Getting A Betta...

[K3lly]

After my Hubert, and Clarence passed I wanted to get another Betta, but my fiancee, who
liked the idea of fish, didnt want another betta, because they are aggresive, and must be homed alone.
So I have been thinking about getting a small tank, maybe a 2 gal, (or should I get a 5gal?) and getting another Betta.

 

[ReMz]

Get a 5 gallon tank with a betta. Then you can add a couple of Otos down the road (great tank mates and they can be fun little buggers). Filtering a 2 gallon can cause too much current... and trying to lower the current to an acceptable level while keeping filter efficiency can be a bit more difficult. Plus, the more swimming room, the more enjoyment your betta will have. Happy betta = more enjoyment for you when viewing the tank.

If you can, try to do a fishless cycle on the tank or add some mature filter meadia. Search "cycling a tank" in google for more info if you are not familiar with the process. There are also some very helpful topics on this forum (i just don't have them bookmarked on this computer).

You can also add white cloud minnows, corys, and a select few of other fish. Search this forum for "betta tank mates". Keep in mind that some of the advice on this forum is ill-advised..... so do your research.

If you have any questions as to tank mates, post in this section and we will gladly help you.

Work on making your new betta jump, follow fingers, and even petting him. Your fiancee will be hooked on bettas in no time.

edit: lol, there are some other cool fish options.... but you are in the betta section after all.......

 

[K3lly]

Get a 5 gallon tank with a betta. Then you can add a couple of Otos down the road (great tank mates and they can be fun little buggers). Filtering a 2 gallon can cause too much current... and trying to lower the current to an acceptable level while keeping filter efficiency can be a bit more difficult. Plus, the more swimming room, the more enjoyment your betta will have. Happy betta = more enjoyment for you when viewing the tank.

If you can, try to do a fishless cycle on the tank or add some mature filter meadia. Search "cycling a tank" in google for more info if you are not familiar with the process. There are also some very helpful topics on this forum (i just don't have them bookmarked on this computer).

You can also add white cloud minnows, corys, and a select few of other fish. Search this forum for "betta tank mates". Keep in mind that some of the advice on this forum is ill-advised..... so do your research.

If you have any questions as to tank mates, post in this section and we will gladly help you.

Work on making your new betta jump, follow fingers, and even petting him. Your fiancee will be hooked on bettas in no time.

edit: lol, there are some other cool fish options.... but you are in the betta section after all.......

When I was about 10, my brother had a betta that would follow his finger, and let us pet him..... I'll never forget that fish.... he was a nice 'electric blue'

 

[Truck]

i would never put ottos in any tank smaller than 30 gallons as the captive survival rate is terrible and 5 gallons cannot support their algae full filled diet and there isnt enough algae to go around for 6 (minimum number kept should be 6), and 5 gallons is only big enough for a betta alone nothing else!!!
if you want other fish go bigger say 12 gallons.

or alternately you could get a 12 gallon and put 5 or 6 female bettas in their or keep one on its own in a 5 gallon

 

[newfishy]

if you had the room money and space I would go for a 29 gallon and female bettas. you can find some truely lovely girls and it gives you lots of room for things like corys or mystery snails. plus the tank is active and pretty.

 

[K3lly]

I prefer the males, they are just so beautiful, I dont really plan on adding any kind of tank mates. Though a small snail would be cool!
I like the idea of the 5 gal, its big enough for the little guy, and doesnt take up as much room as a larger tank.

 

[The Village Idiot]

K3lly,

First, congratulations on getting engaged. The fact that your fiancee will tolerate fish is a good start to a healthy marriage.

You seem to be headed toward the five gallon setup for the betta alone, which is certainly a good one. I would be remiss, however, if I didn't say that bettas can certainly have tankmates. While females (which I feel compelled to say are nearly as attractive as the males) certainly open up more possibilities for tankmates, there are quite a few fish the males can get along with just fine.

I've never seen a male betta get mad at small schooling fish such as tetras, rasboras, hatchetfish or pencilfish, and even if they did, they'd never be able to catch them. The same holds true for bottom-dwellers such as corydoras. I've also had great success keeping them with zebra danios (though they sometimes annoy the male with their constant activity) and platies.

Of course whichever way you go is fine, but whenever someone says males have to be kept alone, I have to jump in and say something. It's one of my many faults. Good luck with the new tank.

 

[Truck]

5 gallons is only big enough for the fish on its own with maybe a few shrimp, but still its hit 'nd miss

 

[bronzecat]

I've never seen a male betta get mad at small schooling fish such as tetras, rasboras, hatchetfish or pencilfish, and even if they did, they'd never be able to catch them.

Hi

Its not so much the male betta chasing the smaller schooling fish, but more the case that some of these smaller fish may fin nip the betta.
Harlequin Rasboras or the smaller Copper Harlequins are normally pretty peaceful, as are Galaxy Rasboras. Tetras tend to be a bit more nippy.
Have seen male bettas being nipped by - Neons, X-ray and cardinal tetras; Guppies; Mollies and Platties.

If you get the 5 gallon, you would only be looking at a max of 6 half inch fish with your betta. The biggest problem will be whether the betta will allow anything else in there?

 

[The Village Idiot]

I've never seen that before, bronzecat. As I started reading your post I thought ">>>profanity<<< I should have been more specific about what kind of tetra!", but after having read it completely, I see those which I would have said were fine, have caused problems. That's news to me.

 

[bronzecat]

I've never seen that before, bronzecat. As I started reading your post I thought ">>>profanity<<< I should have been more specific about what kind of tetra!", but after having read it completely, I see those which I would have said were fine, have caused problems. That's news to me.

I'd only advise on what i have witnessed myself, there's always going to be exceptions though. It was talked about at great length on another thread a couple of weeks ago. I believe that it is best to inform people of these things, then they can make a decision based on the information they have learned.
With regards to this thread, the issue that needs consideration is will the male betta allow any other fish in a 5 gallon with it? We have had males that have lived happily with Cories, however we have had male bettas that would actively hunt down an oto! These considerations are that much more important if you have nowhere else to move any problem fish out and into a different tank.
I'm not the type of person that likes to gamble with fish compatability, so our bettas are kept by themselves, we have a seperate Dwarf puffer tank and a marine tank.

 

[azulfire24]

I prefer the males, they are just so beautiful, I dont really plan on adding any kind of tank mates. Though a small snail would be cool!
I like the idea of the 5 gal, its big enough for the little guy, and doesnt take up as much room as a larger tank.

female can be very pretty too, hey new fishy get some pics up of ur girls!!!

 

[ReMz]

i would never put ottos in any tank smaller than 30 gallons as the captive survival rate is terrible and 5 gallons cannot support their algae full filled diet and there isnt enough algae to go around for 6 (minimum number kept should be 6), and 5 gallons is only big enough for a betta alone nothing else!!!
if you want other fish go bigger say 12 gallons.

or alternately you could get a 12 gallon and put 5 or 6 female bettas in their or keep one on its own in a 5 gallon

correct. "could add" was the key phrase in my post.

IMO a betta should be kept alone in a 5 gallon. I failed to mention that. I was more on the mission of convincing the fiancee to allow another betta in the home

However, I've had 3 ottos thriving in a 10 gal with a betta. The tank gets a bit of sunlight every other day which promotes a tad bit of algae. I supplement with algae waffers 2x a week as well. Granted the tank is very well maintained. 30 gallons is not necessary by any means, but well advised.