First time fish owner needs help with betta?

Question

i have a 5.5 gallon tank and a male betta, is there another fish i can add that is good with the size and wont fight with the betta?

Answer 1

Really in that small of a tank, the betta should probably stay alone. However, if you ever choose to upgrade your tank to a larger size, then any fish with a placid personality and NO flashy/long fins and that can survive in a tropical tank that the betta requires will be fine with the betta, provided that your betta isn't one of the more aggressive ones. I've successfully kept some male bettas in community tanks (separate, one male in each tank), but I've also had some that are too aggressive to be with other fish at all. So really, it depends.\

**EDIT in response to a post below

As far as mirrored surfaces, they are a good idea, but be sure not to leave the surface in front of the tank for more than... Oh, I'd say an hour a day at most. That will provide excercise and stimulation, without tiring him out. They will fight their reflection until they're too tired to function, and that's really not good for them. So Yes, mirrored surface, but not for an extended period of time.

Answer 2

a 5g is too small for any schooling fish such as Rasboras and Tetras, they need atleast 10g to properly school together happily. You could try a few small types of corydoras such as Panda's or Dwarf Corys.

Answer 3

For that size tank maybe some shrimp and and african dwarf frog. If you upgrade the tank, you can have platies, mollies, cory catfish, and loaches..........

Answer 4

You can but stay away from live bearers as they have huge bioloads. Maybe a small school (3) of danios, rosaboras, or the smaller tetras. This would be pushing it though no more fish after these!

Answer 5

Not really in that small of a tank.  A single male betta usually does fine in a tropical community tank.  (platys, mollies, tetras, guppys, etc.)

Occasionally they'll be ok with females too... but make sure there are more females than males.

Generally it's best if bettas are kept alone.

Answer 6

they prefer to be alone really. if you cant get mirrored background to tape to the sides of the tank they will definately stay occupied LOL. they will fight themselves with no harm done. that small of a tank its best to not add any other fish. but bettas can get along with non aggressive fish such as mollys

Answer 7

get a bigger tank and u can allow more fish. but i would suggest things like shrimp or crabs, something small. with a small tank u can't put high waste fish in there unless u want 2 clean extremely often. if u want u can also get atleast 2 female bettas.

Answer 8

no sorry not really anything but snails, make sure you have a heater though or snails will die and bettas do betta in warm water evan though moste people dont heat the tank MAYBE if you had a 20 gal you could get something like a bristle nose catfish but really i wouldnt..sometimes people get away with it, i wouldnt want such a big tank with 1 fish in it anyways.