Suggestions for 10 gal tank w/ betta

[reignman40]

I am new to the hobby and currently saving up for all I need to get a 55 gall started.

However in the meantime I just inherited a Betta from a co-worker as she only has this tiny little tank and doesn't like to clean the water. This tank is tiny with no filtration. I do a 100% water change once a week. (Had him for going on 2 weeks now) I am getting my hands on a 10 gall tank to set up next week and was looking for some suggestions.

First of all should I go with Live plants or fake?

What sort of filtration do you recommend? (I've heard bettas don't like strong currents that some filters can create)

Also right now the Betta's diet consists of just the TetraMin Tropical Granules I was given when I inherited him. Any recommendations on other foods I could suppliment with so I'm not always feeding him the same thing?

Lastly I was looking for some fish to put in the 10 gall with him that would coexist well. (Also fish that are small as I don't really want to have to upgrade this tank.)

Thanks everyone for the help. I'm hoping with Bio-Spira I can get the new tank cycled quickly and not have to leave this poor guy in this tiny tank for much longer.

Curtis

 

[WinterWind]

For filtration, you can use a filter designed for a 10 gallon, since bettas don't like too much current. Most of the time, however, it is best to use a filter that is one size larger than the designated size. I think an aquaclear mini would do a good job of filtering a 10 gallon that isn't heavily stocked.

As for other fish, you might want to look at pgmy cories. They like to be in groups, and are small and active. The African dwarf frog is not a fish, but a lot of people like to keep ADF's with bettas. They are cute and entertaining. You can find an excellent article on them, written by Leopardess, in the Articles forum.

Since fish like variety in their diets, you could try feeding frozen foods. I feed my betta flakes, frozen blood worms, and frozen brine shrimp. It rarely eats the prepared foods, but it goes after the frozen food very quickly. Bloods worms are very healthy as well.

Fake plants are easier to keep them live plants, as cleaning them is just a matter of running them under water and scrubbing them. Live plants need nutrients, trace elements, sufficient lighting, and CO2 to survive. You can do a mixture. Get attractice fake plants, and mix with hardy live plants, such as java fern and anubias. They are satisfied easily with low lighting levels, and can live without extra nutrients added into the water, and you don't have to worry about CO2 since they both are low light plants.

Good luck with the betta! Keep us updated.

 

[sky.eyes.woman]

Why not try some white clouds or glowlite tetras with the betta? Bettas will also get along nicely with ADF's and neon tetras, after the tank is cycled. Stick with smaller short-finned fish that will not nip the betta's fins and you'll be so money.

 

[led_zeppelin]

well if you want some cheap tankkmates do what i did and get like 5 feeder guppy's. You probly heard bettas dont go with guppys, but the feeder ones have less color. I got mine accidently with my feeder goldfish and figured what the heck and stuck it in with my betta and they get along fine, and after about 2 weeks that little guppy has gone from plain silver to silver orange and blue. And for 13 cents a piece you can definately save a few bucks.

 

[firefly]

I ran the smallest biowheel on my 10g with a betta, and he did fine. I had some apple snails in as tankmates (but you've got to make sure the betta won't eat their tentacles or siphons...). I've also housed adfs with bettas, and white clouds do very well with bettas. And, I love cory catfish, and they are good too. Just make sure you get a pygmy variety. (pandas are my favorite!). Obviously, you can't do all of this, but will have to pick and choose. Here are a couple of different options:

Betta
1 brig apple snail (in any color you like--they have lots, purple, blue, gold, ivory...)
5 pygmy cories

or

Betta
5 white clouds
2 adf

or
Betta
1 snail
3 adf

or
Betta
5 white cloud
3 cories

Basically any small and peaceful schooler should do well with the betta.
There are other set-up options, you just don't want to go too overboard, and you need to make sure you are diligent about tank maintenance in a smaller tank.
As for plants, I like live myself, but if the 10g doesn't have flourescent lights it might be tricky. YOu coudl buy some compact flourescent (screw in type) and that woudl help. The one live plant I've had luck with in any set-up is the banana plant. I put the 'banana' bunch about halfway in the gravel (it grows roots out of that into the gravel), and let the leaves grow up to the top. This always happens very quickly in my 10g tanks! You can also mix the live and fake plants. I'd make sure there are some plants for hiding, and maybe another type of decor with some hiding spots too.

Emily

 

[pjfish]

For fake plants, please use silk plants, not plastic. I used some soft plastic plants and the betta's fins got torn. Not too bad and melafix took care of it, but I felt real bad.