Need a playmate for my betta..

babysteps

babysteps

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Feb 15, 2009
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Ok, so my betta needs a playmate (or playmateS). He just seems really bored (can fish be bored? lol). I guess what I'm saying is I want something that's gonna stimulate him and maybe get him moving around the tank a bit more.

Tank is a 2.5 gal hex with fake plants and a undergravel filter. Since the tank is very small, I know I'm limited as to what I can put in there with him so I need some ideas.

I have tried shrimp (ghost shrimp) with him before and he pestered them non stop, so I don't think I should try that again.

I originally had him in my community tank, but I have a lot of male guppies, and needless to say he fin nipped pretty badly. So no guppies either.

What options does that leave me?
 
unfortunatly, a 2.5 gallon leaves you basically no options except perhaps a small snail. Upgrade to a 10 gallon or more and then you can start thinking other fish as tank mates.
 
how can u find a small snail they all grow right? cept a mts and youd never see it
 
I would love to put him in a bigger tank, and have tried a couple times already. But unfortunately, every time I do, it stresses him out bad. He seems most comfortable in the tank he's in now and I would rather not stress him out again considering he is getting pretty old already. If that means no playmates, then I guess that's that. I would rather him be bored, than stressed to death.
 
And I am not a fan of snails. They are pests to me lol. Hence the reason all my tanks are fake/silk plants. I don't want any hitchikers! lol
 
Bettas don't enjoy really the company of other fish. They just tend to ignore them, or get spooked by them. To achieve the purpose you want I'd just try to keep water quality good, improve diet,etc.
 
Some bettas do fine in community tanks but they have to be fairly large so the betta can cruise in his own terretory, away from other fish.
 
I have a trick for you that may allow you to do a more stress free upgrade.

First, the new tank needs to have a divider that is movable. You want to set up one side of the divider so that it is EXACTLY the same as his current tank. Then just began to slowly move the divider an inch or so a week, until it is moved all the way over. You can add one new piece of decor at a time as you go.

I would not add even a snail to a 2.5 with a betta. Personally I won't keep a betta in anything less than 5 gals. However, I don't think bettas are REALLY all that solitary. I know someone that has 4 males in a 75 gal tank (with other fish) and they do not fight, in fact they sleep wrapped around each other. My daughter has a crowntail in her community tank, and she has long fin danios and male guppies in there. We have never had any aggression issues.

Kristina
 
Thanks Kristina. I think I may give that a try. He seemed way more active when he was in my community tank but due to aggression issues I had to take him out and ever since he gets stressed in anything bigger than his current 2.5.
I will let ya know how the transition goes. Thinking of upgrading him to a 10 if I can.
 
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