Betta tankmates?

[FinnFan]

Ok I am really waffling now, over wether or not to try and make my 5g into a sorority. I know many places say you need at least 4 total girls to make it work. While I would love to try this, I am worried about the one female who is in there now. She has such lovely color and is never stressed, and I have grown really fond of her! So if I were to put in 3 other girlies, and they kicked her butt, I would be really unhappy.

So, I'm thinking of maybe different tankmates.

Here's what I have in mind...

2 x cherry shrimp
3 x white clouds

Do you think this would work? Is this a fairly safe combination? She does not seem very aggressive. I held up a mirror and she barely flared at it, so I don't see her as bothering other peaceful fish. I am getting ready to construct some new "hiding spots" for the tank, and may also toss in some more plants (undecided on real or fake).

[fishbguy]

in a 5 gallon, i would have just the shrimp, but you could add more of them. a 5 gallon doesn't provide enough space for white clouds. I would have the one female betta, and a load of cherry shrimp, 6-8 would loove wonderful, but beware, she may eat them.

[FinnFan]

Hmm... that's kinda a bummer. I was hoping to have at least one more fish in there, along with the shrimp. I thought WCMM's were really tiny? Do I need something smaller? Endlers maybe?

I like the shrimp, and I don't *think* she'll eat them. She's pretty tiny, herself.

[fishbguy]

endler;s would work. they are small, about an inch long, but they are quite active. they'll work, but they won't be "happy"

[Kageshi17]

I would suggest upgrading to a 10g. Then you could have a small school of fish, your betta, and the shrimp!

[FinnFan]

Well, I just spent about $50 on the 5g, (bought one of those eclipse systems) so that I could have it in my bedroom, on my desk. (nothing bigger will fit.) So I've decided to try my sorority after all. But I will probably still get the shrimp Unless the girls try to eat them... then I won't get any more. Lol

As for a bigger tank... that's in the works, but for the living room!

[JustOneMore20]

You might want to try Ghost shrimp first and make sure they'll live with the bettas. Cherry shrimp are a bit more expensive than Ghosts and I would be mad if I bought Cherries and they got eaten. Would be an expensive meal IMO.

Ghost shrimp are tiny and you could get a few to start with. If they make it, you could get some Cherries.

[FinnFan]

I was thinking about that... hehe. Of course, the local fishguy was trying to be nice and get the cherries for me in a hurry because I came in a couple times looking for them... so I feel sort of bad not getting at least a couple I wasn't *trying* to rush him. I just wanted to look at the fish, so I asked about them while I was there.

I guess it's my money down the drain if she eats them!