snaggle Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I am looking for tank mates for bettas mostly clean up type fish. Right now I am leaning towards Corydoras pygmaeus, Corydoras elegans, Otocinclus afinis and red cherry shrimp. I want to have one or two options since this is for my pet store and I don't have much experience with bettas. I am going to create a betta section in my store since I have found out that bettas are a popular fish in this town I want to sell a kit 2.5 to 5 gallons and have small fish that will mix well with bettas. I have a couple small tetras in mind and maybe some killies since they all stay small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slough Shark Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 The Otos, Dwarf Cories, and Shrimp are great choices, I can't really think of anything else, maybe Dwarf Catfish if you can get your hands on some. No loaches are appropriate for tanks that small. Sounds like a good idea, I think you'll sell lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Bettas will chase and eat any cherry shrimp they can catch. Thankfully, shrimp are generally faster than bettas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 It has not come up yet, so I will mention it. Most people like bettas because they require no filtration/aeration and are ok at room temperature. In my experience SA catfish and plecos do not do well with low O2 content. You are probably on top of this, but I thought I would mention it. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottomdweller_fan Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 The cory cats are a good idea. The otos do best in planted tanks so if the person does not want to deal with plants, they are not the best choice. The tetras and killies are not necessarily a good idea because of their long fins and colors. Either the betta will attack them or, if they are fin nippers, they will harass the betta. As Kevin said, you are probably on top of this, but the idea that bettas like low 02 and room temperature is not correct. They are a tropical fish that like typical tropical fish temps (i.e. 25 C) and although they do not like a lot of water movement, do better with some aeration. I also agree with Slough Shark that there are no loaches that would be suitable. (A quick suggestion - since a lot of people who go for bettas are often first-time fishkeepers - would be to create a small pamphlet on the proper care of bettas ) Good luck. With the beautiful, healthy bettas I know you will have you are going to sell lots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I would suggest the small plecos too. I keep a Moto Grosso pleco in each of my 2 gal hex tanks with the betta. It helps keep the algae under control and they eat the pellets the betta misses. I'd imagine the queen arabesques would be just as good and very pretty. Some filtration and aeration is a good idea too. The hex tanks I have are undergravel filter run by a small pump. Water changes are a snap and I clean out the UG every 3-4 months. As a trial , in one tank I put in a 2 inch BN pleco to grow out a bit before putting it into one of my larger tanks, to my surprise , it has hardly grown in the last year. It still has the white baby tip on it's tail. I'm moving him out, although it looks healthy and spry, I hope it does eventually grow out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaggle Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I am going to offer a small heater and sponge filter with the tanks. I am working on making a betta care sheet to give out with every betta that I sell. I will post it on here once it is complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilwolfe Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Awesome idea setting up kits. Makes it way easier if you are a customer getting into bettas. My personal choice is otocinclus, but I also love my planted tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigA Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Everything sounds like it's going good. Good luck with it. As far as a bottom dweller for small tanks, I would go with one of the dwarf synodontis from Lake Tanganyika.Synodontis lucipinnis is the one I would reccommend. Stays small 3" and is very outgoing especially in groups of 3 or more. Also as it is from a rift lake it adapts very easily to the hard water that we have here and even breeds readily in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaggle Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 I will have to keep an eye out for those cat fish on my fish lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
African_Fever Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Syno. lucipinnis are NOT a good choice for small tanks. Minimum I'd recommend them in for life is probably a 30"x12" footprint, and at least 3. Great cats, but would be too active I would think for bettas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 I agree with Kyle, and will add this ..... IME S. lucipinnis will also take advantage of slower moving species by feeding on their slime coat. I've seen this a number of times over the years, including just recently with the juvie chocolate cichlid in the pic below. While the catfish might enjoy this, the hosts never seem overly thrilled with the experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaggle Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 So I am back to just the SA fish for now. Are there any other small fish that can go in a 2.5-3 gallon tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigA Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Syno. lucipinnis are NOT a good choice for small tanks. Minimum I'd recommend them in for life is probably a 30"x12" footprint, and at least 3. Great cats, but would be too active I would think for bettas. I agree with Kyle, and will add this ..... IME S. lucipinnis will also take advantage of slower moving species by feeding on their slime coat. I've seen this a number of times over the years, including just recently with the juvie chocolate cichlid in the pic below. While the catfish might enjoy this, the hosts never seem overly thrilled with the experience. Sorry, I should have clarified my post or read the topic a bit more thouroughly. :bang1: I was suggesting S. lucipinnis as a good small cat in a general comunnity setting. Not meaning to put them with a betta. As far as cat's that are betta compatible, oto's and cory's are very excellent choices. I would also recommend the South American Bumblebee Catfish. It has a max size of about 2". Loves to eat leftover food. 1 word of warning however. Although it has a small mouth it will eat any fry that it can fit into it. Wouldn't be good in a breeding tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottomdweller_fan Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 To add a something to what BigA said, just make sure that the bumblebee catfish you get is Microglanis iheringi as there are a number of other catfish named SA Bumblebee or Asian Bumblebee that get 6" to 8" in length and will eat fish up to 3" in length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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