Siamese Fighting Fish - tank mates?

[Saxon]

Hoping to get SFF tomorrow. I've had the tank set up for a couple weeks now and 9 neon tetras in for about a week and a half (neons belonged to my brother). I got the tank as I have my heart set on a SFF but I'm a bit concerned about putting him in with the neons, really don't want the little guys eaten.

Everyone seems to have a different opinion on this, anyone got experience adding the SFF after the neons? Does it stop them from getting territorial? Tank is 12litres, I have doubts that its going to be big enough for all of them (tank was a gift).

 

[JenJ]

The 12 litres is a little small for a SFF, but it would probably be ok. However 12 litres is way too small for 12 neons.

Though there are lots of factors to take into account when stocking, there a vague rule of thumb for fish under 3 inches long that there should be 1 gallon per inch of adult fish. That means for 9 neons you should be looking at about 18 gallons - this is about 70 litres!

Can you get a bigger tank for your neons? Then use the 12 litre for your SFF? As for tankmates, for the SFF, a couple of shrimp would be suitable.

 

[Saxon]

I'm hoping my brother will take the neons back and put them in their old tank and have the SFF in the 12L tank, don't really want more than 1 tank as I'm temporarily staying at my parents and don't want to push my luck!

Thanks

 

[Pie's mum]

I had neons with Ferdinand, my fighting fish. He got on fine with a variety of tank mates (I forget what exactly - it was a good few years ago now). If you have a good aquatics shop near you they should be able to advise which fish go well together - and what size tank they need. Good luck if you get a SFF - mine was a lovely fish, actually interacted a bit (as much as a fish can lol).

 

[GinaB]

I had mine in with neon cardinals, they were grand as the SFF kept to the top of the tank, whereas they shoaled in the middle and bottom.

Prior to that, he had been in a much bigger set up which included neons, glass catfish and red line torpedoes. He seemed stressed in the bigger set up and settled much better with the cardinals.

 

[Saxon]

Thanks for the relies.
Well, I didn't get to buy the SFF at weekend as didn't get chance but I have kept four of the neons and the rest have gone back to my brothers. I'm going to get them somewhere they can hide should the SFF harass them at first and I'll get him a little hidey hole of his own, hoping to see him build a bubble nest!

I've heard that they interact more than other fish so looking forward to seeing what he does.

 

[s4sugar]

12 litres is still too small for the 4 neons even before you add a fighter.

 

[catxx]

S4sugar is correct, a 12L is far too small for Neons. They really do best in at least 70 litres in a group of at least 6.

If you kept them in the 12L and eventually did add a Betta, the Betta would probably end up being fin nipped to pieces by the frustrated and cramped up Neons!

 

[Saxon]

I don't want them stressed! Will speak to my brother about taking the rest of neons back. I'm a bit concerned because I think the shop advised him on which tank to get, bro has fish but has a large community tank and no SFFs. I had a feeling it was too small but being a bit of a newbie to tropical fish, you tend to listen to the 'experts', seems its not just the horseworld that has that problem!

Will not get the SFF until the neons have gone, thanks for warning me.

 

[catxx]

Every aspect of animal ownership has its problems!

Sadly I would say about 95% of advice you get in an aquatic shop/pet shop needs to be taken with a pinch of salt and your own research is needed! Practical Fishkeeping magazine did a cold-call research pretending to be a complete newbie to see who gave out correct Goldfish care advice - NO shops called did!

I am an author on this site:
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/

 

[nsequestrian]

We had a mixture of others with out SFF; the guy in the aquatics place suggested to stay away from other tropical fish with long wavey fins, so we did and he got on perfectly with our others in our big tank

 

[Mynstrel]

Just to put a cat among the pigeons (or fighter among the neons) we had a pair of SFF with a small loach in a 15l tank & although I was dubious about whether it'd be ok they were happy enough that they bred and we're now bringing up the next generation. I think providing you don't go silly with how many fish you have & you have the proper filtration & good water conditions you can get away with a smaller tank.

Although having said all that my big tank is far far easier to look after!