What fish with a Betta?

[littlefishies]

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to have another type of fish in the same tank as my Betta?
He is in a 10 gal. tank.

Thanks!

 

[FalconStorm]

Sure you can. Cory catfish get along with bettas, as do African Dwarf Frogs...just be sure not to get african clawed frogs. Snails get along with them too. Try to avoid any tetras or long finned fish, as well as anything remotely aggressive. Generally, any non-aggressive bottom dweller will be fine with a betta.

 

[littlefishies]

Thanks so much for the reply.

My Betta used to share his tank with another Betta ( seperated of course ) but a couple of weeks ago I lost him. Don't know why....he was always a happy little thing. He went off his food and started to mope...was like this for over a week then he suddenly passed away.
So now the one left has the whole tank to himself. Would love to have some company for him.

Should I just put one cory etc. in with him or a couple. Or maybe just one frog?

Thanks again!

 

[Booboo puppy]

Corys should be kept in groups. I don't remember the minimum number, but I would say at least three or four. I think I've read that six is recommended.

 

[Saucy]

Eh, I have one in my tank and he's just fine. Of course, it's in my sorority...

And again, what's the big deal with people wanting to have something with a betta?! I just don't get it.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

because a betta in a 10 gallon by himself is boring, trust me i know

id go with a bunch of kuhli loaches, i have 7 in my 10 with my betta although i have sand and never see them

 

[Karah's_Mommy]

Be careful putting snails in with bettas. Sometimes they will bite off their feelers and other parts. I have a large apple snail in with most of mine. I had to remove the snail that was in with Mr. Meanie Pants cause he kept trying to bite off his feelers and wouldn't give him a moment's peace.

 

[FalconStorm]

Some bettas are okay with snails, though. I have a snail in with one of my bettas and he has REALLY long feelers. The betta ignores him completely. So, keep an eye on them, but if the betta is pretty peace loving, it should be okay.

For cories, I think three is supposed to be the minimum. Three cories with a betta in a ten gallon should be good. Happy cories are pretty active, so they'll add interest to the tank and get along with the betta. If you can find pygmy cories, you could put even more in there. They're really cute when they're schooling, running all over each other and playing.

 

[sarahw20000]

Not meaning to hijack your thread but is there anything other than snails or shrimp that i could put with a betta in a 2.5 gal filtered tank?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Not meaning to hijack your thread but is there anything other than snails or shrimp that i could put with a betta in a 2.5 gal filtered tank?

[snapback]852708[/snapback]​

Nope, a 2.5gal tank is too small for any other fish im sorry to say.

As to other betta companions, bettas personalitys vary a huge amount- some are fine to a certain extent with various other fish but some simply don't tolerate other fish at all whatever they are. When i bought my betta i bought 2 apple snails to go with him and he imediatly started to attack them, so be prepared to have another tank ready if your betta turns on his companions as its unlikely he will stop.

 

[SRC]

what's the big deal with people wanting to have something with a betta?! I just don't get it.

[snapback]847761[/snapback]​

You don't get it? You don't get that we suggest that you don't put them in with other fish..so that there isn't a chance that the betta will attack and kill the other fish?

Not exactly "fair" for whatever you put in there if you think about it.

How would you feel if your mom decided she wanted a pet tiger...and since there wasn't a spsare bedroom...that it was gonna sleep in YOUR room. Hopefully it would be nice and not eat you...but you just never know with wild things how they will feel when they wake up in teh morning.

You stick another fish in with a betta and for a month, a year, 2 years..they get along fabulous...but one day that fish you stuck in there went too far on the bettas side...or maybe the betta built a bubble nest and that fish wanted to look at it and disturbed it...and the betta gets his knickers twisted....and guess what you have...a maimed or dead fish when you look in again.

Personally I don't see why you would want to gamble with the life of a creature..just because YOU think the betta is bored or lonely. It's a human emotion you are giving a fish that doesn't express it like you try to make it out. We as humans, look to our pets to express the same emotions..on the same levels..as we express them..and they just don't. Yes, they do get lonely, and they get sad, and they get angry...but the next day they will have gotten over it. They have to. That's how things work in nature for them. If not....they wouldn't survive long.

Somehow I doubt wild bettas go looking for "companionship" out in the wild...when they don't even do that in growout tanks...why do you think they have to seperate them?

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

what's the big deal with people wanting to have something with a betta?!  I just don't get it.

[snapback]847761[/snapback]​

You don't get it? You don't get that we suggest that you don't put them in with other fish..so that there isn't a chance that the betta will attack and kill the other fish?

Not exactly "fair" for whatever you put in there if you think about it.

How would you feel if your mom decided she wanted a pet tiger...and since there wasn't a spsare bedroom...that it was gonna sleep in YOUR room. Hopefully it would be nice and not eat you...but you just never know with wild things how they will feel when they wake up in teh morning.

You stick another fish in with a betta and for a month, a year, 2 years..they get along fabulous...but one day that fish you stuck in there went too far on the bettas side...or maybe the betta built a bubble nest and that fish wanted to look at it and disturbed it...and the betta gets his knickers twisted....and guess what you have...a maimed or dead fish when you look in again.

Personally I don't see why you would want to gamble with the life of a creature..just because YOU think the betta is bored or lonely. It's a human emotion you are giving a fish that doesn't express it like you try to make it out. We as humans, look to our pets to express the same emotions..on the same levels..as we express them..and they just don't. Yes, they do get lonely, and they get sad, and they get angry...but the next day they will have gotten over it. They have to. That's how things work in nature for them. If not....they wouldn't survive long.

Somehow I doubt wild bettas go looking for "companionship" out in the wild...when they don't even do that in growout tanks...why do you think they have to seperate them?

[snapback]852766[/snapback]​

then explain to me why my betta would always hang out with the male guppies (yes i said male guppies) in the 10 gallon i had them in.

there is always exceptions to the 'rules', you just have to know your fish , betta's like a lot of other fish are territorial, they will set up a territory and defend it IF they feel threatened


my experience with bettas is, the bigger the space the more calmed down they are (im not talking growout tanks because of the amount of fish in them), the only thing that stands true is the snail deal, i haven't had a betta that didnt look at a snail as a meal

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

There are exceptions to the rules as there will be with any, but when you take exceptions you take risks and risks are not things you want to put your fish through. You may have been lucky, but others won't have been. Male bettas do best on their own when it comes down to it, the vast majority of tropical fish are too active, too nippy, need to much space or strong filter current or are too brightly colored for the betta to put up with.

 

[SRC]

then explain to me why my betta would always hang out with the male guppies (yes i said male guppies) in the 10 gallon i had them in.

there is always exceptions to the 'rules', you just have to know your fish

[snapback]852801[/snapback]​

Roll your eyes all you want. But one day your poor guppies could be rolling their eyes in terror. Did you even read what I posted?

You stick another fish in with a betta and for a month, a year, 2 years..they get along fabulous...but one day that fish you stuck in there went too far on the bettas side...or maybe the betta built a bubble nest and that fish wanted to look at it and disturbed it...and the betta gets his knickers twisted....and guess what you have...a maimed or dead fish when you look in again.

Read the paragraph carefully. The point of my post...WHY take the chance of the betta waking up (if they sleep..I still haven't decided on if fish sleep or just rest yet) and that fish (or fishes) you have them with...just rubbed them the rong way and they go on the attack.

Why not throw some pirahnna, alligator, or sharks in your swimming pool...If you feed them everyday they shoudln't get hungry enough to attack you...I bet they'd be ok with you for a while...you just don't ever know when they might not be. Same with your other fish. You are putting them in a situation with a MEAT EATING preditor...that could turn on them at any time...for any reason. Would you put the same fish in with an Oscar or another meat eater? No, then why with a betta? Just because they are smaller doesn't mean they don't pack just as much punch.

It's not a hard concept to grasp. The betta is territorial and moody...the betta can be fine with a certain situation one day the next, not so fine...bettas will kill each other and they will kill other fish...your other fish will have NO WHERE to go once the betta decides he is not fine with the situation anymore.

Tell me...what's fair about that? Would you want the same done to you? Betta's are like PitBulls, some are overly friendly, some are just friendly, some are standofish (no pun intended lol) but not aggressive, some are slightly aggressive, and some are just outright aggressive ...but ALL of them have the capability of severe attacks if "provoked" under the right circumstance..and as an owner you need to be responsible with them.


That's all I have to say on this..as I have clearly made my point. there is no room for argument from me at this point. Wanna gamble with your fishes life...so be it. But when you wake up tommorow, or next week, next month, next year with dead fish...don't make a thread crying about it wondering "why did this happen..they were fine for XXX amount of time". Just remember you were told it could happen and didn't listen. Hopefully, for your fishes sake..it never does though.

 

[oneponygirl]

littlefishies, you could always put a divider in your tank. I have a ten gallon that I divided unequally. I gave my betta Wraith about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the tank and the rest is occupied by three cherry barbs and three ghost shrimp. The divider is clear so it has the appearance that they are all together. They are all happy, healthy, no one is living in fear and I don't have to worry about Wraith deciding any of them look like lunch.

Here's a (very poor) pic of what my tank looks like.

Wraith spends his whole day working on the world's largest bubble nest.