Downgrade from 10, or keep for budget?

[MisterSnuffles]

Hey everyone. So today I surrendered my pea puffer and (surviving) cherries today. They were in a 10 gallon no plants. Now its just in my room completely turned off. When I surrendered the fish, I looked around at some potential fish to out in after a rescape with plants. And u saw the biggest and prettiest halfmoons and koi bettas ive ever seen in my shop. And they were so nice that they followed fingers instead being afraid. I told my dad that id like to out a betta in my tank, but he said he doesnt know if its a good idea since a 10 g is so big.

THE PROBLEM: He is right that a 10g is fig for a betta, but my filter is rated for a 20 and heater is slightly large but submersible. Should I downgrade to a nice new 5g or 7g but cut the budget for plants and decorations? Or keep the current tank and filter for the betta and rescape but risk too much open space when I might not be able to put in roommates?

 

[Azedenkae]

10 gal is not too big for a betta.

 

[Kassh4815]

What Azedenkae said ALL DAY LONG

Bettas are advertised in small 2,3,5 gallon tanks but really 5 is the minimum I would put one in, 10 is a good size for them. They would love the plants too!

 

[MisterSnuffles]

What Azedenkae said ALL DAY LONG

Bettas are advertised in small 2,3,5 gallon tanks but really 5 is the minimum I would put one in, 10 is a good size for them. They would love the plants too!

Awesome. What plants would you recommend for an absolute plant beginner? Im thinking of fluval stratum type gravel. Yk the one thats like little balls. It looks cool lol and its made for plants

 

[Kassh4815]

Look at other 10 gallon betta builds. You can spray paint the back black and have a nice plant setup and really make the color pop.
Don’t go to big with Amazon swords as a 10 gallon is kinda small for them.

you could do Java ferns, anubias, ludwigia and some sort of carpet, then maybe a tiger lotus as a center piece plant just look up a care guide on it first. They are colorful and suuuuper pretty.

 

[bettasXD]

10g isn’t small for a betta at all! You could try and baffle the current if the current is too strong. You could get Anubiss Nana, Java ferns and Amazon sword are all easy to care for.

 

[MisterSnuffles]

OK I actually can’t believe this but my local fish store is 30 minutes away from where I live and I just took back all the shrimp and the puffer. I came home and four hours later I am looking at a 10 gallon tank with one cherry shrimp left behind. I don’t want the poor guy to die ha ha so I left the heater on for him and I’m going to take him back to the fish store first thing tomorrow morning

 

[bettasXD]

Shrimp is so good at hiding and escaping.

 

[FishDin]

Water westeria is another easy plant to try. It grows fast and can be rooted or floated. My fish like to swim through it's branches.

 

[TClare]

The betta will appreciate some floating plants and these will also help to keep algae at bay. In this small tank you will probably have to take some out each week, so don't use duckweed it is too difficult to remove. A tiger lotus grows way too big for a 10 gallon tank. I would put in some quick growing stem plants like Limnophila sessiliflora (also called Ambullia) or Cabomba, as well as some Anubias and java fern that can be attached to driftwood as others have suggested. Add a couple of almond leaves and your betta should be very happy!

 

[Chewbroccoli]

I have my Beta sitting in my little 5g or 21ltr tank. He is in there with some Cherry Shrimp and seems happy and content.

I have a few playing plants, some Monte Carlo for ground cover and Java fern

This is a low tech setup that has no CO2 & only needs a top up once a week.
I forgot to include the actual Beta. His name is Crusty....as he looks like a clown lol.

 

[airfix2]

You might be able to put a few nano fish in the 10 gallon with the betta, such as a trio of male endlers, depending on the temperament of the betta.