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What other types of fish should I add to my 10 gallon freshwater aquarium?
Momof1 asked:
I have a 10 gallon freshwater aquarium. I currently have a male betta and a female balloon molly. I started with 3 balloon mollies and then after the tank was fully cycled I added the betta, who killed off 2 of the 3 mollies. He seems to be fine with the one surviving molly (who is quite aggressive herself) They have been living together peacefully for 2 weeks now. I would like to add a few more fish, but I don’t want to overcrowd. I have tried numerous ghost shrimp but they die very quickly and I cannot find any other type of shrimp in the local pet stores. Does anyone have any recommendations? I don’t want to take the betta out of the tank.
I have a 10 gallon freshwater aquarium. I currently have a male betta and a female balloon molly. I started with 3 balloon mollies and then after the tank was fully cycled I added the betta, who killed off 2 of the 3 mollies. He seems to be fine with the one surviving molly (who is quite aggressive herself) They have been living together peacefully for 2 weeks now. I would like to add a few more fish, but I don’t want to overcrowd. I have tried numerous ghost shrimp but they die very quickly and I cannot find any other type of shrimp in the local pet stores. Does anyone have any recommendations? I don’t want to take the betta out of the tank.
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19. October 2008 at 2:16 am :
Consider a divider. They’re about $10 at pet stores. You could give the Betta about 1/3 of the tank, and get more Mollies or platys.
If the Molly is super agressive, you probably won’t have any luck keeping any other fish anyway.
20. October 2008 at 7:11 pm :
Here are some types of fish that would be suitable with a betta:
- white cloud minnow
- tetras
- danios
- livebearers *except mollies, which benefit from brackish water
I wouldn’t put a betta in with fancy guppies, as it might confuse them with another betta.
- rasboras
As far as tankmate bottom feeders go, plecos, loaches or catfish are suitable. Corydoras (cory cats) are a common favorite. Remember, though, that cory cats need at least 3 together to be truly happy. I enjoy Khuli loaches, although they are sometimes hard to care for. There’s also a black Khuli loach, by the way.
Non-fish inhabitants are often looked at as tankmates. Are these a good idea? Well, almost any betta is going to eventually destroy shrimp or snails in its tank. A snail which is large enough could be safe, but the betta will usually grab a snail and shake it from its shell so it can eat it. Some bettas might be less aggressive, but is it worth the risk?
African Dwarf Frogs are another suitable choice IF you are careful that they get proper food. They are fine in an aquarium, but note that they’re bottom feeders. Be very careful that you do not select the African CLAWED Frog! Here’s a good ADF link I highly recommend reading if you consider the ADF as a tankmate.
The bottom line is that the best tankmate depends on the temperment of your betta. It may get along fine with one type fish, but another person’s won’t. Keep an eye on tankmates and be prepared to seperate if there are trouble signs (fish who are injured, stressed, hiding, chasing or harassing, etc).
If you’re playing with dangerous combinations you may think things appear fine, but one day you may wake up to a nasty surprise such as dead tankmates. “Everything was just fine, until he started attacking.” Some combinations just weren’t meant to be! Respect that even if things appear fine at first, and as always, just keep an eye out for troubles with your tankmates.
Don’t get me wrong - I don’t mean to scare you away from tankmates. Bettas can be just fine as community fish. You just have to remember a few guidelines to make it successful for both you and the fish. Good luck with it!
23. October 2008 at 10:41 am :
a giant crazed parahna, jk
I think you should get a goldfish large enough to survive the beta
25. October 2008 at 12:07 pm :
I recommend some type of catfish or shark… Just keep an eye on the fishies
26. October 2008 at 1:24 am :
I once had a betta in a community tank and he was so shy I named him Chicken$#!+…
Get some guppies since both mollies and guppies are live breeders, meaning they give live birth instead of laying eggs. If your beta continues to be agressive you can get a separater that you can hang at the edge of the tank. You’ll need a special separater for the pregnant females to have their young in so they don’t get eaten by the other fish as they’re born.
Edit: Note that live breeders and egg layers shouldn’t be kept together in a community tank. Corey catfish are the exception. They just lay on the bottom and help keep algae growth to a minimum.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
28. October 2008 at 8:54 am :
I have Silver Hatchetfish, Pristella Tetras, Black Neon Tetras, Serpae Tetras, and Sterbai Cory Cats along with my male Betta. Your Betta sounds more aggressive than mine, though, so I wouldn’t go for the Black Neons or the Pristellas. The Silver Hatchetfish can hold their own and they look cool so look into them. The Serpae Tetras can also have a bit of an attitude sometimes, so look into those, too. They’re also red and add a little bit of color to your tank. Good luck!!
28. October 2008 at 2:43 pm :
get some tetras
29. October 2008 at 2:13 am :
dont forget that u can only add 2 fish per month to a fishtank, try to keep them the same size so they dont eat each other, consider an angelfish, or something that looks cute 2 u:)
never put goldfish and other kinds of fish in the same tank, they need different kinds of food and care
31. October 2008 at 5:21 am :
some cory catfish. get 2 or 3 . they are happier in groups.
they will clean the bottom and are really cool .
they come in many colors and are pretty hardy.
do you have a heater?
they need one.
hope this helps
3. November 2008 at 2:52 pm :
I am working with Bettas as well and I have 6 Zebra Danios and a freshwater snail. Sorry to heat about your mollies. The main rule you need to know about Bettas is that they should be the last fish to add in as they are territorial. Don’t get me wrong Bettas are great as showcase fish but in order for them to co-exist with others, you need to add them last. If I can help out further in any way, email me.