Good tankmates for betta fish?

[Messonaldo]

I have a 10 gallon tank and plan on getting a betta by would like some tankmates.I'd specifically like fish that are compatible with the betta but also don't require a group to thrive.Also some species of schooling fish would be much appreciated!

 

[Byron]

I have a 10 gallon tank and plan on getting a betta by would like some tankmates.I'd specifically like fish that are compatible with the betta but also don't require a group to thrive.Also some species of schooling fish would be much appreciated!

I would forget this plan. Betta (assuming a male) are not true community tank fish. First, depending upon the temperament of the individual Betta, he may take a dislike to other fish; this often happens with colourful fish--before I learned this lesson, my Betta easily ate neon tetra. Second, smaller shoaling fish have teeth, and they often become "playful" in nipping flowing fins of sedate fish. Aside fro this, even if they do not physically do it but only "think" it, the Betta will be stressed. And fish do communicate by pheromones and allomones, so this is relevant.

Byron.

 

[DrRob]

Yeah, sadly I'm with Byron on this one, they're not sociable creatures particularly and are generally best kept in their own company unless you've got a group of females or are actively breeding them.

 

[NickAu]

Hi

Your Betta will be fine with tank mates or it wont the type and color of the tank mates is not relevant even Malaysian Trumpet snails are not safe.

 

[Tyler_Fishman]

Hi

Your Betta will be fine with tank mates or it wont the type and color of the tank mates is not relevant even Malaysian Trumpet snails are not safe.

How are trunpet snails not safe?

 

[Tyler_Fishman]

To anwer your question. Their is very little you can put in your 10 gallon, I would recommend pygmy corydoras, or shrimp. Other then that I would say is not appropriate for a 10 gal, or just would not end well with a betta

 

[NickAu]

How are trunpet snails not safe?

Hi

Watch this.

 

[Tyler_Fishman]

Hi

Watch this.

My bettas never even touched my trumpet snails, or shrimp, its one of thoes things you have to condone or teach bettas to do.

 

[NickAu]

I have had a male who happily lived with shrimp and I have had a male that killed a BN pleco and would even attack my fingers when I put them in the tank.

 

[Tyler_Fishman]

I have had a male who happily lived with shrimp and I have had a male that killed a BN pleco and would even attack my fingers when I put them in the tank.

Ive never delt with fish that aggresive in nature and ive owned well over 20 bettas,

 

[Essjay]

I got a woodlouse into the tank with my last betta. (The tank had silk plants then and I took them into the garden to scrub the algae off the leaves, which is how the woodlouse got in there).
The betta spotted the woodlouse and went frantic, attacking it. He lost interest when the woodlouse sank to the bottom of the tank and lay there on its back totally still. When I got the net to remove it, it came back to life and between the betta chasing it and the woodlouse rushing round the tank to escape both the betta and the net it took ages to catch it.
If he did that to a woodlouse, I imagine that if I'd put shrimps in with him they wouldn't have lasted very long.


But he did ignore the nerite snail.

 

[NickAu]

Try a bit of garden worm they go nuts over it.

 

[Tyler_Fishman]

Try a bit of garden worm they go nuts over it.

Thats what I feed them sometimes they go nuts

 

[Hoopla]

I'm pretty sure it depends on the tempermant of your fish what he will be able to live with. In a 10 gallon, I would just recommend having fun planting the tank and making lots of cool hiding places for your betta instead of worrying about tank mates. My betta is in a 29 gallon community tank that he does well in with the other fish, but this is because of the extra space he has. If you really wanted tank mates you could try out ghost shrimp.. except that brings up some more problems as your betta could decide he wants to attack them (mine doesn't but it's all about the individual). I also had a problem where the pet store sold me the wrong kind of shrimp and I had to take everything out of my tank to catch the false ghost shrimp before they attacked my fish. If you would ever think about upgrading to a bigger tank, ive had good luck with my Cory cats, rummy nose tetras, and rubberlip pleco