# Tank size and Tankmates for Betta



## 83turboranger (Jan 18, 2005)

Hello,
I'm very interested in getting a betta. I have two questions though. I have a very small habitat (Aquatic Gardens Deluxe Aquarium-click on link at bottom to see) that I think would work. I don't know if it is big enough for my betta though. What do you think? My other option would be to put it in a 2.5 gallon tank with my 3 neon tetras that have been happily living there for over 7 months. I'd prefer to keep the betta in the small habitat will that work? I know they don't need much space will that be big enough? Please help me soon.



http://petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?...17&N=24%20115&PC=productlist&Nav=217&N=24+115


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## kelicom (Sep 27, 2005)

I didn't see a link at the bottom, but generally, the more room a betta has, the better. I would recommend a five gallon tank or larger. Fill it with live plants--java ferns, moss, etc and a good sized sword leaf to float on the top and he'll be in heaven.


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## CVV1 (Oct 7, 2005)

thats a bit to close for a male betta but a female betta would probably do fine, im not sure if bettas go well with neon tetras


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

In my opinion it is wrong to put any fish under 10gallons.
I recommend a cheap 10g tank, amano shrimps, ruby tetras and cardinal tetras are suitable tank mates for bettas.


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## sharky (Aug 5, 2005)

I've got a betta in a 22gal community with angelfish mollies and platies, they all get along great and my betta loves all the space. I don't know about the tetras, but I had some guppies and the betta kept nipping them, so neons are probably a bit small.
Size-wise I think the bigger the better and give your betta lots of live plants because they love those.


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

I don't know. I have a 10 gallon tank, but don't see why a 2.5-5 gallon wouldn't be ok for a betta and a couple of others (although I still would be scared to put a betta in with other fish, but that's just me). 

Which of the aquatic garden boxes were you looking at? The mid-range ones might be ok.


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

i have a betta in a 2.5 with one apple snail. he does great there. i dont see a need for five gallons for one fish. it is nice to give them the extra space, but it isn't necessary as long as you do tons of water changes and make sure it is clean. but i wouldnt go smaller than a two and a half.


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## Paul (Oct 8, 2005)

A 2.5 gallon is fine for one betta. I would only add other species if going with a larger tank. As most fish have personalities a betta can get along but not always with other compatible species, see link.
http://www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/compatibility.asp


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## DUSTIN323 (Sep 21, 2005)

Yeah I agree a 2.5 or 5g is fine I have mine in a 10g with platies and they do fine I believe generally any non fin-nipping peacfull community fish can go with them I would worry more about what tank size the other fish going with the betta needs than the betta since 2.5 is fine for a betta


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## 83turboranger (Jan 18, 2005)

Alright, thanks for the advice.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Well a bigger tank is also easier for the fishkeeper, because the water rates stay more balanced. I could say that fish live longer in bigger tanks because there is no sudden changes like in few gallon bowls. 
Neons aren't suitable tankmates because they require much cooler water than the betta.


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## Lara (Sep 4, 2005)

Personally I think not, your Betta would love a larger tank than that. There is plenty of debate around these forums on suitable habitats for Betta's, you might like to do a search! I would keep the little tank for snails and or shrimp, fish deserve space to swim.


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## fishn00b (Jun 10, 2005)

Would Dwarf Frogs be a compatible mate for a Betta?


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## krazykid90 (Sep 26, 2005)

I think 5 gallons would be good for one fish, but not for any tank mates. From personal experience and research I have done, a Betta needs about 5 gallons, and an apple snail (a Brig) needs 5, so I house them in a 10 gallon tank.

Bettas might be able to get along with other tank mates, but it depends on the type of fish and the personality of the Betta. I had one Betta that loved his cories, he would swim with them and he never touched them. Whenever he passed away, I got a new fish that killed the cories as soon as my back was turned. I've had tetras live with Bettas before, and the main problem I had was that the tetras would pick on my Betta. They nipped at his fins, and the poor boy was too chicken to fight back lol. I think it's best to isolate a Betta and then decide from there how you think they will get along with other fish. When you watch some fish (even when they are alone) you'll see that some seem friendlier and others you can tell will be bullies.


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## Hamm35924 (Jun 13, 2005)

I just today moved my betta up today to a 5 1/2 gallon.he was very active and i felt bad to keep him in a small tank. I tried keeping him in my 10 gallon community and he scared my molly, so i had to move him. I really wanted a betta in my tank so i tried a different one, and that didnt work out either. he's now in a 2 gallon. but hes no as active and seems to be fine. It all depends on the betta, and the other fish with it. At a pet store near me they have the bettas behind the tanks of other fish, and they said that sometimes they jump out into the tanks below them. Sometimes their fine, sometimes they beat up the other fish, and sometimes peacful fish have killed them. so really you just never know.


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## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

When bettas are kept in small spaces, even with adequate filtration, they are much less active than they would be in a larger tank. I myself own a 2.5gallon aquarium. My mom bought a crowntail betta for herself and kept it in that aquarium, alone. The betta remained near the bottom or top of the tank with it's fins clamped closed (though not from disease.. if you're a betta person, you know how bettas do. ) and it just stayed inactive.. for two years. I finally got tired of it's lack of space and moved it to a larger, very stable aquarium. It died almost instantly, although the water perimeters were identical. The difference was filtration. The flow of water and amount of oxygen in the larger tank was much more than the little fish had before, and it threw the fish into shock. 

When I've kept my bettas in larger tanks from the start, they always live upward of 3-4 years (I've had a few in seperate tanks.) I even kept two males in a 55 gallon with more than adequate filtration and plenty of plants and space for them. They stayed out of each other's way and even swam with each other like 'ol pals. They never fought each other, which I think is a result of the security they felt from being in a large planted tank.

The larger the tank, the happier and healthier the fish.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Fish and forgs should never be mixed in the same tank, frogs are heavy poopers. The fecies is toxic to fish and shortens their lifespan.


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## fishn00b (Jun 10, 2005)

I've heard from other people on this site that that statement isn't true and many pet stores carry the Dwarf Frogs in the same tanks as the other fish.


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## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

Pet stores may carry dwarf frogs and keep them with the fish, but that doesn't mean it's healthy for the fish. I kept a tadpole that was with a tank of fish at petco with my guppies and the amount of ammonia it alone made caused my guppies' fins to start to deteriorate and caused many guppies to die. Aquatic frogs are kept with the fish not only for show, but also to promote sales as an "Aquarium friendly pet" as well as the ignorance of the fishkeepers working in the pet store.


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

find some schooling fish like neons and keep them with females- the bettas will quarrel a bit but will make peace


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