Betta alone or not?

[MollyFan1]

I'm soon getting a bigger tank for my mollies and cories. I will have a 10 gallon and I want to save a betta so I'd love to get a betta for my 10 gallon but are there any other fish I can put with the betta in a 10 gallon? or is the betta better off alone?

 

[bettagurl]

there are alot of things you could put with a betta in a ten gal.
what kind of fish do you like??

 

[MollyFan1]

Well I love all fish but I've had experience with mollies and cories. What are the types of fish that would get along with a Betta?

 

[TKOS]

Once the tank is mature and has some algae groowth in it then oto cats would be a good idea. Bettas rarely notice them. Otherwise a group of pygmy cories would work.

 

[jjanoch]

I wouldn't suggest any mollies, but the cories should be fine. I have a 20g with 3 cories and about 8 neon tetras. Many people won't suggest tetras and I won't argue because I know they can be nippers.

But your question of cories is fine. I would get 3-4 of them, but keep in mind that Bettas are quite lazy. Mine spends as much time resting under my rocks as he does swimming. So there have been occations where he chases off a corry from a favorite resting spot.

I would stick with the tiny fish, as they won't appear to be a threat for your betta....plus he is afterall your center piece. Don't distract from him!

 

[bettagurl]

I'll give you a few stockings

1 betta M/F
6-7 neon tetras

1 betta
6 cardinal tetras

1 betta
3-4 otto's
5-6 male endlers/wild guppies

1 betta
5 pygmy/dwarf cory cats


or...
2 snakeheads,it might be a bit tight but you could squeeze in a zebra or two also :joke:

 

[jjanoch]

I'll give you a few stockings

1 betta M/F
6-7 neon tetras

1 betta
6 cardinal tetras

Depending on the color of your Betta, I think these suggestions can look the best. My betta is the deep red (common) color and with the tetra red, and then I happen to have blue substrate. Couldn't match better if I had tried (which I didn't).

 

[dwarfgourami7]

somthing small and schooling tetra/barb

 

[bettagurl]

you cant put any kind of barb with a betta.

 

[NinjaPirate]

The stocking setups I prefer are a small group of non-neon tetras. (I personally have glowlights, see sig) and a pair of ottos. Figure on supplimental feeding or the ottos dependant on the amount of algae.

If your tank had been running a relatively decently sized stock load, you could put the ottos and the tetras in the tank right away, and give it a week or two to mini-cycle for the additional load before adding the betta. Either way, add the betta last to minimize his aggression.

As for wether or not it is better off alone, My bettas are much more active in their larger tanks if they have something to chase around. Ottos and tetras are plenty zippy enough to get away from a betta (who are generally slower swimmers) so the only problems people have is when the tetras decide to pick on the betta. Which is why I don't suggest neons, as neons are IME the nippiest of the tetra family.