I am in the process of moving my male betta to a 2.5 gallon tank from
a 1 gallon tank. I would like to put 2 or 3 fish in the tank with the
betta. The 2.5 gallon tank is filtered, ph 7.0-7.2, low level
lighting - mostly ambient during the day (the tank is in the kitchen),
about 6W from a mini-fluorescent in the evening, with no CO2
injection.

1) What fish would be good to put in this tank with the male betta?
2) What, if any, plants would do well in this environment?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mitch

"mslfl" wrote in message
...
I am in the process of moving my male betta to a 2.5 gallon tank from
a 1 gallon tank. I would like to put 2 or 3 fish in the tank with the
betta. The 2.5 gallon tank is filtered, ph 7.0-7.2, low level
lighting - mostly ambient during the day (the tank is in the kitchen),
about 6W from a mini-fluorescent in the evening, with no CO2
injection.

1) What fish would be good to put in this tank with the male betta?
2) What, if any, plants would do well in this environment?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mitch



Given the size difference between your tank and mine, please bear in mind
that some of the following will not be suitable companions to your betta due
to tank size (gourami and angels, for example) and the others may not get
along with a betta anyway, without having the larger in the mix...

My tank is a 23 gallon, heavily planted (this is important IMO cos it gives
both the betta and the others hiding places within a few flicks of a fin).

It's stocked with:

Two angelfish - one will sneak up on the betta, and both will be sneaked up
upon.
Two pearl gourami - again, both will sneak up on the betta, and be sneaked
up upon.
Harlequins, cardinal neons, what appear to be dwarf flying foxes, khuli
loaches, dwarf pleco: sometimes any or all will fall under the attention of
the betta, but because of the numbers (8-10 of both harlequins and
cardinals, each!) no single individual gets picked on. They tend to leave
the betta alone.

Now, the betta enjoys seeking out the larger fish (angels, gourami) for a
bit of 'sport'. They respect him, but will also have a sneak up on him
occasionally (revenge, I suspect). I also suspect without the larger fish,
he'd be a lot more agressive toward the smaller fish - they seem to not only
hold his interest, but give him a run for his money that the smaller just
wouldn't manage.

Also, the dense planting gives both him and other fish plenty of places to
hang out where they can't be seen by other fish. Very important, imo. I've
tried a male betta in a community tank before, with much less planting it's
never worked out. He can hide away, others can hide away. Less stress all
around.

I'm not sure what I would suggest as tank mates in such a small tank, maybe
a few fast but small fish. I've never seen any of my harlequins or
cardinals nipping at the betta, but then they have a lot of other things to
be doing in the tank (like staying out of the angels way LOL). But whatever
you try, I'd stuff the tank to the gunnels with plants for refuge for all
the fish.

Velvet

Hi,

from my experiences with raising bettas, I found out that bettas are
generally peaceful in a community tank. The only precaution is to
refrain from placing any anabantoids (labryinth fish) family. These
fishes includes paradise fish and gouramis. Since they are from the
same family, the betta will view them as a threat and will flare at
them, sometimes even ended up in fights.

cheers

Vincent wrote:
refrain from placing any anabantoids (labryinth fish) family. These
fishes includes paradise fish and gouramis. Since they are from the
same family, the betta will view them as a threat and will flare at
them, sometimes even ended up in fights.

Would this apply to Betta coccina too? The lfs dude said these were
peaceful fish.


--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

Hi,

I would not recoomend other anabantoids as they tends to pick on each other.
For obvious reasons, not another male betta unless you have very very dense
vegetation in your tank. I would recommend something like tetras or other
small fishes, they live very peacefully together. Anyway, be very careful if
you have internal filter, i got too many bettas sticking its fin in the
filter and never live to tell the tale.

cheers
Vincent

"mslfl" wrote in message
...
I am in the process of moving my male betta to a 2.5 gallon tank from
a 1 gallon tank. I would like to put 2 or 3 fish in the tank with the
betta. The 2.5 gallon tank is filtered, ph 7.0-7.2, low level
lighting - mostly ambient during the day (the tank is in the kitchen),
about 6W from a mini-fluorescent in the evening, with no CO2
injection.

1) What fish would be good to put in this tank with the male betta?
2) What, if any, plants would do well in this environment?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mitch

(Victor M. Martinez) wrote in message ...
Vincent wrote:
refrain from placing any anabantoids (labryinth fish) family. These
fishes includes paradise fish and gouramis. Since they are from the
same family, the betta will view them as a threat and will flare at
them, sometimes even ended up in fights.

Would this apply to Betta coccina too? The lfs dude said these were
peaceful fish.


Hi,

I dun have much experiences with betta coccina, i used to have 4 of
them and they are relatively peaceful and docile. They leave all the
other fishes alone. But they are very very shy.

Vincent wrote:
I dun have much experiences with betta coccina, i used to have 4 of
them and they are relatively peaceful and docile. They leave all the
other fishes alone. But they are very very shy.

They are indeed! For the first week or so I thought the fish had died. He
lives between the leaves of a large amazon sword, near one of the heaters.
He is becoming less shy, sometimes swimming out into the open.

--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv