# Good Match for my betta?



## MusicEmo (Dec 28, 2012)

I have a very easy-going young male crowntail betta and I'm thinking about getting him a 10 gallon tank (or bigger depending on what my mom will allow and price), and some tank mates. I'm thinking about a Bristlenose Pleco or a Pakistani Loach, and like, three neon tetras. I want an omnivorous bottom feeder that likes bloodworms (so it can and will, hopefully, eat the bloodworms my betta won't), and that's where the Bristlenose Pleco or a Pakistani Loach come in. I love neon tetras and the thrilled to find out they (usually) get along with bettas! 

So does that sound like a good line up? If not, some kind suggestion would be nice.


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## fishy314 (Nov 8, 2012)

Need more neons.

Edit: also a bigger tank.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I would get a 30 gallon for your Ideas.


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## fishy314 (Nov 8, 2012)

Good Idea.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Have you thought of corydoras? They are particularly fond of bloodworms and I have found them to be slightly more entertaining to watch than bristlenose plecos. I have a full-grown bristlenose and the only time I see it is in the evening when it finally ventures out. 

Also as Fishy314 mentioned you definitely need more neons. I would recommend at least 5-6 individuals as they are a schooling fish and will be happiest and more confident in a school. 

I would advise at least a 20 gallon tank if you are going to have a bristlenose, betta and neon tetras. Bristlenose get quite large, and can produce quite a lot of waste so you will also need a filter with the biological capacity to deal with that.

I am not familiar with Pakistani loaches, but going by what I have just read, they appear to grow between 140 – 160 mm and prefer to live in groups. The recommended tank size from one of the more reputable information sites, seems to be one that is in the 4ft range. So definitely bigger than a 10 gallon.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Neons need schools of at least 6. Some people do okay for some time with 4-5 but it's really not ideal and anything less just can't happen. They'll be too stressed.

Corys are also school fish.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Wait Cories do perfectly fine in schools of 5.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Yes, I think Cories would do well! But I think you'll need Pygmy Cories in a 10G. Cories are actually shoaling fish and do well in groups of 4+. I have 4 myself, they eat extra food but you still have to provide a proper diet with shrimp pellets and algae wafers.


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## Friendlyfishies (Aug 16, 2012)

Id skip the pleco and loach and go with the neons...make sure you research the neons tho, they are picky little buggers and have a hard time surviving in certain water perams. I hear white cloud minnows and zebra danios are decent...as well as pygmy cories but im not sure how readily avail they are?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> Yes, I think Cories would do well! But I think you'll need Pygmy Cories in a 10G. Cories are actually shoaling fish and do well in groups of 4+. I have 4 myself, they eat extra food but you still have to provide a proper diet with shrimp pellets and algae wafers.


 I just use varied flakes for my bronze. They only eat flakes.


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## MusicEmo (Dec 28, 2012)

Friendlyfishies said:


> Id skip the pleco and loach and go with the neons...make sure you research the neons tho, they are picky little buggers and have a hard time surviving in certain water perams. I hear white cloud minnows and zebra danios are decent...as well as pygmy cories but im not sure how readily avail they are?


My dad has had a tank with with neons for most of my life (sadly all the fish died several years ago and he's refused to use his 25 gallon since.), so I know about them.  I do my research, don't worry! I would never, ever buy any type of fish if I didn't think I could take the best care of it. Hence why I posted this question!


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

ChoclateBetta said:


> I just use varied flakes for my bronze. They only eat flakes.


They don't eat anything else?  Those flakes are high quality, right? Mine are bronze too, but the albino kind.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

MusicEmo said:


> My dad has had a tank with with neons for most of my life (sadly all the fish died several years ago and he's refused to use his 25 gallon since.), so I know about them.  I do my research, don't worry! I would never, ever buy any type of fish if I didn't think I could take the best care of it. Hence why I posted this question!


Sorry that his fish died. D: And that's good to here that you do research, unlike those pet store people who want money.


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## MusicEmo (Dec 28, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> Sorry that his fish died. D: And that's good to here that you do research, unlike those pet store people who want money.


Not all pet store people are bad. The pet store owner in my town is the sweetest lady ever. She only wants the best for her animals. She gives the bettas the biggest tanks she can, with the best tank mates possible (If she can't get them in a solo tank), and she never puts two bettas close to each other. When I bought my new betta today she gave me one of the plants from his tank so he could have something familiar that he loved in his new home, and she charged me a little less for it (normally it was 5, she gave it to me for 3)! She even gave me a pretty large bag of blood worms yesterday because my other betta is a picky eater, and she was happy to see me doing my best to make him the happiest possible.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> They don't eat anything else?  Those flakes are high quality, right? Mine are bronze too, but the albino kind.


 The Wafers here dont seem the best. I use 3 brands of flakes. I have the Albino Kind too.


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

I would suggest not getting any neons with a Betta. In the summer I got 5 glowlight Tetras and my Betta, Pigg, literally ate them all after the course of a few weeks. I didn't even notice they were missing until it was too late. My friend had also at that point decided to get some Neons to go in with her Betta (she got 7, had a larger than I did) and had to return them after her Betta killed 2. It could just be our fish (hers died a few weeks ago, he was about three), but my Betta gets along fine with my Otos and my Mystery Snail, so they may have just been too flashy.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Many People have success with Neons. But keeping an eye on them and haveing a plan B is important.


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