Betta advice on tank mates???

[Squigley]

Hi all I have rehomed my goldfish to a pond and switched all my tanks around to allow more room for the inhabitants and I now have an empty 70liter tank which I would like to put a male betta in, I know tank mates arnt always the best idea for them but I'm going to or should I say really really want to try have a play around with possible options (I do a have 2 other tanks I can move fish into if it all goes bad) I have done a ton of research and will not do this till I feel like I have made the right choices with the possible tank mates got them established and happy then will add the betta. It Will also be heavily planted so will wait till the plants hopefully dense up and provide lots of shelter and hiding holes so to not get stressed. My main questions are: has anyone had success with this and what types of fish etc did you use? does anyone think I just shouldn't try this? and also I really want shrimp and I can't find much about betta and shrimp together so wondering if that is a possibility cause I really want to get some shrimp! Thanks all!!

 

[vexxiang]

I've always had a betta with various fish. They've done fine with any fish except other bettas.

 

[Angellove78]

The guy at a pet store I go to says his shrimp cleans his Betta and it's neat to watch. I'd try it.

 

[Squigley]

Yay this gives me hope! I have had a few people tell me I'm awful for even wanting to put a betta with other fish and also been told a tank that size is way to big for a betta which i know is lies. i was just thinking a few groups of schooling fish and maybe some female guppies or something of a similar size and colour and deffinitly shrimp but I have again heard mixed reviews on guppies and shrimp together but do have the space available to move problem fish if necessary

 

[Squigley]

Also off topic slightly but just had a brain wave and don't want to make a ton of posts, in my other tank I have recently purchased 4 bumble bee goby, i also have male guppy in that tank, do gobys nip fins as I'm starting to have issues and can't pin point the problem fish but hadn't considered them till now

 

[Angellove78]

I'm not too sure about them. But the Betta would probably do good with some little endler guppies too. Mine did. And they are neat colors with no long fins.

 

[Squigley]

Oh perfect thanks Angellove )

 

[TMaier]

I had a Betta and Endlers and had to rehome the Endlers. Big time fin nipping on the Betta. He’d try to lay down and relax and they kept nipping at him.

Celestial Pearl Danios have been fine.

I had one with Neons before without issues.

 

[Kitekat87]

I've tried espei rasboras and dwarf pencilfish with two different male bettas before. There was no fin nipping or anything like that but the bettas were always stressed with the movement in the tank. I suppose it depends on the personality of the betta

 

[altidude]

We're going betta shopping this morning. We'll be adding him to a 10g tank along with 5 harlequin rasboras that have been in the tank for about six weeks now. I'll let you know how it goes.

The rasboras are very cool little fish on their own by the way! A very active schooling fish. Lots of fun to watch.

 

[Squigley]

Rasboras are one of the fish I wanted to have in the tank provided I can find some! where I live there's only 2 shops that sell fish and they don't seem to like getting any in if you ask especially betta, so once i have an established tank i have to travel 2 hours just to get the betta and probably shrimp as Well since i really would like to try some in the tank and neither shops here will get them in either. Thanks heaps tho altitude would love to know how you get on!! Enjoy your hunt for the perfect betta ��

 

[Toad]

Also off topic slightly but just had a brain wave and don't want to make a ton of posts, in my other tank I have recently purchased 4 bumble bee goby, i also have male guppy in that tank, do gobys nip fins as I'm starting to have issues and can't pin point the problem fish but hadn't considered them till now

Yeah they can be severe fin nippers, you'll probably have to move the guppy. Also goby can be picky eaters, needing frozen and live foods so make sure they're well fed.

 

[Squigley]

Thanks toad, I can't move the guppy out of that tank unfortunately as they would get eaten in the big tank I have moved the goby into a floating breeder tank just for the time being as the guppy tails where getting so bad and the goby wouldn't fear well in the big tank either. Iv been doing some long hours at work so havnt been able to go back to the fish shop as they told me they would be fine with guppies I normally do my own research but they looked so harmless so just took their word �� hopefully I will be able to return them or I'll have to find a new home for them. Unless you know how they would do with puffer fish as that's the only other option I have right now for them!

 

[Toad]

From what I know and seen about my dwarf puffers they'd destroy him :/

 

[Squigley]

Thought that would be the case! Hopefully they will take the gobies back then I don't like having them in the floating breeder tank but I didn't want them to end up as a snack to the kissing gourami and probably the angel if I tried them in the other tank, it's also a much bigger tank so would have a harder time even seeing them. Thank you For your advice tho it has helped a lot

 

[altidude]

We're going betta shopping this morning. We'll be adding him to a 10g tank along with 5 harlequin rasboras that have been in the tank for about six weeks now. I'll let you know how it goes.

The betta is pretty much ignoring the rasboras. The rasboras aren't sure what to think of the betta but they leave him alone. The betta is more interested in his own reflection than anything else in the tank. So far, so good!

 

[Squigley]

Yay so glad it's working out for you! Keep me posted please

 

[Carrie1]

I currently have a betta in with 2 angels 3 mollies and a pleco in a 55 gallon and everyone gets along just fine! But I did have a different betta in there at first and he was aggressive and nipped at everyone so he has his own tank now. So just be prepared if the betta decides to be a grump!