Betta Buddies

[livingdeadpaula]

I just put my betta in a new 10 gallon tank (poor guy had been living in a 1 gallon for a few months!) and I'm thinking about putting some other fish in there as well (maybe some tetras?) - does anyone know which fish bettas are most compatible with? I'd hate to see some 'Kill Bill' action going on in there!

 

[LittlePuff]

Tetras would be fine. As long as there aren't any long,flowing fins. Danios would also work.


Kim

 

[AussieGal]

I agree with the tetras... you could also put a couple of corys in. Maybe a pleco as well... depends on its size I guess

 

[Menagerie]

Be careful with tetras, some do have a fin nipping rep--usually the wider-bodied tetras.
You definitely don't want to add any fish that looks similar to the betta. Cories can do well with bettas, but sometimes there are exceptions and the betta will have to borrow some moves from Kill Bill.
There are stories from both sides--bettas not being able to have tank mates, to low key bettas that are friendly with everything--YMMV

 

[TankGirl]

I would avoid danios just because they really need more room to swim than a 10 gal. I have had luck with white clouds and a betta in a 10gal.

 

[livingdeadpaula]

Thanks so much for the advice - Magellan (my betta) definitely has attitude, so maybe he was simply meant to roam solo. We'll see!

Thanks again,
Paula

 

[An t-iasg]

I agree with the others that some bettas are good community fish, and some were just meant to go solo! Just have a backup plan (a tank just for the betta) if necessary.

I was just at a fish hatchery yesterday, and saw a betta in with some tetras. The poor betta was getting nipped from all sides. I told the owner and he moved the betta. The owner said they started out peacefully, but he knew he was going to have to watch them. The tetras started to gang up on the betta, so the betta got moved, to a tank of very small cories.

 

[bunebop]

I've had pristella (I think, white bodies w/ orange fin tips) in w/ mine just fine. I've also had danios, cory cats, plecos, rasborras, and guppies.

 

[livingdeadpaula]

An t-iasg,
Uh oh...that doesn't sound good! And it further convinces me to leave my betta alone. He can be pretty feisty.

Thanks for the story!

Bunebop, that's awesome that your betta gets along with the others so nicely - maybe my next betta will too.

 

[Endgame319]

Another idea would be to get a divider and add another betta, just make sure they wont be able to jump over

 

[swanandmokashi]

try a ghost shrimp if you like. From what I have heard there are 50-50 chances of the betta eating the ghost shrimp.

When I decided to get the ghost shrimp, I thought if the betta got along with the shhrimp , great , if not he got to use some of his natural "food finding instinct".

But luckily for me, my betta got along fine with the shrimp and the shrimp is doing a great job of cleaning the tank. Of course mine is a small 3 gallon tank , you have much more options with a 10 gallon

 

[smallfry]

How about some livebearers? (platys or swordtails) just make sure they don't have really flowy fins or tails.
(if it was me, I would add 3 female platys and 1 male) or all females...just be prepared for fry.

 

[bunebop]

Bunebop, that's awesome that your betta gets along with the others so nicely - maybe my next betta will too.

Yeah, lol I find it so amazing all these people have had problems w/ their bettas and other fish. I've had numerous bettas in w/ numerous types of fish and they've all been fine. Female bettas especially, I have two of those in one of my tanks right now. I'm considering trying to breed em at some point, but I don't have enough time or money at the moment. I have one betta in quaruntine so he's never been in w/ anything, but I've had 2 females and 3 males (all at different times obviously) in w/ other fish and I've never had a problem. (well, I had one, never add tiger barbs... but other than that)

 

[CiRXSi]

Yeah, it's a touch and go situation. Trial and error. It's worth a try, but be prepared to move somebody. Also, it may not happen right away. On my last try, it took a week for the new fish to attack my betta's fins. So either have another place to move the new fish to if things go bad, or find a lfs that will take your new fish back.

 

[Essayons89]

I too have had mixed experiences in keeping bettas with other fish-always because of the betta. I had one that was sharing a tank with a trio of Apistos and would constantly harass the poor cichlids. Another betta would chase cories throughout the tank. On the other side of the coin I have had a couple of bettas that shared tanks with cherry barbs, harlequin rasboras, cories and a couple of plecs without any incidents whatsoever.

Bryan

 

[lreilly]

I really wanted my for my male betta to not live a life of solitude but he had other plans. Over time I tried plecos, corys, and ghost shrimp, he riped a fin on the pleco, ate the shrimp, and just attacked the corys constantly. So I finally got the point that he is anti-social. And happy the way he is.