Betta In A 29G Community Tank?

FishyFriend101

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Hi everyone,
I currently have a 29 gallon tank that has been running for about one and a half years. There are 2 sunburst platys, 3 cherry barbs, 7 black phantom tetras (2 full grown, 5 small), 4 cory catfish, and a small rubberlip pleco. I like the colour varieties of betta fish and I would like to get one for the tank. Would the betta be compatible with the fish I have in there right now? If not, are there any other bright, colourful fish that could work? (preferably blue)
Thanks for the help
 
It depends what type of community. Cherry and checker barbs will fit in most communities, Tiger barbs will fit in some ie I wouldn't suggest putting them in with angels, Rosy barbs, clown barbs will do well in communities with larger peaceful fish. It all depends on what you mix them with.
 
The tank size is critical with barbs, and as Neil said, different species behave differently.  But in general, barbs are a group of fish that do not suit every tank for reasons of their activity if nothing else.
 
To the original question, no, a Betta willnot work in this tank.  Betta are certainly not "community tank" fish.  Some have had luck (so they say) with a Betta in a community setting, but any Betta-knowledgeable aquarist will acknowledge that Betta do not usually work in community tanks.  The Betta may take a dislike to certain other fish (bright colours seem to really set them off), or more usually the other fish suddenly get nippy when confronted with the waving trailing fins of a Betta.
 
To your second question on colourful (blue mentioned) fish that would work here, I would avoid larger fish and look to small shoaling species.  Before that though, I would increase the number of corys, adding another three or four.  Corys are shoaling fish and will always be better the more there are, and while five or six is often suggested as minimum, when space permits (as here) it is much better to have a few more.  Can be the same species, or another, but the more of a species the better.  So if you were to add another species, assumign the four you have are the same species now, I would recommend at least five of another species.
 
Byron.
 
If anything, your next restock ought to include more cherry barbs. They're schoolers and are happier in larger groups.
 

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