Is my tank stocked okay or to much?

Hey guys! I have a 5 gallon beta tank (5gallon portrait marine land tank) and it’s very clean with a variety of plants. Currently the tank holds 1 beta fish, 4 blue tetras, 1 Cory catfish, 1 ghost shrimp, and a boatload of snails that just do what they want. It was 5 tetras but they were in the bag longer then i thought and i think it didn’t like the transportation and died overnight but the other 4 are happy and I think my beta is too. He’s been chillin in the new plant tree thing I got and he’s still active which is good so I don’t think he’s stressed as he still swims around. Do you think this tank is overstocked to much or is it okay? I the tetras are tiny so I think it’s okay? Here’s a pic of albus so you guys can see how cute he is! He loves the camera every time I FaceTime a friend he gets so excited and smiles!

Here I go again….Betta fish are solitary and should be kept on their own. You say he’s not stressed, but how do you really know..?

A quick Google and Ive found that the blue tetra should be kept in schools and the site recommends 20-30 gallons as a starting point. Again, for the Corey’s, they need to be kept in groups of at least 6 and a website has quoted 10 gallons for a small group of just Corey’s.


Seriously Fish is a very good site for helping to identify the types annd quantities of fish for a given tank size.

Frank228 said:

Hey guys! I have a 5 gallon beta tank (5gallon portrait marine land tank) and it’s very clean with a variety of plants. Currently the tank holds 1 beta fish, 4 blue tetras, 1 Cory catfish, 1 ghost shrimp, and a boatload of snails that just do what they want. It was 5 tetras but they were in the bag longer then i thought and i think it didn’t like the transportation and died overnight but the other 4 are happy and I think my beta is too. He’s been chillin in the new plant tree thing I got and he’s still active which is good so I don’t think he’s stressed as he still swims around. Do you think this tank is overstocked to much or is it okay? I the tetras are tiny so I think it’s okay? Here’s a pic of albus so you guys can see how cute he is! He loves the camera every time I FaceTime a friend he gets so excited and smiles!

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I personally believe bettas should be kept in no less than ten gallons unless its an emergency tank... But people do keep bettas in five gallons... Now I definitely wouldn't have any other fish with them in that small of a tank. Corydoras need to be in groups of five or more at least and should be kept in a tank size of ten gallons minimum depending on species... I don't know much about blue tetras but I will say that I am 100% sure that they shouldn't be kept in a five gallon... Your bettas may seem peaceful for the first few weeks, maybe even the first few months but eventually he will get tired of being in a cramped space with others and then kill all your other fish

Rocky998 said:

I personally believe bettas should be kept in no less than ten gallons unless its an emergency tank...

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I don't really agree with that.... well, ok, a 10 gallon is usually better, but many bettas get stressed in tanks of that size (personal experience, and have also heard it by some really knowledgeable people). IMO, its more inportant what the tank has inside. And with that, I mean the tank to have live plants, woods and leaves for their tannins, so to be as natural as possible.

As for other fish being in the 5 gallon, well, imo, is not possible. As @Rocky998 said, the betta will most probably kill them, if he doesn't die by stress or poor water quality. IMO, its better to take the other fish back to the LFS...

If the LFS told you that little lot would be fine in a small aquarium...erm...they saw you coming with your wallet open. I am sorry but that is a disastrous mixture of fish/invertebrates in a very confined volume of water that will end in tears

Blue Tetras are one of the larger variants, as has already been said, they need a vastly larger aquarium and more of them to keep them healthy and secure.

Cories, same as the Blue Tetras

Betta are notoriously unpredictable, hence why they are not recommended as "community" fish. Yes they can start off being cute and placid but they also have a very low tolerance of intruders in their territory. They intimidate tankmates, frequently not allowing them to feed and turning tankmates into timid fish that eventually will be attacked by the Siamese Fighting Fish - aka Betta.

One shrimp is not a good plan, they need company. Snails, if of the pest variety, will outstrip your aquarium and wreck the scape and water chemistry since they breed constantly.

The number of fish in a very confined 5 gallons will be a nightmare to keep the water chemistry perfect, water testing and changing will need to be twice or maybe three times a week due to the amount of waste products.

By all means keep the Betta on its own or with a few shrimp...although even shrimp can occasionally become a Betta's snack if it gets the urge. The rest of the livestock should go back to the LFS as unsuitable for that size aquarium

Sorry to have burst your bubble but the shop missold your stock and you are not the first nor will you be the last to experience that.

There are 2 species sold as blue tetras, and neither will have much of a life in a 5 gallon. Both will get bored and eventually shred the Betta's fins. If that hasn't started it's because they haven't figured it out yet.
We'll debate til we're the colour of blue Bettas on tank size, but I think a 5 is just fine for a Betta. You do your water changes, and it can live for years. Why? Fancy bettas are slow moving fish with small territories. Their fancy fins slow them down, so they don't move a lot.

The fins also make them fat targets for bored tankmates trapped in tiny tanks.

So you are overstocked, and en route to having things end badly. In a tank that size, mistakes in stocking are magnified quickly. In small tanks, fancy bettas need to be alone. In larger tanks, they are fine community fish as long as you avoid nippy tankmates and do your homework. I've never had a Betta kill a reasonably chosen tankmate. I have seen them harassed by smaller, quicker fish though.

One of the worst sights in tanks to me is a Betta whose human chosen fins slow him down chasing equally deformed giant tailed guppies. Neither fish can swim properly. There, the Betta can catch a fish whose tail looks like a challenge, and it ends badly for the guppy. But with properly bred fish, they're fine, in 50 litres and up.

betta4ever! said:

but many bettas get stressed in tanks of that size (personal experience, and have also heard it by some really knowledgeable people).

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I have never heard this before... Usually fish love larger tanks as long as their set up properly...

I mostly agree with what others have said. If you can, I would seriously consider taking the tetras and Cory back to your local fish store. The betta and snails is all I would have in the 5 gallon.

I personally feel like 5 gallons is sufficient for a betta. A 10 gallon may be better, depending on the betta.

Rocky998 said:

I have never heard this before... Usually fish love larger tanks as long as their set up properly...

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Bettas with excessive fins struggle with the height. When they use all their energy just to get to the surface a couple times a day, all that swimming space means nothing to them. I do think that the giant bettas, who’s extravagance is their size snd not their fins, would do better in a larger tank like a 10 gallon and likely shouldn’t be considered for a 5.

OliveFish05 said:

I mostly agree with what others have said. If you can, I would seriously consider taking the tetras and Cory back to your local fish store. The betta and snails is all I would have in the 5 gallon.

I personally feel like 5 gallons is sufficient for a betta. A 10 gallon may be better, depending on the betta.

Bettas with excessive fins struggle with the height. When they use all their energy just to get to the surface a couple times a day, all that swimming space means nothing to them. I do think that the giant bettas, who’s extravagance is their size snd not their fins, would do better in a larger tank like a 10 gallon and likely shouldn’t be considered for a 5.

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Well yes height does matter definitely... But not swimming space in length and width... I mean you could technically put a betta in a 400 gallon 1 foot tall tank and that betta would love it... I mean thats one heck of an expensive betta but hey, the betta would definitely enjoy it

Rocky998 said:

Well yes height does matter definitely... But not swimming space in length and width... I mean you could technically put a betta in a 400 gallon 1 foot tall tank and that betta would love it... I mean thats one heck of an expensive betta but hey, the betta would definitely enjoy it

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I don’t think that length and width can stress a betta. I was just pointing out that some bettas struggle with the 12 inch height of a 10 gallon vs the 8 ich height of a 5 gallon. I’ve seen some epic 12 gallons that are only 8 inches or so how.

OliveFish05 said:

I don’t think that length and width can stress a betta. I was just pointing out that some bettas struggle with the 12 inch height of a 10 gallon vs the 8 ich height of a 5 gallon. I’ve seen some epic 12 gallons that are only 8 inches or so how.

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Not 12in... I would day 15-16 inches is the max I would go for them. 12in is best cause it provides enough room to go up and down but he still wont get stressed... Now a custom tank that is lower... Like maybe a 20g that has the dimensions of 32×8×14 would be amazing. But 12in wouldnt stress them imo... Just provide wood and a lot of tall plants! They will enjoy it!

This is a good site to ask questions before you go to buy livestock.

Rocky998 said:

Not 12in... I would day 15-16 inches is the max I would go for them. 12in is best cause it provides enough room to go up and down but he still wont get stressed... Now a custom tank that is lower... Like maybe a 20g that has the dimensions of 32×8×14 would be amazing. But 12in wouldnt stress them imo... Just provide wood and a lot of tall plants! They will enjoy it!

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I’m talking about the ones with excessive, ruffley fins. A betta who can barely swim as it is would benefit more from a tank where can easily reach the surface. For the plakats and shorter tailed ones, yeah 12 inches is just fine.

My friend who has caught Betta splendens in Laos said the habitat (I just asked her) was anywhere from a few inches to a few feet deep. The common feature was plants emerging from the water.
The bettas were always in the top 6-8 inches. She left a go-pro camera running for a day, and the Bettas she targeted didn't wander much. The bugs they ate were at the surface, and that's where they sat in ambush. You don't catch a mosquito every day.
That's nature. Long finned, dumbo and giant bettas are obviously not products of nature. A fish with the drag problems long fins cause wouldn't make it to breeding age out there. We messed them up, so we have to take care of them. They don't need a leaf to lie on in Laos!
If you choose a Betta that has short enough fins that it can swim, it's a good community fish. If it's overbred (IMHO) then the less it has to struggle around the tank, the better. It can be hard to discuss betta keeping because we all see different fish in our minds when we talk. What I see as a freakazoid disaster, you might see as an ideal.

Frank228 said:

Hey guys! I have a 5 gallon beta tank (5gallon portrait marine land tank) and it’s very clean with a variety of plants. Currently the tank holds 1 beta fish, 4 blue tetras, 1 Cory catfish, 1 ghost shrimp, and a boatload of snails that just do what they want. It was 5 tetras but they were in the bag longer then i thought and i think it didn’t like the transportation and died overnight but the other 4 are happy and I think my beta is too. He’s been chillin in the new plant tree thing I got and he’s still active which is good so I don’t think he’s stressed as he still swims around. Do you think this tank is overstocked to much or is it okay? I the tetras are tiny so I think it’s okay? Here’s a pic of albus so you guys can see how cute he is! He loves the camera every time I FaceTime a friend he gets so excited and smiles!

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Update!! Thank you for the help. I upgraded one tank from a 5 to 15 gallon so all my community fish and catfish can be happy with plenary of room. The beta fish is alone and happy yet again. The 15 gallon has 4 guppy’s, 2 Cory catfish, and 5 blue tetras, If you go by 1inch per gallon rule they are perfect!