FRIENDS FOR BETTA

[lizwinz]

i have a 35 gallon hex tank that i am cycling right now with a few danios and would like to have a male betta in there when my tank is ready so i'm looking for ideas for good tank mates that wont nip at him, lfs is no help they actually told me tiger barbs would be fine (everywhere i look online says they are fin-nippers)
the ones i'm considering are panda cory-cats, platies,lemon tetras,rosy barbs,rainbows or swordtails (and of course the danios if i can get my little guys though the cycling) i haven't seen anything so far about these guys being nippy
if anyone knows if any of the above are not a good idea or have a suggestion for a different fish i'd appreciate the help

ps please don't think badly of me for not doing the fishless cycle this is my first tank and i bought a book and visited about.com and still didn't hear about it until i looked though your message board

 

[tabby360]

Swordtails can some times be nipppy. Used to nip my male guppy.

 

[colesea]

Danios can be nippy as well, especially with the long tail of a betta. I've got two danios that have shredded tails because they nip at each other. I don't think they'll ever not have shredded tails.

Anyway, good friends for bettas are white clouds, cories, and tetras. I would stay away from mollies/swords/platties because if you get large ones, they can be pushy.
~~Colesea

 

[koolkatzfish]

I have rummy nose tetras, cherry barbs, cories, gold barbs, red phantom tetras, yoyo loaches, chubby pl*co and 2 bristlenose catfish with mine.  Some bettas do well in with a community and some don't.  Add the betta last and it will improve the chances of him getting along, but be ready to move him if he gets grumpy.  
Most small tetras and cories are great, I would think the ruby barbs are okay, as far as I know tiger barbs are the real nippers.  My sister had a betta in with her swordtails and platies with no problems.  
Fishes can be individuals and some will be a problem when they are not supposed to be.
Don't feel too guilty for cycling with fish, at least you picked the proper fish to do it with and are not adding new fish every other day.  When some one cycles a tank with a delicate fish that makes me angry.  Now you know about fishless cycling, so when you get your next tank :
I mustn't have been around on the about, I would have reccommended the fishless cycle.

 

[Joecavi00]

If ya ask Me, don't do any small tetra's cause a pissed off male betta will tear one apart, I've seen mine swim by and rip one's stomach right open. He like then Paraded around with it. I kept a Male betta, a neon Gourami, and a Male Sword tail in a small 5 gallon tank for about ... a year with no problems... I also had 2 dwarf frogs with them too.