# Betta companion/scavenger help



## rallykid (Nov 21, 2008)

I currently have my Betta in a 1 1/2 gallon filtered tank and was thinking of adding a scavenger to help keep things a little cleaner. 

A Pleco would be too big and Kuhlii loaches need to be kept in multiples so that would be overstocking the tank. 

I had also considered a couple of small Oto's but I know they can be fragile and I don't have live plants in the tank. Any suggestions for something that would help keep the tank a little cleaner, is small and isn't a huge bio load?


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

In a tank that size technically the betta is all the bioload you should have. But if you really want to have a small algae eater the oto is the only one small enough. It would also be not big enough to have two of them as they would not have enough to support them. You will still have to supplement their feeding with algae wafers occasionally in that size tank but they are your only option. The only next bet would be a larger tank with a couple of cories but they are not really algae eaters, they are carnivores like the betta is. But there are some very small plecos that will go in smaller tanks but not nearly the size that you are working with now. My pleco is very small after 2 years and does very well in a 12 gallon tank. But the smallest one I had was a Clown Pleco, he never got more than 3 inches in size even full grown. But they would both still need more than you have for room.

One thing about scavengers, they may clean algae but they usually carry a HIGH bioload and can be really heavy poopers. 

One thing that might work for you but will be a high waste producer is a snail. It would be fine in that size tank but will demand more frequent gravel maintenance. Since you do not have live plants you would not need to worry about the plant population with the snail. I would go with one Nerita snail or such. Do not make the mistake of getting just any type or you may be overrun with them. An Apple or Mystery snail is fine too if you only get one, but some snails can multiply with a single snail so do not buy any without investigating them first.


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## rallykid (Nov 21, 2008)

Thank you. It looks like maybe I will just move him to a bigger tank with a little better filtration and some friends or step up my cleaning on his current tank to twice as often as I had originally scheduled.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Otos have a 2 per 5 gallon limit for capacity and bigger than the 10 gallon size I would recommend a small pleco like a Clown. But remember that any scavenger will get lazy if you feed them overmuch. They get the "welfare syndrome" ... why work if you can get the food hand delivered? LOL


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## fishfinder (Aug 31, 2008)

I keep the waste down in my betta tank by having little plastic 'ice cubes' -- colored irregularly shaped plastic cubes. The waste slips below them in between cleanings, and so he doesn't kick up his poops while swimming around. That plus a little filter, plants and a small heater do the trick. I keep my betta, a dwarf chain loach and a small furcatus rainbowfish in 1.8 gallons. A bigger tank is better, though.


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

I'm not sure if the betta would eat them, but ghost shrimp wouldn't overstock your tank. I would have recommennded cory cats, but they need to be kept in groups and would essentially get overstocked.


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## Fishboydanny1 (Jun 13, 2008)

I'd go with a single oto catfish. cheap, eats algea (like a pleco) and stays small! I need a few for my planted tank....


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You could also go with 5 or 6 amano shrimp, they are big enough that the betta probably won't hurt them.


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## Watertiger (Dec 4, 2008)

rallykid said:


> Thank you. It looks like maybe I will just move him to a bigger tank with a little better filtration and some friends or step up my cleaning on his current tank to twice as often as I had originally scheduled.


I keep my Male Crowntail Betta in a 5 gallon Eclipse system with an Apple Snail (mystery Snail) and three White Clouds minnows - odd mix, I know, but it works!! This tank has virtually no algae, the water quality is excellent and everyone is happy/healthy. I just make sure to vacuum the bottom for detritis regularly and keep the wammonia in check.


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