Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping => General Fishkeeping Chat => Topic started by: evan47 on October 27, 2014, 07:24:21 PM

Title: betta tank mates.
Post by: evan47 on October 27, 2014, 07:24:21 PM
i am looking for stocking ideas for a well planted 30 litre nano cube.
the obvious choice is a betta, but as 30 litres is more than ample for a betta i am thinking of suitable tank mates.
water ph is 6.5 so this will limit things a little.
i was thinking of a few galaxy rasboras and some red cherry shrimp or similar, or, failing that, maybe forget the betta and just have a shrimp/nano fish set up.
any suggestions?
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: Sue on October 27, 2014, 07:43:43 PM
It is all down to the temperament of the betta. A laid back one would be OK with those tank mates - galaxy rasboras are not known for being fin nippers. But an aggressive one would make a meal of the shrimps, and could well attack the galaxies. You might do better with the larger amano shrimps, but a very aggressive betta would have a go at those as well.


I find that my bettas have all accepted snails without trouble. I'm not sure about apple snails (if you can get any, import of them has been banned by the EU) as they come out of their shells quite a way and are more easy to pick at, but nerites are fine with all but the psychopathic bettas.
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: brian c on October 28, 2014, 03:45:17 AM
mts snails are cool but small.if you want a cool looking snail that can be quite funny at times look up mystery snail.they also come in different colors *yay*
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: Sue on October 28, 2014, 12:49:56 PM
We have a problem in the UK with mystery snails, also known as apple snails. Because they were found wild in one river in Spain (a hot country) the EU* has banned the import of these snails into any EU country, including places like Finland where I doubt they would survive a winter. They wouldn't survive a UK winter either.
We can still buy them if a shop has any left, and any home bred ones are OK too. But they have all but disappeared from sale.


*EU = European Union for those Americans reading this  ;)
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: brian c on October 28, 2014, 08:45:45 PM
hey sue,this is a common mistake.the mystery snail and the apple snail are different snails.the apple snail's scientific name is Pomacea canaliculata,while the mystery's snail scientific name is Pomacea Bridgesii.dont worry about it a lot of people think they are the same snail but when someone tells you that they are the same snail you can prove them otherwise.your welcome :)
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: ColinB on October 29, 2014, 08:51:02 AM
While on the subject of 'invasive snails'.... here's a few quotes (and their sources). I actually think it's right to ban the movement of snails if at all possible.

Rice-growers in the Ebro Delta on southern Catalonia's Mediterranean coast have reported losing up to half of their crops since the island apple snail (Pomacea insularum) was first seen in 2009. The worst-affected fields have 12 snails per square metre, with each snail capable of eating the roots of up to 15 rice plants each day.(source (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/19/spanish-farmers-fight-invasive-snail))

A flatworm that overwhelms snails in a ‘gang attack’ and has caused many extinctions when introduced to other parts of the world has now arrived in Europe. Urgent action is necessary to save wild British snails – the UK government should close the borders to pot plants,” he said. It is extremely difficult to detect eggs and small bugs in pots, which can be devastating when introduced to alien environments, wreaking havoc on gardens, forests, farmland and ecosystems by upsetting the balance of nature.(source (http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/new-guinea-flatworm-foreign-worm-that-could-wipe-out-britains-snails-arrives-in-europe-via-potted-plant-imports-9211140.html))

South Florida is battling a growing infestation of the giant African land snail. The snail is considered one of the most destructive invasive species, feeding voraciously on more than 500 plant species. They can also eat through plaster walls, which provides the calcium content they need for their shells.(source (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22155219))
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: Resa on October 29, 2014, 09:01:31 AM
 :yikes:
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: Sue on October 29, 2014, 01:39:17 PM
hey sue,this is a common mistake.the mystery snail and the apple snail are different snails.the apple snail's scientific name is Pomacea canaliculata,while the mystery's snail scientific name is Pomacea Bridgesii.dont worry about it a lot of people think they are the same snail but when someone tells you that they are the same snail you can prove them otherwise.your welcome :)

From applesnail.net -

Quote
Apple snails are tropical and sub-tropical freshwater snails from the family Ampullariidae (sometimes referred to as Pilidae). The Ampullariidae are divided in several genera. The genera Asolene, Felipponea, Marisa, and Pomacea are the New World genera (South America, Central America, the West Indies and the Southern U.S.A.), while the genera Afropomus, Lanistes and Saulea are found in Africa. The genus Pila is native in both Africa and Asia.

Quote
if you bought your animal from a pet shop, you probably have a Pomacea diffusa apple snail or a snail from the Pomacea canaliculata - insularum group. 

Quote
Pomacea diffusa.............(description of snail) .........Pomacea bridgesii is not known to be available in the aquarium trade.


The term apple snails covers all species of Pomacea, not just brigs and canas.

The most common snails sold in the UK as apple snails is 'brigs' (though they are really P diffusa). I have bought several over the years and always checked to make sure they were brigs and not canas. The term mystery snail is not used over here. We call both brigs and canas apple snails.



The EU has banned imports of all snails in the Pomacea genus. The snail found in the Ebro delta in Spain was P insularum. This snail and P canaliculata (hard to distinguish) were banned by Spain in August 2011, then the whole genus was banned a couple of months later. The EU wide ban on imports of all Pomacea snails came in November 2012.
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: brian c on October 30, 2014, 08:11:34 PM
oh yeah apple snail,com i haven't been on there since i lost my user name and password.well...more like forgot them.
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: biffster on October 31, 2014, 10:20:32 AM
i dont keep shrimp with Betta  they
make a tasty meal for them
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: brian c on November 01, 2014, 11:42:58 PM
luckily the betta that i have now does not like shrimp.
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: brian c on November 01, 2014, 11:51:41 PM
oh yeah i forgot to say this but a common tank mate for bettas are cories.mostly because they have armor,like a knight in the mid evil times sent to rescue a princess in a tower from a dragon.;)
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: biffster on November 02, 2014, 12:02:17 AM
there is not many Betta's that can resist a
shrimp dinner mine used to love them my other half
used to breed Betta's corydoras is a good idea so are khuli loaches
most plecs i would say be ok
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: brian c on November 02, 2014, 06:10:15 PM
yeah any fish with armor are good tank mates for them.
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: biffster on November 02, 2014, 07:03:45 PM
bettas there not as bad as people make
out we kept them in community tanks
for years with no problems except for the shrimp
and guppy fry
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: brian c on November 02, 2014, 11:15:44 PM
yeah their misunderstood.i wish that people could be put in jail for not taking care of a fish.
Title: Re: betta tank mates.
Post by: biffster on November 03, 2014, 10:07:31 AM
i agree mr c