Acceptable betta tankmates

[hairyadam]

good info

 

[beta 1991]

Hi. I also have kept ghost shrimp with bettas, and all of my ghost shrimp were eaten by the betta.

 

[Bloo]

Out of interest, I keep 3 female bettas (and have for many months) with the following fish in a 50 US gallon planted with lots of hiding place :

Various catfish
Various loaches
Red Rainbow fish
Boesmani Rainbow fish
Sword Tails (females only)
Platies (female only)
Mollies (female only)
Bleeding Heart Tetras
Danios

No aggression. No nipped fins. One big happy family.
But I do realise this was a "risky" thing to try and I kept a very close eye on them for quite a while. But to be honest, they swim out and about with all the other fish quite happily.

I would however not take a chance to keep them with neons, guppies, killi fish or gouramis (or any other very brightly coloured fish with flowing fins).

 

[BWBettas]

ive read the whole thread and its brilliant ive gotten alot of help and tips form it so heres my question. would my Sucking Loach be able to live with my betta?

 

[danalynn]

my bettas fine in my community, my black neons have never bothered him they stay away!

Is your betta male or female and what else do you have in your community?
Thanks

I also have a male betta in a 30 gallon community tank, with a school of neons, various catfish (including plecos) and platys. Even the platys (and, previously, swordtails) are not a problem, even though they have long fins - I have a lot of plants that go all the way to the top of the tank, so everyone has a place to get away from everyone else if tension arises. My neons have never nipped anyone. I have one danio and he is a bit of a pest on occasion for the betta but, like I say, there are a lot of places to hide and I never saw him take a bite. My big mistake was sticking a female betta in the tank...they got along for about a month and a half and then she tore the !!@@ out of him the other day. Needless to say, she is now in her own tiny tank. I hope he mends soon, but time will tell...

 

[RandomWiktor]

You know what needs to go on the list of UNacceptable tank mates? Angels. Why is everyone obsessed with putting them in with bettas? Ungh.

 

[Jonz]

Corys go with Bettas

 

[mantis147]

Has anybody kept bettas with a hoplo catfish? these are great to watch constantly looking for food!! greedy little buggers!!

 

[Asmp41]

Betta's are so pretty,and from what i hear do not need tankmates.
Bala Sharks are not I repeat not aggresive but they need to swim which requires a lot of water movement. I
would not put them with a Betta as they are so fast moving the betta is bound to get wound up.
I read the Bala is a scholing fish so should not be on it's own.
I guess too for the same reason I would have said no to clown loaches who if you see at night are not peaceful and mine swim extremely fast.


I have never kept a Betta and would just love to have one at sometime but I really think perhaps unless you intend to breed one on it's own is enough for anybody.
Could you perhaps reply on what to look when buying a Betta and the link to what they need from prep the tank min size etc to keeping them or perhaps just the name of a good book . Thanks

 

[mstinawu]

I'd like to add some other fish with my male betta in his 3 gallon heated and filtered set up. What fishies would make good housemates for him?

 

[clareriley]

I'd like to add some other fish with my male betta in his 3 gallon heated and filtered set up. What fishies would make good housemates for him?

Nothing really in a tank that small.

 

[mstinawu]

I'd like to add some other fish with my male betta in his 3 gallon heated and filtered set up. What fishies would make good housemates for him?

Nothing really in a tank that small.

Someone mentioned 3 pygmy cory cats would work.. I guess it dosen't have to be other fish.. Maybe a snail or shrimp or something? I just think Spazzy is lonely in there by himself..

 

[mahdira]

Hi! I've been keeping bettas for about a year and a half, and I've tried a bunch of different tank combinations. D: Just today, I tried to put my most timid male into a 10-gallon setup with 6 Rosy Barbs and a small bullhead catfish.

*sigh* Of course, immediately, the barbs began attacking him, and then the catfish tried to eat him, so he's back in his bowl.

Previous failures include fancy goldfish, guppies, mollies, and a mystery snail (which had its antennae bitten off D. Learn from my mistakes!

 

[seb_negrete]

i've tried putting mine in with platies and cories.


lasted 5 minutes.

 

[Al Murray]

Out of interest, I keep 3 female bettas (and have for many months) with the following fish in a 50 US gallon planted with lots of hiding place :

Various catfish
Various loaches
Red Rainbow fish
Boesmani Rainbow fish
Sword Tails (females only)
Platies (female only)
Mollies (female only)
Bleeding Heart Tetras
Danios

No aggression. No nipped fins. One big happy family.
But I do realise this was a "risky" thing to try and I kept a very close eye on them for quite a while. But to be honest, they swim out and about with all the other fish quite happily.

I lost my first betta to swordtails and danios nipping him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm hoping my two synodontis nigriventris will get on ok with 1!