Little fish for little tank

After a lot of research, I got my old betta a 3-gal Eclipse. To make a long story short, he hated the current and it was stressing him out, and as a senior citizen he's got a right to be set in his ways. So I'm getting him a new 2.5gl stillwater tank, and I'm looking for some new lodgers for the filtered eclipse tank.

I really like rasboras, tetras, and cherry barbs, though I think the latter might be get to be too big for the tank. Sigh. So could I mix a couple of harlequins and tetras (neon, glolight, ember are my favorites so far)? If so, how many of each - odds or evens, etc? (Any other suggestions very welcome, too!)

Back to the betta - he's got an algae problem (which is why I tried to switch him to a filtered tank in the first place). I was thinking about getting him a ramshorn snail for a housekeeper. They look small, but would the betta's 2.5 gl tank provide enough food for it? (Note: there's a lot of algae, despite frequent water changes)

More to the point, how do you know when a snail is hungry? I've had plecos and otos before in past tanks, but never a snail, and I'm a complete newbie on invertebrates in general. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks so much!

Thanks, Melody! I've been checking out all the forums, and it looks great!

sleepyskater said:

I think a school (5) of neons would be nice in the 3 Gal

I dont know much about invertebrates but if you have an algee problem it could be from keeping the light on too much, or keeping it (the tank) in the direct sunlight.

Good luck with your tanks!

Click to expand...

Thank you! No direct sunlight (BAD for bettas), but the place he likes best IS under a lamp. I tried moving him, but he didn't like it. Unlike other bettas I've had, he likes to be in the busiest area of the house. (Plus the light does help keep him a little warmer in winter, which he appreciates.) Downside, as you say, is algae. But I understand that's more a cosmetic issue than a real problem, so if I can keep him happy where he is by getting him a snail housekeeper, it's a win-win.

cam191919 said:

least killifish. very tiny

Click to expand...

What a great idea! I'd forgotten about them. Just looked them up. Sounds like the challenge might be finding them in retail, but they'd be perfect for a little tiny tank. Are they really picky, or pretty hardy?