#and then the shrimp are going into the 10 with the ember tetras :>

[pisciformshenanigans]

I set up my 36 bowfront to get it cycling before I go on a 10-day trip out of town so it'll be halfway cycled when I get back.

But now I'm just staring at it and daydreaming. I WANT IT CYCLED NEOWWWW

[dragpinkman]

ive changed the fish i want (eventually

[betta-butch]

it’s completely fair to ask what else you can do with a 10 gallon, cories don’t live forever. I would recommend doing more independent research to figure out what would be the best option but here are some options for a 10 gallon off the top of my head & VERY brief intros:

- a betta: personable & tends to use the space nicely

- a school of chili rasboras or ember tetras: small & produce a low bioload from what I’ve heard so you can have a slightly larger school. They do seem delicate though.

- neocaridina shrimp: colorful & fun to watch! can be a little delicate at first so it’s good to have them in an already established tank (which it sounds like you would have).

-some male endlers: these guys are lively & wouldn’t take over your tank.

- sparkling gouramis: I’m not positive on how many you would want to have in a 10 gallon & they can be shy but I really enjoy these guys. you would want a fairly heavily planted tank to help them feel more at home.

- pea puffer fish: these guys are tiny & territorial but so charismatic and fun to watch!

obviously there are more options, but these are personally what I would likely go with. I’m sure others will chime in with their suggestions, just remember that a 10 gallon is actually not that large of a space & many fish are very active and would benefit from a larger space, making them not great candidates for your tank.

and as a disclaimer: I’m sleep deprived & just got off of a long shift at work so as always, get multiple opinions & always do your own research! that being said, I hope I can help you some.

question for fishblr!

i have a well-established 10 gallon tank that's housed fish for 5ish years. i used to have a mix of neon tetras and cory cats but i had to transition to only cories after i accidentally caused a spawn.

i had 12 cories for a while (yes i know that's too many but i couldn't find a new home for any of the babies and they did surprisingly well for almost 3 years) and i've lost a few so now i'm down to 7.

part of the reason i gave up on tetras for a while is because those suckers dropped like flies. the tank is in a different place now, conditions are stable, and i miss having those flashes of bright color in the top half of the water.

so my question is, can i try having tetras again? technically i can get 3 right now, which is the recommended amount to start with for introducing fish. but 3 tetras is all i can afford with this many cories even though i know you're supposed to aim for 6. however, my old tetras were kinda dumb and loved hanging out with the cories anyway. can i get tetras now, and is 3 an acceptable number?

[kuhli-loach]

I'm so close to getting fish 😭😭 This is all I have left to do besides fiddling with the aquascape, unless more issues emerge.

- Get a potassium-only fertilizer. Some of my plants have pinhole leaves in them so I got the aquarium co-op easy green fertilizer. Whenever I dose though my nitrates go up by like 10ppm >:(. I didn't catch it for a bit so my heavily planted fishless tank is stewing in 40ppm nitrates (before water change). The pinholes went away at least, but I think my tank is hungrier for K than N.

- Get a redundant sponge filter. My plants are covered in dust and debris that I have to turkey base off constantly. I have a spike in nitrites because I replaced the cartridge of my aqueon 10. I'm hoping shrimp and more diligent water changes will help keep the plants clean, but I don't think it's a good time to put shrimp in there yet with the parameters all over the place. I know better now than to touch the filter cartridge, ever.

- Do some final driftwood rearranging. I recently bought three mystery pieces of driftwood that were on sale. I think I figured out what I want my final arrangement to be >:3

At least my adhd and ocd are focused on something constructive right now lmao. Now I just gotta figure out what I'm gonna get! I've narrowed down my selection to a few contenders. My tank is currently only 10 gallons so my options are pretty limited. The tank is also going to be soft and acidic once it gains more tannins

- 11 ember tetras or 7 celestial pearl danios

- idk. A lot of cherry red shrimp

- maybe a sparkling gourami as an accent fish?

[broodsys]

rn i have two empty 10 gallon tanks and im just like, fuck, what do i put in there?

the obvious and rock-solid answer is: a single betta, male or female, with some snails. ember tetras intrigue me and they’re very small & are thus appropriate for a 10g, so possibly a community of them, but they like soft water and neither tank rly has that. plus that kinda contraindicates snails OR shrimp

another option im seeing is one sparkling gourami, which would be AMAZING bc i love gourami sfm, but difficult bc of the general low health of the gourami stock in aquaria and idk that i could even find them

i could, ofc, go with another type of shrimp species tank for at least one of the two - im clearly very V E R Y into shrimp. ive also considered a brackish aquarium for breeding nerites, but tbh idk anything abt brackish aquariums. i get the impression that it’s not too difficult to set up & maintain, but it’d still be a steep & important learning curve

[anabantoid]

Beyond the Betta

I want to preface this: I loved bettas, at one point when I was about 15 I had well over a dozen bettas. Nothing could stop me, especially when Minibow 5’s were constantly on sale. I still like bettas, I think they have a ton of personality and they’re really fun, engaging fish that are incredibly accessible and are pretty cheap to set up. The unfortunate thing is that bettas are sick, they’re overpriced genetic disasters which can be a grab bag of problems. Bettas ten years ago aren’t the same bettas we have now, we have so many different varieties in such a short span of time, all due to inbreeding offspring to parent or offspring to offspring in order to preserve, expand upon, or replicate a desirable trait that sprung up from the genetic mish mash that bettas are. I still assert that non-dragon scale plakats, normal veils and crown tails are some of the healthier bettas you can get.

Now, I am NOT saying that you’re a bad person for having a betta of whatever variety, healthy or not. I am not telling you to get rid of your betta or to never ever get a betta again. You can have your bettas, you can get future bettas. This isn’t an article that’s telling you to get rid of your bettas. I know that everyone leaps to that conclusion any time I or others make posts critical of modern bettas and their ‘designer’ varieties.

But the thing is, you don’t always need to go back to bettas. You can expand your horizons and choose healthier fish in tanks that people normally just leave for bettas. All of these fish have their own charms and quirks, and while some might not have the same pizazz that you expect from bettas, they’re still worthy of appreciation.

The tanks I’m using go from 10 gallons through to 20 longs, which are the most common sized tanks I see people here in the fishblr community keep their bettas in. These are just the minimums, you can always keep your fish or inverts in larger tanks! The tank sizes are simply launching pads, or for you to repurpose an existing tank you already have but have no inhabitants for yet. Keep in mind that 5 gallon tanks are teeny, they’re only 16x8x10, which is too small for me to comfortably suggest to house stock in. Price wise, you’re getting more bang for your buck if you purchase a 10 or a 20 long, especially if you take advantage of the dollar per gallon sales that Petco, Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus have throughout the year. They’re almost never ending, right after one store has the event going, another pops up. So you have the opportunity throughout many months of the year to get a decently sized tank for relatively little money, and these smaller tanks are light enough that basic furniture in your bedroom can support them, so you don’t need to worry about finding pricey stands.

NOTE: I’ll be mostly linking to Seriously Fish, and a few others, but don’t just rely on those links for all your care needs. Explore!

NOTE VOL 2: I have updated this list and removed the category for 5 gallon tanks, as I no longer feel comfortable making suggestions for tanks this size. 

Let’s move on to the lists!

TEN GALLONS:

Hara jerdoni: anchor cat, Asian stone cat. These little cats can be shy and are most active at night. The fun thing about these guys is that they are so unique, but are not impossible to find, and you can make your own teeny biotope-ish tank. Dwarf shrimp: everyone knows these guys, neocardina or cardina, they’re fun, yet sometimes pricey, little inverts. Thai micro crabs: another little invert, these guys are really unique and charming but they can be shy and like to hide during the day.

Pea puffer: probably the closest in terms of rambunctiousness and personality to bettas, these little puffers are curious, clever and quickly become little delights in your home. If you can handle live feeding of white worms or black worms, I highly suggest these little puffers.

Scarlet badis: Well known but frequently overlooked, scarlet badis are beautiful little gems that would make wonderful little specimens in any tank.

Heterandria formosa: the least killifish, these shy little guys aren’t actually killis but are related to guppies and endlers! They’re very hardy and very easy to breed and make excellent beginner livebearers if you don’t wanna go the more common endler or guppy route if you’re interested in starting up a little breeding project. Note: be mindful of your stocking with livebearers, your tank can be overcrowded quickly.

Neoheterandria elegans: the tiger teddy, another micro livebearer, these are a less forgiving than the least killi, but no less rewarding to keep. If you maintain clean and perfect water conditions then you’ll have no problems keeping these cuties. Note: be mindful of your stocking with livebearers, your tank can be overcrowded quickly.

Endlers: now we’re getting a teensy bit bigger, endlers are gaining popularity in recent years and it’s easy to see why, they’re as hardy and easy to breed as guppies but half the size! And they come in an array of stunning and unique colors and patterns. Note: be mindful of your stocking with livebearers, your tank can be overcrowded quickly.

Pygmy sunfish: sweet, undemanding little natives, these fish are a great way to introduce yourself to fish native in the US.

Sculpins: another little native, they’re sometimes referred to as “ugly” but I find their permanent scowls to be endearing. They’re easy to house and don’t require much else from sand and rocks in terms of decor, so you don’t need to worry about plants.

Taiwanese micro goby: A unique little guy, they’re simple to keep if you neutral pH and soft to mid water, they can be kept similarly to other hillstream gobies such as Rhinogobius nagoye, and they’re non-aggressive so you can house a trio in your tank, more if you get a bigger tank. A great fish if you're looking to create a hillstream tank.

TWENTY GALLONS (long):

Chili rasbora and other boraras: my absolute favorite nano fish, they are absolutely tiny, truly miniaturized fish! They display a great amount of curiosity that you wouldn’t expect from such a small fish, and are honestly one of the best fish I’ve ever kept. They’re great if you’re looking to start up a small biotope tank and want an excuse to add botanicals and do something really fancy.

Pygmy cory, salt and pepper cory, and tail spot cory: the three smallest corydoras in the genus, and the only ones suitable for tanks under 30 gallons! They’re charming and absolutely adorable and probably my three favorite corydoras out there.

Ember tetra: hardy, cute and beautifully colored, these tiny tetras would be perfect in any 20 long, perhaps paired with one of the above species of cory to create a ‘micro community’.

Gold tetra: lesser known but not a small presence, gold tetras actually get their colorations from a symbiotic relationship with a parasite that results in their gold coloring, but with the absence of this parasite they’ll be a stunning silver. They’d be perfect for a small scaled, blackwater tank filled with driftwood and botanicals.

Ruby tetra: very tiny and very pretty, the ruby tetra is a great little fish that would work well in a planted, driftwood filled setup.

Akysis vespa: a very cute, very tiny little cat that prefers cool, soft waters and would be great for a mini hillstream setup! No plants to worry about, just glorious rocks and sand.

Dwarf pencilfish: another cute South American that would pair well with one of the above mentioned corydoras in a mini biotope.

Rainbow darter: personable little natives that will love to hop over to you when they see you approach the tank, these darters are hardy and tolerate the harder waters that the midwest and great plains areas are notorious for having.

Sparkling gourami: a tiny relative of the betta, the sparkling gourami is a shy little jewel of a fish that will thrive in a well planted tank.

Licorice gourami: another small anabantoid, like the sparkling it’ll appreciate a well planted tank and you’ll appreciate its gorgeous colors.

Forktail rainbowfish: while many pseudomugil would be appropriate for this size tank, my favorite is the fork tail. They’re busy little guys and the males put on very amusing little display dances when sparring.

Multiple wild bettas: there are NUMEROUS species of wild betta that can be kept in a 20 gallon tank, if you’re interested I’d suggest sending elemental-kiss an ask.

Many killifish: these would suitably need their own post to cover the vast array of killis there are on the market, and the difference between annual and non-annual, but there are multiple killis that would do just fine in a 20 and spawn well.

Shell dweller cichlids, aka shellies: charming little fellas that exhibit some incredibly amusing behaviors and are easy to breed! Great beginner cichlids.

CPO crayfish: these little dwarves have just as much personality as their full-sized cousins!

There are countless more fish that I may have forgotten or simply left out, but all of these fish would do well in the smaller tanks that we typically keep bettas in. It’s good to move out of your comfort zone and learn how to set up new tanks for different fish with different needs, as setting up the tank and exploring the natural habitats of each fish in your own home is one of the major high points of the hobby. So go ahead, start something new and exciting!

[shoutyfish]

general betta fish care / common myths

there's a lot of myths fueled by pet store employees floating around about bettas, so the more this kind of information is spread, the better. as always i encourage everyone whose looking into fishkeeping does THOROUGH research long before getting the fish and do NOT rely on pet store employees to give u accurate information.

MYTHS TO NEVER BELIEVE

"bettas aren't good swimmers or active so they don't need big tanks and are perfectly happy in a little bowl or a flower vase"

"they're super hardy and resilient so don't worry about tank cycling"

"bettas like dirty water so don't worry about cleaning either'

"live and frozen fish food arent good for everyday feeding"

"bettas can't be kept with other fish ever bc they are extremely aggressive and will kill anything with a pulse"

(we're gonna debunk all of these (: )

the first thing that should be in your possession long before adding the fish is the tank. a lot of fishkeepers think 2.5gallons is the minimum, but personally i think 5 gallons is the minimum. 10 gallons works best. to reference, 2.5 is the minimum by AMERICAN standards, which are outdated, so many people choose to go by germany's standards instead because it's proven to be a lot more successful & up-to-date.​​​​​​​ 

a 5 gallon tank is the minimum that i recommend, but 2.5 gallons are ok.

10 gallon tanks work best. the bigger your tank, the more likely your betta will grow to maximum size & beauty, the less likely chance of stunting growth.

also, 10 gallon tanks are much easier to maintain and establish a cycle, and you can even start an albeit small community tank with them. (with tank mates compatible with your betta & small enough to not outgrow a 10gal. but community tanks are a topic for  another day)

properly cycled tanks reduce disease risk & encourage longevity in your betta's lifespan (i will make another post about the nitrogen cycle bc that's a lot)

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

a filter! nothing with a strong flow, though. bettas are not very good swimmers! (tip: when cleaning your tank, never rinse the filter media! it kills beneficial bacteria & basically starts your cycle all over)

a heater - bettas thrive best in 78-82 degrees F.

an aquarium thermometer

water conditioner. i recommend seachem prime - it's the BEST out there and contains helpful nutrients that get rid of bad bacteria & ammonia.

bottled bacteria, if necessary. helps kickstart the cycle of your tank.

pH and ammonia testing kits

gravel syphon for cleaning & maintenance

a net to fish out uneaten food

gravel/substrate. (tip: measure how much u need by laying the bags out across the tank box. it should fit evenly across it long-ways)

decorations!! don't get plastic plants, they can harm ur betta's fins. if ur getting fake deco, try to find silk ones or very soft ones. bettas like to  be divas so make that shit pretty as hell & give them lots of places to hide. marimo moss balls are good for helping tank filtration & super easy to care for if ur interested in live plants!

INTRODUCING YOUR BETTA TO YOUR TANK​​​​​​​ 

acclimation and tank cycling are still CRITICAL to a betta's life and happiness. it's true that they are resilient fish that are easy to take care of, but like any fish, they have vital comfort needs & are still going to get diseases if you don't care for your water quality! 

1. when you first bring home your betta, do your final check on those water parameters. do an ammonia test in the fish's cup water to see just how much of a battle the pet store caretakers made for you.  almost 100% of the time the ammonia levels will be in the danger zone.

2. this is why acclimation is so very critical. start small and take your time. empty out a bit of the cup water, add a bit of your tank water. empty out a bit more of the cup water, add a bit more of your tank water - with about 3-5 minutes in between takes. keep doing this until you have replaced most if not all of the filthy pet store cup water. (WARNING: WATCH FOR SIGNS OF SHOCK WHILE YOU ARE DOING THIS. CLAMPED FINS, THE "SHAKES", FLOATING ON ITS SIDE, ETC ARE ALL SIGNS THAT YOU NEED TO ABSOLUTELY SLOW DOWN & LEAVE THE FISH ALONE FOR A COUPLE HOURS.)

3. now float your betta. you can put them in a bag if it's easier, otherwise you can just hold the cup in the tank. let the temperature adjust & let your lil guy/gal get their first glimpses of their new home. do this for a minimum of 10 minutes

4. gently tip the cup into the water & let the beast free! continue watching for signs of shock and keep a close eye on them & your water parameters for the first couple days.

FEEDING

frozen  or live brine shrimp, bloodworms, & mosquito larvae are betta favorites. when handling frozen food always rinse it out before putting it in the tank - most of the time the food is frozen in water that becomes really gross and murky. dried bloodworms also work very well. for flakes and pellets, i always recommend Omega One betta buffet flakes/pellets because their food is all natural and contains no additives/"meals" (tip: don't buy any food that lists something followed by the word  "meal" in the ingredients; it's basically heavily processed food).

do NOT overfeed. honestly underfeeding is better than overfeeding. you should feed your betta once a day with as much food as they can eat in about 2 minutes. have them fast one day a week to clear their digestive system. their stomachs are smaller than their eyeballs, so really, DON'T overfeed. it can cause a lot of incurable issues AND mess with your water quality

remove any uneaten food, or if you have bottomfeeders in your tank let them have at it

bettas will literally eat six #12s, 7 medium fries and a large shake if you let them. dont let those big black eyes trick you lmao

if you have a very young betta (5-10 weeks old) feed them twice a day instead of just once. brine shrimp eggs are especially tasty for fry but if your lil guy is big enough, they can eat regular frozen brine shrimp. meaty products filled with protein help  them grow the best. (bettas are full grown at 11 weeks, here is a size chart to determine your adolescent betta's age)

COMPATIBLE TANK MATES

note that even if it worked out for everyone and you've gotten 800 recommendations, things can STILL go wrong when keeping bettas with other fish.  ALWAYS be prepared for an emergency move. also note that sometimes things can work perfectly fine for the  first couple months and then go to shit within a couple seconds, especially when pairing young bettas with other fish. young bettas develop, you know, hormones at some point and start getting supa territorial.

also, please make sure you have the proper tank size to keep any of these fish together. i've included their adult sizes & my recommended tank size if you were to keep nothing but the betta and this species in the tank. this WILL vary.

clown plecos - 4" full grown - algae eaters - 20 gallon tank size min.

pygmy corydoras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (you will need 6 or more of these) - 15 gallon tank size min.

ember tetras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (again, 6+) - 15 gallon tank size min.

rasboras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (again, 6+) - 15 gallon tank size min.

mystery snails - 2" full grown - plant-safe snail, doesn't reproduce asexually - 5 gallon tank min.

ghost shrimp - 1.5" full grown - social shrimp (3-4 of these, any more can lead to breeding) - 10 gallon tank min.

feeder guppies - 1" full grown - normal, can live in schools but not necessary - 10 gallon tank min (larger recommended for schools)

corydoras - 2.5" full grown est. - algae eaters - 15 gallon tank min.

and there are many, many more but these are what has, to me, at least, been the least problematic tank mates for bettas. all of these fish have something about them that would deter an aggressive betta's attention, such as the armor plating on clown plecos & dull colors of the pygmy corydoras and feeder guppies.

okay, so i think this covers all the basics! if you guys have any questions, please ask! and if you have anything to add, please do! thanks for reading & happy fishkeeping xxx

[hella-free-space]

Hi! I have a ten gallon tank and I want to know some good stocking ideas! As long as they are relatively easy to care for u can suggest anything! Fish, amphibians, (some) reptiles, bugs! What do u think would be good? The tank is a ten gallon long soon to get heater and better filter No lid, going to make one

ooooo~~ i love this ask! :D

fish:betta (1)sparkling gourami (1)pea puffer (1)rasboras/microrasboras (school of 6-10)celestial pearl danios (school of 6-10)white cloud mountain minnows (school of 6-10)ember tetras (6-8)dwarf pencilfish ()pygmy/dwarf corydoras (6-8)least killifish(unsure about stocking / m:f ratio)hara jerdoni (3+)Fully-aquatic, non-fish:dwarf crayfish (1-3)shrimp (like, a heck ton)african dwarf frog (group of 3+)nerites snails (5, more if you have more filtration and are willing to do more water changes)mystery snails (1-3)thai micro crabs (probably like a heck ton)singapore flower shrimp (3+)amano shrimp (5+)Amphibians:firebelly toads (1-3)pacman frog (1)

Reptiles:juvenile western hognose(1) (adults need 20-30 gallon tanks, i believe)kenyan sand boa (1)

Inverts:scorpion (1)snails (2+)tarantula (1) (you’d need to make a secure / locking lid)millipedes (1+)centipede (1) (you’d need to make a locking lid for sure, venomous, for experienced keepers)large species of mantid (1, enclosure should be put vertical)madagascar hissing cockroaches (not sure about stocking with these guys)

Mammals:a mouse (1 male)I’ve compiled this list from shallow research (a few posts, google searches, and from memory), so if keeping any of these animals piques your interest, please do lots of research before purchasing! :) If anyone has any more suggestions or resources for anon, feel free to leave them in a comment or reblog!

[mrgammakay]

Panda tea!!

Panda tea: Do you have pets? Which one?

This question is revenge for all the stupid pet updates I send you, isn’t it? I am, as you know, slowly accumulating a fuckton of fish.

There’s four tanks so bear with me as I go into detail no one cares about.

Bettas are my focus because they’re great. We’ve got:

The General (copper red dragon HM M)

Anakin (red dragon rosetail HM F)

R2 (blue/orange dragon? PK F)

Commodore is new, he’ll be joining the ranks next week

Now onto nonbettas:

7 cory catfish of two types

a longfin albino bristlenose pleco

3 amano shrimp

5 nerite snails

2 assassin snails (Chesire and Brutus and the army of baby assassins Chesire managed to spawn ALL ON HER OWN SOMEHOW??)

6 forktail rainbows (two of them have kinked spines so I’m tentatively calling them kinky, fetish, b, d, s, and m. We’ll see if that sticks)

10 endlers livebearers (they’re all males and keep trying to mate with each other and males of other species so if anyone knows where I can get some females for these, the queerest of fish…)

2 german blue rams (they’re new and awesome with their tiny mohawks)

3 ember tetras (I cleaned out the store’s stragglers)

Sometime next week I’m scheduled to pick up some white cloud minnows, more ember tetras, and some purple harlequin rasboras. And I’m tentatively on the lookout for a PK male to spawn with Anakin because she’s perfect.

YUP OKAY THAT’S OVER. Tl;dr: fish. I have fish.

[betta-butch]

it really depends on the betta. some are fine, others will get extremely stressed. while I mostly keep bettas with just shrimp or completely solitary, I have one female in with a school of ember tetras & I temporarily had a female with a school of harlequins & corydoras.

the girl with the ember tetras (Cricket) is doing well and pays no mind to her tank mates, the other girl (Newt) did not have a good time. she seemed to become more withdrawn and exhibited stress stripes so I moved her back into her own tank & opted for honey gouramis in that tank instead.

if you do decide to do a community tank with a betta, I would go with the larger school size of 10 or so, as the schooling fish may be a little intimated by your betta & a slightly higher number will help them feel more secure.

sorry if this isn’t coherent right now, please let me know if I can clarify anything!

also does anyone have any opinions on Bettas in community tanks? Specifically a single Betta being introduced into a 20 or 29 gallon with a smallish school of 6-10 rasboras, some shrimps and a couple of snails. I've heard of some folks having success, providing the Betta is introduced last, has plenty of tank, and isn't housed with other large-finned fish or fin-nippers like barbs and (some) tetras.

Worse comes to worse the Betta gets his own tank of I decide to get one, and I'm not a stranger to Betta care. But if anyone's done a community tank with a Betta I'd love to hear your thoughts

[successfulaquarium]

Betta Tank mate – The most important thing you need to take care your Betta

You love betta but you cannot put multiple Bettas in the same tank. However, did you know betta fish (aka the Siamese fighting fish) can be kept with other fish? If you dont like to watch tank with single betta, keep reading to discover our list of 10 compatible Betta tank mates!

What to Look for In the Best Tank Mates for Betta Fish

Betta Tank Mates

Shortly, we’ll give you a list of some of the best choices for a betta tank mate. But, if you prefer to choose your own, here’s a checklist of characteristics your new fish should have.

Betta Tank Mate Checklist

Qualities to look for include:

Non-aggressive / no fin nibbling

Won’t compete for the same food in the same zone (top, middle, bottom)

Likes water with a pH from 6.0 to 7.5

Likes water temperature between 76F and 81F (24C to 27C)

Middle to top swimmers should be no more than 2-3 inches

Prefers slow-moving water

List Of Fish That Can Live With Bettas (For Those Short On Time)

If you’re short on time then here’s a list of fish that can live with bettas as well as shrimp and snails:

Ember Tetras

Guppies (Under Certain Conditions)

Platies

Harlequin Rasboras

Lambchop Rasboras

Dwarf Rasboras

Pygmy Corys

Bronze (Common) Corys

Endlers Livebearers

Chili/Mosquito Rasbora

Dwarf Loach

Zebra Danios

Rummy Nose Tetras

Cardinal Tetras

Neon Tetras

Black Neon Tetras

Mollies

Scissortail Rasboras

Otocinclus Catfish

Redtail Sharks

Glass Catfish

Malaysian Trumpet Snails

Ramshorn Snails

Mystery Snails

Nerite Snails

Ghost Shrimp

Cherry Shrimp

Dwarf Crayfish

Assassin Snails

Amano Shrimp

Do Betta Fish Need Tank Mates?

Before getting tank mates for your betta you may be wondering whether it’s necessary? You may even be asking whether tank mates will make him happy. Well, the answer is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no.

On the one hand, some bettas are too aggressive to be put with other tank mates (unless you’re using a large enough tank with plenty of hiding spaces) so it’s better to keep them on their own.

On the other hand, bettas need stimulation to stop them from getting bored and even depressed. While using mirrors, adding lots of plants, hiding places and spots to explore in your tank can help stimulate your betta, there’s no denying that other tank mates in your tank are going to be a constant source of entertainment.

However, just remember, that to keep your betta happy you need to make sure he has enough space in the tank he can call his own territory. So when adding tank mates with your betta it’s important that you use a tank that’s big enough.

Can You Keep 2 or More Bettas Together?

The answer to this question is no. And yes. I’ll explain.

Yes, you can put two or more betta fish together, but you must follow some rules to prevent not only duels-to-the-death but the more common bullying.

But no! Don’t put two males together. They will fight until one is dead.

Male & Male

Don’t put two males together. They will fight until one is dead. If this is your idea of entertainment, please leave the fish-keeping hobby. Don’t do this combination!

Female & Female

You can put two or more females together, but this is something that must be done cautiously. If you put more than two females together, then you must introduce the same number at the same time. If you want to have three females, you must introduce them all at the same time. If you add 1 + 2, then there will be bullying of the one. Consider these possibilities:

1 + 1

1 + 1 + 1

2 + 2

Anything other than 1 + 1 requires a tank that is already “cycled” to accept a load of three fish. If you have no filtration system, then a tank with three female bettas would require a 30 gallon tank. (A heater, a lid, and a few other common aquarium items would still be necessary). Don’t combine 1 + 2 female bettas.

Male & Female

You can put a single male and single female together without fighting. It’s the breeding that would ensue eventually that would overwhelm your skills as a beginner aquarist. Don’t do this combination unless you’ve had a couple of years of success with keeping an aquarium. And don’t breed bettas if you haven’t read extensively about the needs of the pair and their offspring. Breeding is not for beginners or people who think it would “be fun” to breed them. Don’t do the male + female (breeding) combination until you have experience.

Will Your Betta Attack His/Her Tank Mates?

Once again, there’s no way to know until you add tank mates into your tank. If you’re not sure it’s often a good idea to add tank mates you won’t mind losing such as shrimp. The good news is that if you add some cheap shrimp then even if your betta does kill them they’ll become a nice meal for him!

But the truth is you can never tell how your betta is going to be with tank mates until you give it a try. But as long as you’re giving them enough space, then in a lot of cases, it’s going to work out just fine.

Remember

Before you do plan on adding tanks mates for your betta you should always have a backup plan just in case. Normally people have a spare tank they can transfer their betta too if things go south. However, if your tank is big enough a tank divider is also a great alternative.

The post Betta Tank mate – The most important thing you need to take care your Betta appeared first on Successful Aquarium.

[dapperpets]

If you were gonna get a 30 gal what would you stock it with... asking for a friend 👀👀👀

OMG fuck idek I don't think about it much bc I probably am not starting a new tank until I graduate college in a couple years or until I move out since I have limited space (I'd have more if my parents let me get a rack 👀👀👀👀) so I'll just give you my stocking plan from when I almost got a 20 g (got a lizard instead lol)2 honey gouramiLike 6? Ember tetraAnd I think 10 red cherry shrimp(Going for that firey sunset vibe 🔥🔥☀️🔥🔥)I don't remember the exact numbers lol this was almost a year agoOr maybe I'd start a small saltwater tank to expand my horizons or whatever but I don't know enough about saltwater to tell you what I'd want (although I can tell you I'm super into inverts like HAVE YOU SEEN AN ARROW CRAB THAT SHIT IS SICK) but yeah I have to research saltwater more