A couple questions about my new set up?

[califjewls]

Hi there all you Betta lovers! I am new and just found your forum today..hurray!

I set up my Eclipse Hex 5 gallon tank today for my new Betta "Sushi". I am going to add a couple other fish into the tank.

My question is, if I have Sushi and 2-3 smaller fish (compatible but I cant remember their name), in a month when the tank has cycled and I add a catfish and a algae eater, do I calculate them in the total number of fish? I am trying to figure out exactly how many fish I can have safely in a 5 gallon tank? I dont want to overcrowd.

Thanks for any advice!
Julie :-)

[BettaLu&Meg]

first heres a compatibilty chart to find the name of that fish! lol [Registered users only can see links. ]
Now a 5 gallon tank is nice but you don't want to over crowd them. For healthy bettas to live without over crowding is for each betta/fish is 2 gallons of water. you don't want to exceed that to much if not at all, because your greating the risk of poor water quality and increasing the chance for getting sick/disease in your fish. if you were going to put fish enough to make it look like a community tank i would recommend neon tetra, being that there small and travel in schools. but there size are leaving them pron to fatal bites by your betta.

[califjewls]

Thanks for the info BettaLu&Meg! :-)

[BettaLu&Meg]

no problem. i breed and know a thing or two about these lil guys, let me know if i can help in any other questions you have!

[califjewls]

Ok I found a picture of the 2 fish I am going to add, they are dwarf platy's, they are about 1 1/4 inches at my local fish store. The fish experts said they get along fine, but I will watch them closely! :-)

[BettaLu&Meg]

THats definitly a good idea, just because they say they can co-exist doesn't mean your betta in paticular can/and will! Good luck!

[FishMomma]

You have to be careful when buying the "dwarf" platies at Petsma*t. I've read where some of their stores are trying to pass off regular platies as dwarfs. If they are orange in body with the black tail, that is a sunburst platy and not the dwarf. They can grow up to 2-3 inches and have a 10 gallon tank requirement. If they are truly a dwarf then, they should be okay but I'm not sure I'd add too many other fish. Also, platies are livebearing fish so be careful to not have a female and male in the same tank or you might end up with lots of babies! Platies are usually compatibile with Bettas but like BettaLu&Meg said, do watch the tank carefully to make sure that everyone is getting along. Here is a website that has some general info on platies: [Registered users only can see links. ].

On the Catfish, just be careful that the ones you get will remain small. Some catfish can go up to 18+'' in length! Here is a website that has some good info on catfish: [Registered users only can see links. ].

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!