Betta in community tank

[fiddlerdiehl]

I'm trying to do a very simple five gallon tank with one male betta and five neon tetras.  It is starting to look like I had in mind, but feeding is a problem.  The betta is overeating and the tetras don't look like they're getting much food.  So far I've just tried flake food and sinking pellets.  Is there a simple solution or is this just not a good combination of fish?  

Has anyone else had problems with betta in community tanks?

[Zulaab]

Re: Betta in community tank

A long time ago in a different country I had Neon Tetra's and I found it impossible for them not go find food..  they eat the little bit of food that makes it down to them.  If you want to make sure they get to eat a little each day, crush up some of the flake food and as a little powder let it sink down.  They will catch it and eat it.

[myjohnson]

Re: Betta in community tank

In addition to what Zulaab recommended, you can also try feeding them at two ends of the tank.  Normal food for the betta and crushed up flakes for the others.  Best of luck and keep us updated.

[finfan]

Re: Betta in community tank

i am not sure how long you have had this tank, but in addition to what zu and johnson said, once the neon's get comfortable/confident in their surrounding, they will come up and compete with betta, i've had the exact same set up before and it worked fine, but it took the neons some time to get comfortable, make sure to give them one or two things to hide behind (driftwood, real or fake plants) and they will get confident faster

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Betta in community tank

Bettas usualy prefer live food or frozen, floating food - feed the tetras some sinking flake food after you run it through a colinder or fine sieve. Or purchase some crumbles

[fiddlerdiehl]

Re: Betta in community tank

Thanks for the advice.  The past few days I've been feeding the tank with hikari betta pellets in one hand and sinking crumbles in the other.  Keep the betta occupied feeding one pellet at a time and put the crumbles on the other side of the tank.  Works just fine.  Thanks for the advice!

-D

[myjohnson]

Re: Betta in community tank

Nice, it works! Can you post any pictures of your 5g set-up?

[Aquagirl]

Re: Betta in community tank

I once had a betta in my fish tank. I had no problem with it eating to much and the other fish getting to little but mabe the tiny tetras feel shy around the much larger betta or the betta is just hoging all the food.

[txfatcat]

Re: Betta in community tank

We put my sons betta in with his community in a 45 hex. He would not eat the Betta food and preferred flakes.  He thinks he is in paradise now that hes not in a 1 gallon anymore.