tankmates for betta?

[SidtheMonkey]

Hi. I posted about cycling the tank with my betta, but once it is cycled, I'd like to add a few other fish.

I'm leaning towards 5-7 pygmy cories or 3 panda cories. And an otto or 2.

Any other suggestions? Are there any mid-level fish that a betta would get along with/not harass him?

I'm open to invertebrates too. I used to keep algae-eating shrimp and I see there are more varieties of shrimp available these days.

Tank: 5.5 gal, heated, power filter (AC mini), live plants.

[turtleguy146]

I have successfully kept a betta with a cory and some neon tetras; however, you may have a hard time at this point. From my experience, once a betta(i am assuming you have a male) has been in a tank alone for a while, he becomes very territorial. My betta lived peacefully with some neon tetras and a cory. The cory died and I moved the tetras, so the betta was left alone for a month or two. I later tried to introduce a couple young cories. The betta wouldn't have it. I also tried a Stiphodon goby, some bumblebee gobies, and a pair of sids. The betta was very aggressive towards all of them. My little sister had a similar problem. SHe kept a zebra danio with a male betta for a couple years without much trouble. The danio died, and the betta become aggressive to anything introduced later. In both cases the betta was introduced after the other fish.

If yours acts up, maybe you could keep the betta in a bowl for several months while you have some other fish living in your 5.5. He might not see them as invaders if they were established first.

If you have a female I don't think you will have any problems.

[SidtheMonkey]

Oh great info...and bad news.

It makes total sense about the territoriality tho.

I also considered a few kuhlis but thought they might be too active in such a small space.

Hmm. Maybe people have other suggestions for small, tough tankmates?