Is it okay for a betta to live with an algae eater?
Posted on Sep 08, 2008 under algae eater |Right now, I have 1 betta in a 2.5 gallon tank. There is always a problem with algae and its like it always grows. Yes, I keep the light on for quite a while, but it seems like now that it has already been ravaged by algae before, it dosn't take that much to make it grow again. To kinda slow the progress of this problem I was thinking about either a chemical solution to the problem, like some drops that won't harm my fish, or another fish. The thing is I don't know how betta interact with other non-betta fish. You know the algae eater fish, the ones that constantly stick to the glass or the bottom of the tank? So I wondering could it be possible to have them live together. I've had my betta for about 7 months now and I don't wanna harm him.
Bettas typically will attack just about any fish you put in with it. There are two things in your favor though. Some algae eaters are covered in a hard scale that is like armour plating, so if your Betta does pick on him, he wont hurt him.
Secondly, the algae eater has no wavy fins, or anything flashy to draw the Betta's attention, they almost always leave them alone.
I have frequently put in algae eaters with Betta's and had good results.
January 21st, 2007 at 9:22 am
yes, bettas only fight other betta fish
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i have 2 bettas at home
January 21st, 2007 at 9:31 am
In a 2.5 gallon tank I wouldn't add any other fish. Try only having the light on for 8-10 hours a day and feed a little less, the more food you feed the fish the more you feed the algae too.
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January 21st, 2007 at 9:34 am
Bettas typically will attack just about any fish you put in with it. There are two things in your favor though. Some algae eaters are covered in a hard scale that is like armour plating, so if your Betta does pick on him, he wont hurt him.
Secondly, the algae eater has no wavy fins, or anything flashy to draw the Betta's attention, they almost always leave them alone.
I have frequently put in algae eaters with Betta's and had good results.
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January 21st, 2007 at 9:40 am
Algae eaters are fairly calm and non-threatening. You might try putting a divider in the tank to start, then remove it after a while.
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January 21st, 2007 at 11:55 am
Yea
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January 21st, 2007 at 1:20 pm
not in that small of a tank. if it is filtered and heated you can get a mystery snail.
also, I wouldn't recommend the algae eater at all because they are know for attaching themselves to other fish, and bettas with long flowy fins are quite the target. while algae eaters aren't doing it to be agressive they can seriously injure the betta and even completely eat away his fins. mystery snails are fine though, as long as you have a filter. they will eat algae but they do produce waste, so a filter is needed.
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experience, I have had many fish, mostly bettas and currently have 13 bettas. I have a mystery snail in with my 8 female bettas(the other 5 are males), their tank is right by a window and they receive a full day's worth of mostly indirect sunlight. I've never had an algae problem since I got my mystery snail.