What to add with my Betta?

[VulcanNinja]

I just bought a 10 gallon tank so my male Betta could have room, plus I want to add fish to make a community tank. I have heard very conflicting views about mxing bettas with other fish. Some people don't recommend it at all, and others say it's fine.

I know you shouldn't get anything that looks like a beta, so I'm thinking of getting some small albino catfish, a few african dwarf frogs, and maybe a ghost shrimp or 2 to start with.

I need opinions about this or any other suggestions about fish that get along with a betta in a 10 gallon tank. If worse comes to worse, I'll remove him and just have him in a smaller tank, I have a 2 gallon tank in reserve.

Keep in mind I bought a kit that came with a Whisper filter, heater, and thermometer.

Thanks for the help. I'm sure I'll have more questions soon...

 

[BirdofPray]

Swordtails are another viable option. Or so I've heard.

 

[snowyangel]

Try some bottom feeders like cories or ottos. I used to even keep one otto in with my betta in his 1 gallon bowl and they did fine. Maybe 4 black neons wouldn't be bad either.

 

[steppy104]

white cloud/yellow cloud minnows are real good. thats what i keep in mine, and they are excellent together....never any quarrels or anything.

i also have an algae eater in there. some little type called an octo-something. i can't remember the name.

 

[appleblossom]

I have a male betta in a tank with glass catfish, phantom tetras, platys, dwarf gouramis, algae eating shrimp, silver tip tetras and male guppies with absolutely no problems at all.... it all depends on the individual personality of the betta...

 

[BirdofPray]

Try some bottom feeders like cories or ottos. I used to even keep one otto in with my betta in his 1 gallon bowl and they did fine. Maybe 4 black neons wouldn't be bad either.

Otto's can live fine in 1 gallon tanks with a lone male betta? If that's the case I might be getting some more.

 

[snowyangel]

Bare in mind algae grew lots for the otto and i did 40% water changes every 3 days on their bowls. It's good to have some plants for the ottos b/c they also get shy and some bettas are more aggressive then others.

 

[luxum]

It's been said before but it should be stressed, what you can keep with your betta will vary depending on your betta's personality. They are a very individual fish. Some bettas are wussies in a community tank and small nippy fish will harass them to death. Some bettas are aggro and will kill off the same nippy fish. I think in a 10 gallon the best option is to get a school of small cories. They stay on the bottom and so won't interfere with the betta. Many bettas won't even notice cories in their tank, especially if you have a substrate the cories will blend in with. If you get cories, make sure you get ones that have a small adult size, and don't use any sharp gravel in your tank as it will wear away the barbels they use to hunt food in the substrate. And don't forget to get them some sinking bottom feeder food, they can't live on nothing but betta leftovers. Good luck!