Feeding Neons and White Clouds

M

maryalice81403

AC Members
Oct 2, 2006
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Salinas, CA
I just put 6 White Clouds and 6 Neons in a cycled 12 gal Eclipse Tank. Keeping them in there alone for a few weeks until I add my betta who hopefully will not eat them. (moving the betta up from a 3 gal). I am hoping that by putting the other fish in before the betta he won't be so territorial and aggressive towards them since he is moving in with them instead of the other way around.

The guy at the LFS told me to feed them New Life Spectrum Small Fish Formula. Just a pinch. Is that enough for 12 fish? I threw a pinch in and they all just hung out at the bottom, scurried around and caught a few pieces as they sunk but it didn't look to me like they got very much food. Is this normal? I am used to my betta who dances around as soon as I approach and gobbles up his Hikari gold pellets as fast as I put them in the tank.

Is this the right food and amount to give them? Do they always just eat from the bottom or middle of tank or should they be going to the top if hungry? Once I put the betta in with them do I feed them and the betta at the same time?

Sorry for all the questions but these are my first fish other than the betta and I want to make sure I take care of them properly.


Thanks,
MaryAlice
 
just a pinch is fine. they'll learn that the only time they get food is when you feed them, and soon enough they'll hustle and eat before everything falls down. when you put the betta in there, he will hunt food off of the bottom. one pinch a day is enough for now, if in the future they eat all of the first pinch ireally quickly, then you can put in another and see if they can finish that. pay close attention to your water quality when the betta goes in there, you will have a heavy fishload for just 12g.
 
I would be more concerned that the betta may get picked on in that small of a tank and that many other fish. White clouds will get to be 1 1/2 times bigger than a neon, so quite large in a 12 gallon tank. And they aren't shy fish. Those fins on a betta are quite tasety looking.
 
Neons and White Clouds Are Nippers???

TKOS said:
I would be more concerned that the betta may get picked on in that small of a tank and that many other fish. White clouds will get to be 1 1/2 times bigger than a neon, so quite large in a 12 gallon tank. And they aren't shy fish. Those fins on a betta are quite tasety looking.
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Great....I was told by some on this board and others that both Neons and
White Clouds were peaceful and could be successfully integrated with the betta. I specifically asked the guy at the LFS and told him I wanted to make sure that if there was anyone eaten it would be the Neon or White Clouds and not the Betta since I am already attached to the betta. I also read on Dr. Foster and Smith that both of these kind of fish were peaceful. Now what? I don't want the Betta to get hurt! What can you put in with a Betta that won't hurt him and he won't hurt?
 
maryalice81403 said:
Great....I was told by some on this board and others that both Neons and
White Clouds were peaceful and could be successfully integrated with the betta. I specifically asked the guy at the LFS and told him I wanted to make sure that if there was anyone eaten it would be the Neon or White Clouds and not the Betta since I am already attached to the betta. I also read on Dr. Foster and Smith that both of these kind of fish were peaceful. Now what? I don't want the Betta to get hurt! What can you put in with a Betta that won't hurt him and he won't hurt?
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I came across the same question - I heard the Bettas ate Neons and that small fast fish might pick on the slow betta. I've decided to hold off on the betta for now, and get a dwarf gourami instead. I'm later going to get a 5g setup for the Betta and put him in another room I spend a lot of time in, so I can spread the tanks around the house.

Also a nice thing about the Dwarf Gourami is they are considered to grow to 2", where as Bettas are considered to grow to 2.5 - 3".
 
i don't think that the issue is the neons "pick on" the bettas, but that the neons think that the fins on a betta look like food. that's what i have been told. you could try it and see how it works out. just keep an eye on the betta and see how it goes. if you see any nipping going on then remove the betta. you could get a small aquarium (5gl) later if you needed to. then again i'm not an expert.
 
i just have to say that every time i see the title of this thread, i think, Feeding neons and white clouds - to what?
 
I have kept 5 white clouds in a 10 gallon with a betta with no problem. teh betta would sometimes chase the white cliuds and they would chase him in a pack. But that was 5 in a heavily planted 10 gallon. You have 12 fish of that size so I can't say for sure. Things could go well or they could go to hell. White clouds do get large as they age (they are tiny when sold but easily top out at way larger than a neon and can be very brazen.

As was mentioned, give it a try and see how it goes. But if possible be ready to move the betta to his own house.
 
wataugachicken said:
i just have to say that every time i see the title of this thread, i think, Feeding neons and white clouds - to what?
Click to expand...

i'm glad you said it, cuz i thought the same thing!
 
I Guess I Will Probably Be Buying Another Tank

I started out with 1 bettas in a 1 gal. container at home and then inherited another one from a coworker who was leaving, it was also in a 1 gal. container. Then I moved my home betta up to a 2 gal. and he seemed to like it so when the work betta got sick I brought him home and felt bad for him so I moved home betta up to an new 3 gal and work betta (now at home) to the old 2 gal.

Then I decided if the home betta liked the 3 gal he would love a 12 gal with some friends. The plan is to move him to the 12 gal. (now housing the 6 neons and 6 white clouds) and move work betta into the 3 gal. I thought everyone would be happy. Especially me to have them settled and in bigger tanks. I am now dreading moving him into the 12 gal because I think somebody is going to get hurt. Plus, I wanted the 12 gal for home betta (he is top priority!) but now I have the other ones in there and home betta will probably have to get put back in the 3 gal until I get another tank and work betta stays in 2 gal. :sad: Hope hubby understands when I tell him I need yet another 12 gal tank! :argue:
 
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