# Starting New, Thinking Of Betta, One Question



## gate113 (Jan 31, 2005)

Hi everyone. I have a 16 gallon bow front tank which is built long. So Im planning on buying a fish. I've really thought about a Betta. Now I know Bettas can be kept in small tanks like 2.5 gallons, but I want to use my 16 gallon tank. So since i'm using a big (compared to a 2.5 its big) tank could I add another betta (with no separater) or what other type of fish could I add to the tank?

I have the bio-wheel filter, heater, and the tank will have enough hiding spots and have fake plants by the way.


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## MarkMI (Aug 1, 2005)

From what i understand, without a seperater, you cannot add another betta. But I believe there are some things that you can add in there.


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## gate113 (Jan 31, 2005)

ehhh dont like shrimp. so no other fish then?


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## Ilyena (May 1, 2005)

It probably depends on the betta, some are more peaceful than others, but some peaceful schooling fish might work. I keep my two bettas (male and female, and I know you aren't supposed to keep them together but these two actually get along fine, no fighting or chasing at all) with 3 platies and 7 harlequin rasboras in a 16 gallon. I also had zebra danios, a fully-grown SAE and neon tetras with the bettas before, but I gave them away cause they just weren't my type of fish. No aggression problems with any of them other than the SAE who were occasionally chasing the other fish around.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Shrimp are a bad idea.
A small school of fish would work (most tertras, no barbs, some danios or white clouds, rasboras).
A smaller pleco would work. A small group of otos may work.
A trio of apistos would be nice also.
So many choices, so few tanks


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## Alisha (Aug 5, 2005)

I heard there are some fish you can keep with your betta, I wouldn't recommend any tetras because I have heard they are very aggressive to the betta, they nip at the betta and show other aggression...


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

dont betta eat shrimp?


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

OOH i have never seen those in any of our pet stores. but then again i have only begun to experience the broad spectrum of aquarium life. I just started with a betta. so far this is a hard passion to get into. maybe it is because i am dealing with a life and i freak out that i am not taking good enough care of it and my first was very sick and this one got sick but i think that is because of the size of his tank and how often i was cleaning. i just left it except for one time per week when i cleaned it all. i should have been at least suctioning up food he likes to hide in his gravel and skimming the top of the water. but i learned because he got tail/fin rot so i am now treating him for that. hopefully he does better. i just put some meds in that are supposed to help him heal. it is a five day treatment that can be repeated one time so hopefully he will be alright. we will see at the end of five or ten days


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## MarkMI (Aug 1, 2005)

If someone could please post a picture of what fin rot looks like? I would most appreciate it. I at first thought mine had some sort of fin problem, but I dont think he does now. It looks like just some natural abnormalaties in his fins. But I would like to know what to look out for, so I can catch it early.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Oh well, some shrimps can't live with the bettas. But I know some other ppl keep shrimp who are large enough to live happily with the beattas...


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## MarkMI (Aug 1, 2005)

Thanks Baby. I dont think mine has rot. I think I just worry to much. His top fin looks extra droopy to me sometimes, and I think thats all it is. <shrug> Thanks for the info though.


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

Mine looks like it and i am pretty sure it does, but it's not severe. there are holes in his dorsal fin and the tail has some holes and tears in the ends. but i think it really is the start of rot


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

he had a cloth with some plastic, but i removed it when his fins started to tear up and i am actually treating him because it had gotten worse. he is now doing better. at least the rot isnt spreading any more. the tears are still there (can they actually go away?) i actually have a lot of sulfur in my water i just remembered and i think that may have something to do with it but i am not sure. after he is done with his meds i am going to try to get him in bottled water after i research the right way to do it so i dont send him into shock and see if the bottled is better and if he does better


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

there is one new hole since this morning (i just checked on him) but i may not have noticed it before because that fin was bit curled up. (his dorsal). well hopefully he can hang inthere until i finish this treatment it is five days and today was day three. then i will get some bottled water and start the transition.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

MarkMI said:


> If someone could please post a picture of what fin rot looks like? I would most appreciate it. I at first thought mine had some sort of fin problem, but I dont think he does now. It looks like just some natural abnormalaties in his fins. But I would like to know what to look out for, so I can catch it early.


Courtesy of Mermaiden @ fishjunkies.net.............


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## ChaldoChris416 (Aug 19, 2005)

maybe its velvet


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## sljofohio (May 29, 2009)

I had a betta in a small tank with 3 ghost shrimp. They got along fine until one day the betta caught the shrimp in HIS corner. Then he killed all of them....territory issues


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

read my sig, these fish are all good for living with bettas. I might be getting away with this just because I have a large tank, idk. so make sure to keep a sharp eye out if you put in guppies, or platy. The rest are 100% betta approved in my books.


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