Tank Family

I want to do a ten gallon tank with one Betta, 2 platty, 2 cory catfish, few ghost shrimps. Is that too much? please let me know, thank you.

 

There are a few problems with that aquarium. Firstly, you need minimum 6 corydoras to a aquarium, but a 10 gallon is too small for that. Corydoras are a schooling species and need the school to feel safe and comfortable. You could do the betta and platys, but you just need to watch that the betta doesn't get nipped by the platys.

 

thank you for your feedback. Also, if there were to be no corydoras, are ghost shrimps okay?

 

I would definitely keep the betta alone. Bettas get really stressed out by any other fish (and some won't even tolerate shrimp or snails). I'd either skip the betta or just do a betta tank. A betta alone in a 10g would be a very happy fish!

 

thank you for your suggestion. If I wanted to do a community tank with a betta, what size tank would you suggest me going for?

 

I disagree that bettas are stressed with other fish. But a 10 doesn’t give you much room to work. In a 10 I recommend snails and large shrimp.

If you went to a 20 long, you could add 6-8 corys with no problem.

I don’t like the platy idea although I like platys. The males can get aggressive.

 

I personally would never suggest doing a betta community tank, since the presence of other fish can significantly increase their stress levels and even if they don't attack their tankmates, can increase their vulnerability to disease. While some betta community tanks succeed, others can fail without warning -- each betta is ultimately an individual, but you're much safer just keeping them alone.

If you're absolutely sure you want to do a betta community tank, I would go no more than one betta in a 55g with other fish. But even that I don't recommend -- you'd have a much happier betta alone in a 10g than a community betta in a 55g.

But ultimately it's your decision! I'm only here to offer advice and I respect whatever you choose to do

 

From what I’ve read a betta with ember tetras would be good. They are pretty small and stay that way. Not sure if 6 of the ember tetras and a betta would be cutting it close to maxing your tank though. A 20 gal would give you more room. I have a 30 gal and I am working toward having an ember tetra school, with a betta and albino Cory cats. Should look pretty nice I hope!

 

Most people would recommend at least a 20 gallon for a community tank with a betta. In my experience you would likely be fine with 20 gallon but you would want to have a back up plan just in case your betta is very aggressive.

 

Speaking from experience, I kept my betta in an 8.5g. I've experimented with amano shrimp, guppies, and snails -- some of the most peaceful species out there. He was fine with the amanos for three weeks, then suddenly killed all of them within 24 hours. As soon as I introduced the guppies (in a bag), he became incredibly agitated and attempted to attack them through the bag. I did not add the guppies and purchased a 5g tank for them instead. Now he tries to knock the nerite snails off the wall.

The problem with bettas in community tanks is their unpredictability. They can go from fine to raging mad overnight. There's no way to be certain that you have a safe situation for sure.

 

You can have a bunch of bettas in a 55 with other fish. I totally disagree that they aren't community fish. In a proper size tank they can be happy and healthy. In a 20 a betta with cories or loaches. In a 30 a betta with cories or loaches and a school of slow swimming dull colored fish. The options go up from there.

 

Thank you all for the inputs. I'm still new to this so all this great advice really helps me figuring out what I wanted to do.

 

I would really disagree with this. I know someone that kept 5 bettas together in a 55g -- four were sisters. They were perfectly ok for six months, and then overnight, two were killed and a third was badly injured.

You are welcome to try them as community fish, but there's no guarantee of success. If you're going for the wild types, they do MUCH better as community fish, but betta splendens are much more unpredictable.

Again, I'm only stating my opinion based on informed experience. Others have had success with them as community fish. I haven't, and neither have the people in my betta circle. But I wish you success either way

 

Good luck on your school of fish. Hope everything works out good for you.

 

I have 2 males and 13 female bettas together in a 75 with other fish. Its been up and running for 2 years and 4 months now. Quite successfully i may add. Its an amazing setup all the fish have bred very little chasing its just so cool to watch. Thats my experience with them but what would i know.

 

I have limited experience mixing bettas but for 4 months my betta has lived peacefully with 6 sterbia corys, 2 Mystery snails and 2 nerite snails.

I hope I don’t experience what Aegnis did. In that case I would get another betta.

 

I'm glad that tank is working for you! That's probably the most success I've heard of.

I'm really not trying to be a betta nazi. All I'm trying to say is that my experience with betta communities has only lead to heartbreak. I just don't want to put another fish owner through that if possible. But if it works out, fantastic! I just can't personally recommend it based on my experience.

At the end of the day, we're all just offering our opinions based on our own experience and the observed experience of others. Discussing ideas is how we figure out what works and what doesn't, and it's ultimately up to each person to decide how they want to raise their fish. I personally choose to do so conservatively because I've made too many poor decisions because I wasn't satisfied with what I had. And I happen to have an aggressive male betta.

I'm really glad you guys have functioning betta communities. I wish mine worked, and I wish my friends who had betta communities that crashed had some of that experience. Unfortunately we all ended up with dead fish. But I love my betta and wouldn't trade him for a more peaceful fish. Seeing him happy now that he's alone is a great feeling.

I've said my piece here, so I'll step out for now. Best of luck to everyone with their tanks

 

and may I ask what size tank is yours?

 

A 20 gallon long.

I don’t like the short tank but members on fishlore recommended it, and it has worked.

They said a short tank so the betta could easily reach the surface for air.

If I was going to do it again, I would go with a 29, 20 gallon long, just taller. And add a school on the top.

 

I know tanks like yours are beautifully successful. My first two bettas (males) share a 40 gallon tank with minnows and danios. They did occasionally object to the danios but all in all very peaceful tank. My last Betta was against everything and everyone! The only companion I could get for him was an apple snail.
But you’re right, many many larger tanks have happy communities with bettas. Good luck.