betta buddy

[Dandre]

I have a male betta in a 10 gallon with 3 ghost shrimp and I want to get him a friend. What non schooling fish would be happy with him.

 

[littletankbigworld]

I cannot think of any fish that do not school that would work with a betta. Most of the fish I would suggest do school. I think your male is fine in a tank with no "buddies."

 

[Dandre]

I dont think that's the case cause when I had a goldfish with him his fins didn't look old and tattered and now his fins look just that.

 

[AndiH]

Try plants and decorations in there with him

 

[Newman]

plants decor, caves all the things that will activate him. make sure there are lots of floating objects like driftwood or plants in his tank as well. then place a mirror next to his tank a few times a week for a few hours to keep him entertained.

 

[OrangeCones]

I dont think that's the case cause when I had a goldfish with him his fins didn't look old and tattered and now his fins look just that.

What are the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

 

[Dandre]

Its all zero nitrates 20.

 

[Newman]

get your nitrates lower. if they are 20ppm after one week than you know that your weekly water change works. if theyre less after one week then thats even better

 

[littletankbigworld]

Goldfish should not be kept with bettas. Although goldfish are not "schooling fish," they need the company of other goldfish because they are very social.
His fins might be tattered from poor water quality, boredom, or too strong of a filter.

 

[OrangeCones]

And the water needs to be heated, still no answer on that question.

 

[Dandre]

Its heated.

 

[hayer]

you could try a pleco or a weather loach. i have heard that weather loaches need to be kept in groups, but i had one for a couple years by himself and he was fine. they do get kind of big(not sure on just how big. mine got to be about6", but i have heard bigger), so you will need another place to put him when he gets too big.

 

[littletankbigworld]

I wouldn't recommend a pleco or a weather loach. Plecos need at least 55 gallons of water and loaches need a very large tank, too. It's not a good idea to buy giant fish and make them live in a cramped space until they "get too big." Please do not add a pleco or loaches.

 

[Dandre]

i have a heater but theres no need to use it. The average temperature this time of year is 83-89°. Today it was 89 degrees outside and 83 degrees inside my house.

 

[lauraf]

Dandre, do you have a thermometer inside the tank to monitor the temp?
You really should have a heater, and you can get one that self-adjusts so that if it gets a bit colder at night, the heater kicks in to keep the water temp steady, and also for the times of the year it gets colder where you are.
Keep in mind that fish are coldblooded animals - they can't self-adjust their own internal temperatures like humans and other warmblooded mammals can. A couple of degrees in fluctuation can mean life or death for them, paticularly when they are in a small tank environment - and by 'small' I don't mean the size of the tank - any tank is 'small' compared to the natural lakes and streams these fish were genetically adapted for.

 

[littletankbigworld]

Dandre, it is in the 80's during the day at my house, too. At night, it's in the 70's. You need a heater for you fish or else it will lie on the bottom and look very sick. A temperature change from 80 degrees to 70 degrees can be deadly. Like Lauraf said, even the change of 2 or 3 degrees could be lethal.