Betta Fish Compatibility

[Alm0stAwesome]

Well im not ready for co2 by a long shot!

 

[OldMan47]

Let me weigh in here. If any fish does not do my betta splendens any harm, I consider that fish acceptable for my B splendens. My bettas almost never cause any problem with their tank mates but can easily become victims if I am not careful. I think that any betta tank mate must prove itself peaceful enough to warrant being allowed to live with my bettas. The reverse is almost never an issue.

 

[lilacamy931]

couldnt see on the list, apologies if so, Normani Lampeyes Killis are great with bettas, when I tried with my various ones they all seemed to work

 

[Salam]

Hi guys, I really hope someone can help me here. Before getting my betta I studied this list and decided to take home four harlequin rasboras with him last Saturday. Everything was fine and they got on very well.
As the harlequins like to have bigger groups I decided to add some more to the shoal, so I got another four from the pet shop today. At first all seemed fine, the harlequins straight moved around as a group and the newbies were welcomed to the existing group.
Well, tonight I was watching them and suddenly my betta chased them and he caught one of them Needles to say, that little harlequin died. I straight fetched a bowl and saved the other harlequins and thankfully I was able to put them into another tank. But I feel quite sad. I thought I was doing the right thing giving my betta some tankmates so he wouldn't be lonely.
I have a theory in my head, but don't know if it is true. Could the betta have felt intimidated by the sudden higher number of harlequins? He was fine with the other four the whole of last week. He is actually a very laid back guy. I really don't know what to do now. Leave him on his own or add something else from the list with the risk of another death.

 

[danele]

From what ive read when having tank mates with a betta, the betta should be the last in the tank.
You could take the betta out and rearrange your tank, add the harlequin and then the betta!

 

[Salam]

This is what I also read somewhere, but when I got the betta and the first set of harlequins last week I asked the LFS owner if I should get the betta last, but he told me it would be fine and to just put them all in together. Really confused.

 

[danele]

This is what I also read somewhere, but when I got the betta and the first set of harlequins last week I asked the LFS owner if I should get the betta last, but he told me it would be fine and to just put them all in together. Really confused.

Thats because it was the bettas new home, for all he knew the harlequins was already there. Now the betta knows it's his property!

 

[Salam]

Oh yes, makes sense. As I said, the first lot was happy with him. Probably should have straight got a bigger shoal from the beginning, lesson learnt. So the new ones were the intruders.

Ok, just thinking it through - I could take the betta out tomorrow and put him in a big bowl for the day. Rearrange the tank a little. Return the harlequins into the tank. After a few hours put the betta back in. Would that really work? Don't want another little fella to be eaten

 

[danele]

Yep. Glad i could help.

 

[Salam]

It worked! Took Barry out this morning and left him in a big bowl. Did a water change which was due anyway, scrubbed it all, moved some things around and then put the harlequins back. Left them on their own for a few hours while keeping an eye on Barry. When I released him back into the tank he wasn't even bothered about them. Am keeping a close eye on them, but all seems to be good again. Happy, happy, happy

 

[Judgejudy]

I do not know if this is true but ive heard that they also live well with golden barbs 30 gallons and about 5 of them.

 

[OldMan47]

Golden barbs are a bit more aggressive than fish I would keep with a nice Betta splendens. The betta is simply not up to that level of aggression in most cases.

 

[isadorala]

Great list thread
Thanks for putting all that effort in.

If I were to get any shrimp, do they go first just like the other fish? Or can I do that at a later time?
And am I right that killifish and betta's won't mix?

Now to dream about which fish to add before I get my betta

 

[Fishy friend2]

Killifish are a bit too colorful to be good tankmates with bettas as bettas show aggression towards other, active. Colorful fish. Shrimp should be added first aswell. Bettas still might see them as a slight threat, which is weird because they eat them sometimes. . Who would find a threat on something they consume

 

[OldMan47]

Killifish are too broad a category for judging IMO. I have seen annual killies from South America that were very brilliant in color and more subdued native killies, here in the US, that would not trigger any response at all from a betta. The spectrum is just too wide to give a general rule about them.