Please help with stocking

[StressedOutt]

Hey, so I went to the pet store about a week ago. I initially went to buy a betta, but I was told I could house 8 little fish with my betta. I chose 3 neons and 3 danios to house with my betta. I was told 3 was fine in a group. I should have known better because people say six is the minimum. Anyway, looking at how my fish interact with each other and further research, it seems that was a mistake. The danios are quite active, which I don't mind. But sometimes one bothers my betta and I do not want to cause my fish stress. The return window is still open to return my fish, so I am looking for advice on what my best move will be.

I have a 5-gallon tank, which I want to set up and decorate to put my betta in alone. This way I can have the 10-gallon for my smaller fish. I read danios need a 20g minimum. So I don't know what to put in my 10g. I have lots of live plants and hiding spots. Should I put in 5 danios and 6 tetras, OR return the danios and only keep tetras or vice versa, OR get totally different fish? Should I get 3 fancy guppies instead? I'll just do what is best for the fish to not stress and die. Please let me know what your professional opinion is lol. And don't worry. I know about cycling and testing water parameters. I invested in the master API testing kit. Thanks for your help.

 

[3Fishnight]

I have 3 cardinal tetras in a 20 gallon. They have gotten by just fine the past.few months. Although they are more active and seem exhibit natural behaviors more when you have about 7-8 or more. Im not sure what tetras you have but 6 or more should be fine. You could prolly do 5 danios in the same 10 gallon although thats a pretty tight squeeze for a 10 gallon especially with a betta in there. Personally i would keep the tetras with the betta and move the danios. Also the danios you have are prolly the really fast ones that move constantly so i would give them more room with the 20 gallon.

 

[Fishfur]

Hey, so I went to the pet store about a week ago. I initially went to buy a betta, but I was told I could house 8 little fish with my betta. I chose 3 neons and 3 danios to house with my betta. I was told 3 was fine in a group. I should have known better because people say six is the minimum. Anyway, looking at how my fish interact with each other and further research, it seems that was a mistake. The danios are quite active, which I don't mind. But sometimes one bothers my betta and I do not want to cause my fish stress. The return window is still open to return my fish, so I am looking for advice on what my best move will be.

I have a 5-gallon tank, which I want to set up and decorate to put my betta in alone. This way I can have the 10-gallon for my smaller fish. I read danios need a 20g minimum. So I don't know what to put in my 10g. I have lots of live plants and hiding spots. Should I put in 5 danios and 6 tetras, OR return the danios and only keep tetras or vice versa, OR get totally different fish? Should I get 3 fancy guppies instead? I'll just do what is best for the fish to not stress and die. Please let me know what your professional opinion is lol. And don't worry. I know about cycling and testing water parameters. I invested in the master API testing kit. Thanks for your help.

Unless the danios are one of the very small species like the CPDs, I would not attempt to keep them in a 10G.

If these are zebra danios, they love to chase each other and I really hate to see them in any tank less than 30” long.

What species of tetra do you have?

 

[StressedOutt]

Unless the danios are one of the very small species like the CPDs, I would not attempt to keep them in a 10G.

If these are zebra danios, they love to chase each other and I really hate to see them in any tank less than 30” long.

What species of tetra do you have?

Neon tetras. Yeah, I do have Zebra Danios.. I am getting my betta's tank ready to move him. What should I do for the 10g?

I have 3 cardinal tetras in a 20 gallon. They have gotten by just fine the past.few months. Although they are more active and seem exhibit natural behaviors more when you have about 7-8 or more. Im not sure what tetras you have but 6 or more should be fine. You could prolly do 5 danios in the same 10 gallon although thats a pretty tight squeeze for a 10 gallon especially with a betta in there. Personally i would keep the tetras with the betta and move the danios. Also the danios you have are prolly the really fast ones that move constantly so i would give them more room with the 20 gallon.

A 10-gallon with 6 tetras and 5 danios?? I only have a 5-gallon and a 10-gallon, so I can't move anything else but the betta in there. Should I buy more fish or return?

 

[Fishfur]

Neon tetras. Yeah, I do have Zebra Danios.. I am getting my betta's tank ready to move him. What should I do for the 10g?


A 10-gallon with 6 tetras and 5 danios?? I only have a 5-gallon and a 10-gallon, so I can't move anything else but the betta in there. Should I buy more fish or return?

I would return the danios. You could do more neons in the 10 - the larger the group the better they like it.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

6 is seen as a bare minimum for a group of schooling aquarium fish, I wish It could convince the fish world that 8 is the bare minimum. Either way, Fish would appreciate more then minimum, but some fish need NEED more then 6.
Zebra danios are one of those fish, If you keep a small school in a small tank, they can become fin nippy and nasty to other species, In a larger and a longer tank, 30 gallons like fishfur suggested, An keep about 9 minimum, they usually only chase each other, and it is natural and perfectly fine fore them to chase each other.

A ten gallon is small and can be hard to keep stable. Neon tetra are often unstable inbred week fish, and I dont think I would recomend them for a 10 gallon. There are other small fish that can. celestial pearl danio, glowlight tetra, ember rasboras, chili rasboras...

Three guppies would have to be 3 male guppies, you do not have room for fry in a ten gallon.
I have read , that Male guppies may be mistaken for rival male beta by your beta. I have not tried testing this.

 

[StressedOutt]

I would return the danios. You could do more neons in the 10 - the larger the group the better they like it.

Okay, I will do that! So, my betta in a 5-gallon, and the tetras in the 10g? How many tetras can I safely keep, and what species is the easiest and not too sensitive? Thank you!

6 is seen as a bare minimum for a group of schooling aquarium fish, I wish It could convince the fish world that 8 is the bare minimum. Either way, Fish would appreciate more then minimum, but some fish need NEED more then 6.
Zebra danios are one of those fish, If you keep a small school in a small tank, they can become fin nippy and nasty to other species, In a larger and a longer tank, 30 gallons like fishfur suggested, An keep about 9 minimum, they usually only chase each other, and it is natural and perfectly fine fore them to chase each other.

A ten gallon is small and can be hard to keep stable. Neon tetra are often unstable inbred week fish, and I dont think I would recomend them for a 10 gallon. There are other small fish that can. celestial pearl danio, glowlight tetra, ember rasboras, chili rasboras...

Three guppies would have to be 3 male guppies, you do not have room for fry in a ten gallon.
I have read , that Male guppies may be mistaken for rival male beta by your beta. I have not tried testing this.

Okay, thanks. Yeah, I was told the betta might find the guppies as competition. I'm moving the betta soon. How many of the breads you mentioned can I have in a 10-gallon without the betta? Also, which is the easiest to take care of?

 

[Mudminnow]

Welcome to Fishlore.

My dad has a 20 gallon with some Pristella Tetras. He has hard water, and he often neglects his tank...yet these tetras thrive. In fact, they even breed occasionally. Therefore, even though I don't know which is the easiest tetra, I think Pristella Tetras have to be up there.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Okay, I will do that! So, my betta in a 5-gallon, and the tetras in the 10g? How many tetras can I safely keep, and what species is the easiest and not too sensitive? Thank you!


Okay, thanks. Yeah, I was told the betta might find the guppies as competition. I'm moving the betta soon. How many of the breads you mentioned can I have in a 10-gallon without the betta? Also, which is the easiest to take care of?

In a ten gallon tank, one type of fish is best. You may be able to keep a betta and a school of small fish such as ember tetra, but there is a risk of a betta trying to eat small fish. If you did say, 3 sparkling gourami, you could get 8 or so mid to top dwelling nano fish of one species.

 

[StressedOutt]

Welcome to Fishlore.

My dad has a 20 gallon with some Pristella Tetras. He has hard water, and he often neglects his tank...yet these tetras thrive. In fact, they even breed occasionally. Therefore, even though I don't know which is the easiest tetra, I think Pristella Tetras have to be up there.

Okay, thanks. I will look into it!

In a ten gallon tank, one type of fish is best. You may be able to keep a betta and a school of small fish such as ember tetra, but there is a risk of a betta trying to eat small fish. If you did say, 3 sparkling gourami, you could get 8 or so mid to top dwelling nano fish of one species.

Yeah, I didn't mean having all of those. I was just asking which ones out of the list is easiest lol. Thanks for your help. I will look into it. What if I get corys? I read I can have four. Maybe they'll be great for my 10g...?

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Cories are very social, 4 is not ideal, and they get too large for a ten gallon, they are sensative fish, more so than your average fish and on top of that they have to survive in the dirtiest part of the tank.
You could get 6-9 pygmy cories Corydoras pygmaeus, once your tank is very well established, AKA, cycled and running for 3-6 months. You could keep 2-3 male guppies in the tank while it is becoming established and after adding the pygmies they should all get along.

 

[StressedOutt]

Cories are very social, 4 is not ideal, and they get too large for a ten gallon, they are sensative fish, more so than your average fish and on top of that they have to survive in the dirtiest part of the tank.
You could get 6-9 pygmy cories Corydoras pygmaeus, once your tank is very well established, AKA, cycled and running for 3-6 months. You could keep 2-3 male guppies in the tank while it is becoming established and after adding the pygmies they should all get along.

Okay, thanks! I might get a 20g now. So I'll use the 10g for my betta and the 20g for other fish. I'm thinking cardinal tetras and panda corys. What do you think? Should I return the danios still? Because I think they prefer long tanks, but I am getting the regular one. Thx.

 

[Fishfur]

Personally, I think anything less than 30” long isn’t long enough for the danios. A 20G Long tank would be ok for them, as it is 30” long but shorter than the 20G high or 20 G tall.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Yes, return the danios, sorry!

 

[CryoraptorA303]

they are sensative fish, more so than your average fish

I actually find that this isn't really the case. Rarer cories and those that haven't been in the hobby for long are quite sensitive, yes, but I've found most of the common species (bronze, peppered, sterbai et al.) are fairly resistant to most diseases and can tolerate a bit of abuse once they're settled.

Cories will only really start to die off if there's a major outbreak or the tank is in serious disrepair, at least a few weeks after they've been introduced. It's not uncommon to lose numbers when adding them to a tank, especially a new setup, but the survivors are not particularly likely to end up ill and dead further along the road unless something serious happens.

However, I agree with the larger point being made. I would not attempt to keep cories in anything smaller than a 20 gallon long term, unless we're talking about pygmy-type cories. They produce a lot of waste and they need sufficient surface area to sift through.

I would also not keep them in a tank that doesn't have ground or sand substrate. Sifting through gravel damages their barbels, which as the colloquial name implies have a similar function to mammalian whiskers, so a cory with damaged or no barbels is like a cat with damaged or no whiskers.

Personally, I think anything less than 30” long isn’t long enough for the danios. A 20G Long tank would be ok for them, as it is 30” long but shorter than the 20G high or 20 G tall.

Hard agree, they are very streamlined and energetic fish. They also do best in groups that are probably too large for anything smaller than a 20g.

2-3 male guppies

No. OP, don't introduce guppies to your tank. Trust me lol

Okay, thanks! I might get a 20g now. So I'll use the 10g for my betta and the 20g for other fish. I'm thinking cardinal tetras and panda corys. What do you think? Should I return the danios still? Because I think they prefer long tanks, but I am getting the regular one. Thx.

10-12 cardinals and 6-8 pandas would do well in a 20g. Also make sure you get some live plants for it; every tank looks infinitely better when it's planted.