Two’s company? Cardinal tetras tank/tankmates

there,

I have some wild form cherry shrimp (about 50), a spiky marsh snail and lots of ramshorn snails in a 14g planted tank (pictured). I bought a betta on the weekend as I have a soft spot for them and my last one recently passed, but also on impulse I bought two lone cardinal tetras who were by themselves and looking all forlorn. They are now in my 14g and everyone is getting on fine so far.

I’ve since ordered four more cardinal friends for the tetras online. Can I possibly keep them in a group of 6 in this tank with the betta+shrimp+snails or will they/betta be miserable unless I move them to a bigger tank (and possibly get them some more friends)?

I realise the shrimp population may decline faster the more tetras are added…

But will the cardinals suffer also from not having a longer tank to do laps in? And from being in a group of only 6?

 

If your betta is getting along well with the two that are already in there, I doubt adding 4 more will bother him much. I don't think you'll have any issues with their activity levels either, I've always found cardinals to be on the calmer side as far as tetras go. Never really had them darting around or doing laps, even when they had more than enough space to do so. A group of six is just fine - of course a group of 20 or 30 would be ideal, but most people aren't able provide the space for something like that.

 

. . . I realise the shrimp population may decline faster the more tetras are added…

That's possible, but probably not much. The betta, on the other hand, may reduce the population significantly.

 

Thanks for the input!
I had a betta in a 20gal with a bristlenose and shrimps, and they propagated to crazy levels - I sold a couple of hundred then have moved the rest into this smaller tank. There is less space to cover/hide and you’re right, the cardinals just seem to hover about but the betta is constantly roving around all the plants like he’s stalking and looking I think for baby shrimp.. he is ignoring the big ones so far and they don’t hide from him or the tetras which is good I guess? I don’t want the shrimp to be scared and I also quite like being able to sell them here and there.

I also have a 30 gal planted with 12 harlequin rasboras, eight kuhli loaches and two bristlenose (pictured). Would the 6 cardinals be happier in there without making it feel too overcrowded? I was going to add half a dozen dwarf flame gouramis but wondering if they will all feel too cramped.

I also now have a mostly empty 20gal which I am running just to get the remaining hiding shrimp out and *probably* going to dismantle…for now… I would love to have a female betta sorority in there one day.

But it is also an option for the cardinals if they will be miserable with just 6.

Ehhh what to do…

 

Thanks for the input!
I had a betta in a 20gal with a bristlenose and shrimps, and they propagated to crazy levels - I sold a couple of hundred then have moved the rest into this smaller tank. There is less space to cover/hide and you’re right, the cardinals just seem to hover about but the betta is constantly roving around all the plants like he’s stalking and looking I think for baby shrimp.. he is ignoring the big ones so far and they don’t hide from him or the tetras which is good I guess? I don’t want the shrimp to be scared and I also quite like being able to sell them here and there.

I also have a 30 gal planted with 12 harlequin rasboras, eight kuhli loaches and two bristlenose (pictured). Would the 6 cardinals be happier in there without making it feel too overcrowded? I was going to add half a dozen dwarf flame gouramis but wondering if they will all feel too cramped.

I also now have a mostly empty 20gal which I am running just to get the remaining hiding shrimp out and *probably* going to dismantle…for now… I would love to have a female betta sorority in there one day.

But it is also an option for the cardinals if they will be miserable with just 6.

Ehhh what to do…

I think I am following correctly. If you aren’t totally set on the dwarf gourami I would suggest honey gourami instead they are very peaceful. You could then maybe put the cardinals (and get more) in the 20 and do one dwarf gourami? If you think your betta is bored then you could maybe put a small tetra like embers or a small rasboras even in with it?

 

I think the betta will be perfectly happy without the cardinals, he just ignores them completely but I think the stimulation of the shrimp is good for him and haven’t physically seen him get any of them yet (though the babies will be hiding out the back and he is always lurking back there)…

Do you think 6 cardinals would be okay in the 30 gal with the rasboras and kuhlis and bristlenose or is that too many fish?
Oh

I think I am following correctly. If you aren’t totally set on the dwarf gourami I would suggest honey gourami instead they are very peaceful. You could then maybe put the cardinals (and get more) in the 20 and do one dwarf gourami? If you think your betta is bored then you could maybe put a small tetra like embers or a small rasboras even in with it?

Oh I see what you mean, put the honeys in with the rasboras in the 30 and cardinals into the 20. I was kind of set on something brighter for the 30 just for aesthetics… but the flames will be too aggro with that many rasboras you reckon?

 

I think the betta will be perfectly happy without the cardinals, he just ignores them completely but I think the stimulation of the shrimp is good for him and haven’t physically seen him get any of them yet (though the babies will be hiding out the back and he is always lurking back there)…

Do you think 6 cardinals would be okay in the 30 gal with the rasboras and kuhlis and bristlenose or is that too many fish?
Oh

Oh I see what you mean, put the honeys in with the rasboras in the 30 and cardinals into the 20. I was kind of set on something brighter for the 30 just for aesthetics… but the flames will be too aggro with that many rasboras you reckon?

I think the dwarfs will be aggressive with one another.