# new tank?



## sakarptitsa (Jan 7, 2010)

Im going to be starting a new 15 gallon tank, and i don't want to crowd my fish, but i don't know how many to get!
as far as fish i like, i really love mollies, guppies, red tailed sharks, swordtails, gouramis, plecos, and chinese algae eaters.
also, i already have a betta in a one gallon, and i would love to put him in the new tank if possible 
so which fish live well together, and how many can i get without being crowded?


----------



## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Do you already have the 15 gallon? Because I'd recommend a 20 long if you haven't already bought it. If you already have it, then here's what I'd do. 
Get three mollies, two females and one male. If you only have two, there's a chance the male will pester the female to death for sex. 
DO NOT get a Redtail Shark, they are extremely aggressive. We had one who killed more than half of everyone he lived with. 
A 15 gallon is too small for almost any pleco, they will outgrow it in no time. Chinese algae eaters will also kill other fish once they get a little bigger. We lost some Glofish to them. 
Guppies are great and will get along ok with the mollies, but gouramis might nip their fins. If you keep gouramis, make sure they are dwarves because they will manage in a 15 just fine. People will tell you that they don't do well in pairs, but our Flame Dwarf is much happier since we got him a friend. Powder blues and flames are both pretty and small. 
I don't have any experience with swordtails personally, but if you get gouramis, mollies, and guppies, that's probable enough for a 15 gallon.


----------



## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Oh, and bettas don't do well with anything that has a flowy tail. Ours pestered guppies and the gouramis chased him a little too. He's honestly better in a single tank. I know sometimes they can live peacefully with other fish, but why take the chance?
Ours is in a 10 gallon with three Rosy Red Tetras (feeder fish) and he leaves them alone, but he didn't like guppies when they were in there and didn't like a striped panchax killi either. We're moving him to a divided 2.5 tank as soon as we can get the heater for it in the mail from Big Al's, an internet fish supply store. (If you ever need supplies, check it out, it's so much cheaper Petsmart and such.)


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

Okay sorry chic but there are plenty of plecos that can go in a 10g and the 15g is just that much more for them. Bristlenose (bushynose) are a very good choice as well as ruberlip, or possibly a gold nugget. I will agree on the Red tail though. Don't get this for a 15 gallon tank. Pick a couple species and stick with it. Like do a single or pair of gourami with guppies, or mabe sword tails and mollies, but don't go overboard. Don't overstock the tank. If you've already got the 15gallon tank go ahead and use it, but if not look into a 20gallon long or a 29 gallon tank. As for the betta it might go with guppies, sometimes they will nip at the betta sometimes the betta is a cranky little dude, just depends. They can go with tetras and danios as well. Make sure if you do but the betta in the tank with something else to have plenty of cover and don't overstock it. a betta with a nice school of a single species would work well.


----------



## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Everything I'm looking at says that plecos should not be in 10 gallons at all, and 55 or larger are recommended. It says it may take years for them to outgrow a smaller tank, but even if it doesn't right away, they're being stunted.


----------



## sakarptitsa (Jan 7, 2010)

thanks for the help =] i think i might keep my betta where he is right now, because he is a VERY nervous fish, and i want to disturb him as little as possible, and i don't think he can handle the tank change right now. at this point i only disturb him for feeding (even standing over the tank and opening the door to feed him seems to frighten him really badly) water change, and cleaning.

so, what about 3 mollies, 3 guppies (both two females one male) and a bristlenose pleco?

i've done quite a lot of research, made charts and such of ph, hardness, and temp, but it just comes down to room, and temperament of the fish that i need help with, because the one inch of fish for one gallon rule is soo vague.


----------



## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

That sounds ok. A bristlenose is recommended for at least a 20 gallon, but he could probably manage in a 15. I'm just warning you that I've heard stories of plecos getting aggressive when they are in too small of tanks. Maybe he'll be fine though. 
And be ready for lots of babies with all those female livebearers! We have 16 molly fry ourselves, and we're getting ready to move them to a 2.5 gallon in the near future. You might want to get a small tank like that for a breeder tank. When the mamas get really big, move them into there, and move them out as soon as they have them, or you risk the mama eating them.


----------



## sakarptitsa (Jan 7, 2010)

hXcChic22 said:


> That sounds ok. A bristlenose is recommended for at least a 20 gallon, but he could probably manage in a 15. I'm just warning you that I've heard stories of plecos getting aggressive when they are in too small of tanks. Maybe he'll be fine though.
> And be ready for lots of babies with all those female livebearers! We have 16 molly fry ourselves, and we're getting ready to move them to a 2.5 gallon in the near future. You might want to get a small tank like that for a breeder tank. When the mamas get really big, move them into there, and move them out as soon as they have them, or you risk the mama eating them.


is it bad to just let her eat some fry? i mean, population control, right? 
also, i will most likely upgrade to a 29 gallon in less than a year, i get addicted to this type of thing very easily.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

Chic I have kept a BN in a 10 gallon, and Lohachata, king of plecos as I think of him, even says that BNs can easily be kept in a 10g. a BN will be totally fine in a 15gal.


----------



## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Well, yeah... you don't have to save the fry. But you should look into selling them somewhere, like a local fish store. Ours offered us store credit if we can get our mollies to an inch long. Always nice to fuel the habit for cheap.


----------



## sakarptitsa (Jan 7, 2010)

okay, i'll look into something like that when they start giving birth, sounds like a good idea if i can work something out ^_^ thanks for all the help!


----------



## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

Bettas seem to do well with what's in my sig mine also got along with guppies, pleco, angelfish and I a ryukin.

I think it realy just comes down to the individual betta.


----------

