# Important Betta Question



## Bear (Jun 8, 2006)

Hi
I am Bear's girlfriend that is starting a 15g tank for my betta. It is a flat 15g reptile tank with an aquarium top. I have a heater and a filter. I am in the begining phase of setting up my tank. Right now I have three rocks for him to swim through and fake plants and when I start it I am going to get a small live plant. My betta is active and swims about in his little tank. I would like to add other types of fish after I cycle with my Betta. My concerns are that there will be too many fish and they wont get along.

The fish on my list that I want are:
2 Balloon mollies
Some tetras or danios (how many should I get so that they school?)
An oto (my bf says I need two)
I also want 1 or 2 swordtails 

If you can give me any feedback (on the fish I want or the number and on what the betta might like) it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help.


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## Zoe (Feb 26, 2006)

I would suggest forgetting about the swordtails... they get too big for a 15 gallon tank and can get pretty "finny" - which your betta won't like.
I believe Ottos are a little a little delicate - can I suggest an algae eater? They are easier to care for and eat algae 

You could get a school of 5-6 tetras or danios.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

There are a large number of fish that are algae eaters. Which one are you recommending? Most will be too big for a 15g tank. If you can find pitbull plecos, a couple of those would do well as they stay very small. If you have very little other fish, you could possibly keep a bristlenose. Other than that, I can't think of anything that stays small enough for a 15g tank besides otos. Siamese algae eaters get too big. Chinese algae eaters are neither Chinese nor do they eat algae, but they also get too big and get very aggressive as they grow and age. Common plecos get WAAAY too big. 

I've had great luck with otos, even having some survive salt treatment and malachite green treatment. I've had about a dozen and only lost one.

The fish that you are thinking of (mollies, danios and tetras) are all shoaling fish and should be in groups of at least six. Therefore, the mollies would get to big. In addition, unless you got either all males or all females, you'd have a ton of babies to deal with. I'd suggest going with the smaller danios, some rasboras, or some of the smaller tetras. Neons and cardinals, though, have become rather fragile due to overbreeding, so they have a pretty high death rate. 

Whatever you get, make sure it doesn't have long fins. And be prepared to return them if the betta decides he doesn't like them.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

My platies eat all the fluffy white gunk that grows on plastic and rubber things in the tank. That's one of the reasons I like them!


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## Alisha (Aug 5, 2005)

I heard that all tetras are big fin-nippers and should not be kept with bettas...but Im sure with that big of a tank it will be OK.


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## meyerhaus (Feb 27, 2006)

Not necessarily, Alisha. I have had a betta in my all-tetra community tank for a long time. Never any issues.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

Well the small tetras like, red eyed or pristella (can't remember common name) tetra they aren't big fin nippers. But I'd defianltly recommend against danios as they are real big fin nippers and will nip alot at the betta's fins and they are to active for a 15g IMO but some people will say even a 10g is fine which IMO is extremly to small for them, I wouldn't recommend anything smaller than a 20g long for danios.


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## Alisha (Aug 5, 2005)

Oh Okay-thanks for correcting me you guys. I hate when I give out false information but I did read that numerous time....but you know you cant believe everything you read...haha.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

Well that means that your learning when you get corrected.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2006)

I also think that swordtails get too big. I'd go with a school of harlequin rasboras....I think you could have 8 in that size tank. They work very well with bettas and aren't nippy at all.

I'd also rethink the mollies. They get a little big, though I think they could work. They do like a little salt in their water though, which the betta and tetras/rasboras wouldn't like. I'd save them for a bigger tank.

If you let the tank develop some algae, you could have a few ottos. Those and pitbull plecos are the only algae eaters I'd suggest for a 15g. IMO bristlenoses get too large. Mine is 4 inches long and runs over everything when he swims around, so they really need a bigger tank. If you get ottos, pick the fattest ones you see, they are usually the healthiest. And I'd get a group of 3 or 4. They are social and chances are you'll lose atleast one.


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## Zoe (Feb 26, 2006)

The Balloon Mollies would be fine, I think, as they aren't the size of "normal" mollies. Balloons get like 1' - 1.5' long. I could be wrong on this and I looked it up to no avail... but I've kept lots and they never get more than 1' long


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