I am doing tank upgrades (moving all my fish to larger tanks) and I will have 2 five gallon tanks that will be empty. I have never had bettas before and I always see people put them in a vase or something else very small. I know they have to be kept from other males, but does it have to be a small space.
2006-08-29 07:16:57 · 12 answers · asked by Microbiology.girl 5 in Pets ➔ Fish
If the 5 gallon is filtered and heated, you can add neon tetras wtih the betta or african dwarf frogs, ghost shrimp, platys, cardinal tetras, Ottocinclus (algae eater), phantom tetras.
Do not put plecos in the 5 gallon, even small species such as bristle noses get 4 inches and thats too big for a 5 gallon. Do not add fish with long fins such as male guppies, the betta will kill them.
Do not add fish such as barbs and black tetras (painted tetras are the same species of black tetras except they are albino and cruely injected with dye).
Do not add gouramis, even the peacefull dwarf gourami will rip a betta apart because they are from the same family.
Do not add tricolor sharks(aka bala sharks) because they get 13 inches.
Painted glass are injected with dye and shouldnt be added plus they are brackish fish meaning they need salt in the water.
2006-08-29 18:09:01 · answer #1 · answered by lady_crotalus 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, bettas love larger tanks. I had a betta in a 5 gal tank for five years. Be careful with the filter though, some filters can suck in the fins and drown the fish. But most filters work well. Bettas are peaceful fish unless males are kept togethers as you mentioned. I have put many other breeds of fish in with bettas, but they seem to do best by themselves. I would not advise putting female bettas in with a male. Ask the pet store before you buy any fish to put in with a betta. Corry cats and some sharks can be put in with bettas. Zebra Danios and possibly Plattys would be fine to put together. Just make sure you dont add any tetras, they are aggressive or guppies, they are not clean fish. Hope this helps
2006-08-29 07:46:17 · answer #2 · answered by ...... 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
a betta shouldn't be in anything less than a gallon. vase environments are not healthy and the fish's lifespan is decreased. 5 with filter will be fine. he will love the space and swim around happily. given the 5 gal. space you can't fit more than 2-3 other fish with a male betta.
bettas are often compatible with shorter tailed varieties of:
algae eaters
plecos
cory catfish
tetras
danios/minnows
swordtails
rasbora
rainbowfish
platies
2006-08-29 16:04:53 · answer #3 · answered by corin_li 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As long as you keep up with water chanes then it should be all right. Depending on the filter you may have to do complete water changes every 2 weeks. But you should also heat the tank as well, bettas do much better in warm water. Bettas love large tanks and 10 gallons is perfect for them.
2006-08-29 07:22:54 · answer #4 · answered by Em 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It dosent have to be a small space. Mine is with 4 other fish in a 25 gallon tank. They like plants to hide in, and have diffrent personalitys, so there fun to watch. You can put ghost shrimp, or african dwarf frogs with them. (one of mine dosent like ghost shrimp). Or if the tank is big enofe, other fish (no bettas). Good luck!
2006-08-29 07:48:49 · answer #5 · answered by bettachick6721 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ive seen betas with a lot of big and small fishes...in a small tank like that i would just keep the beta in there... i say about one medium fish to every 2 gallons. they get nice and big in a 5 gallon, some fishes in a small tank would end up pecking at there fins.
2006-08-29 08:24:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
They're fine in big spaces. People just use the smaller spaces to conserve space and the Betas don't care. If you have the room to spare, go with the 5 gal for the Beta.
2006-08-29 07:24:49 · answer #7 · answered by a41xblj 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
beta fish are fine in a tank with most other fish. jsut besure that the fish you put them with are NOT other beta fish, adn that they are not aggresive. and the filtration is a good thing for the fish, it won't arm him in the least unless you use a filter that has some remenant diseases fro m other fish in it.
2006-08-29 07:34:07 · answer #8 · answered by joyfulpriss 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They do fine in a big tank and as long as the breed of fish isn't aggressive they should be fine with them. We've had them in with all varities of goldfish-alge eaters and those little bitty catfish things(can't remember their name) just ask at a pet store or look up non aggresive breeds of fish.
2006-08-29 07:27:36 · answer #9 · answered by JL's Mom 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I wouldn't put them in with known fin nippers.
2006-08-29 07:33:54 · answer #10 · answered by b4_999 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋