mainly getting the shrimp and snail because i like them for one but because i was getting algae in the tank and thought they would help clear it up and they are  also it gave me the chance to test my betta Nemo's temperament. he seems pretty relaxed with his mates so far. he just seems intrigued by them rather then trying to peck at them or anything.

so my questions here are:

am i providing a living condition in which my fish can thrive and what can i improve on?

is there any options for more tank mates currently or should i just wait until i can afford to upgrade? i was thinking about dwarf frogs or more shrimp/snails or if there are any mini species out there i could get.

at the LFS i have seen rasboras pearl danios mini bristenose plecos (favorite) and neon tetras

also i live in a very small town and dont have access to many live plants or even dritwood apparently. what is the best way for me to find live plants or driftwood online

i would like to replace my rocks with driftwood and go with a natural fully planted tank with organic soil but i just dont have access to anything but java fern and anacharis

here is a picture although ive moved the filter and heater from the side to the back

any information shared is greatly appreciated! thanks!


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## charliegill110 (May 19, 2014)

You would probably have yo upgrade to add anything else yo the rank but adf are usually a great choice.

Edit - but if your hurry I think there is still a couple days left in the petco dollar per gallon sale. If you got a 10g you Could still use the same heater and filter and add a couple frogs.


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## mannyguillen (Apr 14, 2016)

yeah actually that was my exact plan but i think i want to fully plant the ten gallon. even with the ten gallon i understand my options are limited though so eventually i want to have the 10g and then plan out a nice big tank once im comfortable with my ability to keep my fish totally happy and healthy


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> mini bristenose plecos


There is no such thing as mini BN's, These guys grow to about 6 inches and need at least 20 gallon long.

Before deciding on tank mates you need to find out about you water is it soft or hard, While Bettas can handle both a lot of fish do not do well if the water is too soft or hard for them, And anybody that tells you different should be ignored.


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## mannyguillen (Apr 14, 2016)

yeah it seems like i had gotten some false info on the pleco. the one i saw at the LFS was barely an inch long and i was told it would grow slowly to about 2-3 inches. been doing research and i cant find any pleco that fits that description. i have heard there is a such thing as micro corys though? they might be cool in a 10g possibly.


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## mannyguillen (Apr 14, 2016)

since i dont have a way to test the hardness myself right now i looked it up on my local water company's website. according to them we have hard water that averages at 188 ppm


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> i have heard there is a such thing as micro corys though


get at least 7.



> Scientific Name : Corydoras habrosus
> Common Names : _Salt and Pepper Cory, Salt and Pepper Catfish_
> Care Level : Easy
> Size : Up to .75 inches (2 cm)
> ...


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## mannyguillen (Apr 14, 2016)

so in a ten gallon i could keep at least 7? along with my betta? that would be pretty awesome. 

dH of 2-25 means pretty much any hardness?


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