Best Tank-Mates For Betta?

[PandaCoryLover]

Hi!! So, I have a male betta who has been living in a small tank (3 gal) for a while now, and I am soon going to upgrade him to a 10 gal, and I know I want a mystery snail, but I also want some sort of smaller schooling fish to keep my betta, Canary, company. Any suggestions would be really welcome!!!

[Aiken Drum]

Adding any fish to a betta tank is for your benefit, not the bettas. Your betta will be perfectly happy on its own as long as the aquascape in your tank keeps the betta engaged. Keeping any fish with a betta is a risk, and it will be down to the temperament of the individual fish as to whether it works or not.

10g is on the small size to keep any group of schooling fish. You might get away with some kind of small rasbora or tetra, but they would be better in a larger tank. A larger tank would also reduce the risk of your fish clashing personality wise as they would have more space to keep out of each others way. Neon tetras, galaxy rasbora (celestial pearl danio), corys and harlequin rasboras are schooling fish commonly kept with bettas. A couple of platys might be a better choice in 10g, but only 2 or 3 fish. Avoid anything with long fins as the betta can mistake then for other bettas.

If you proceed with your plan, get your new tank set up and stocked with the new fish first. Cycle the tank and let them settle in before adding the betta. This way you wont be introducing the new fish into a tank where the betta has already decided it all belongs to him. This will reduce the risk. Keep your 3g tank in case you need to remove the betta. He might react with extreme violence immediately, after a few days, weeks, months, years. Or maybe never. But have a plan ready should you need it.

[ADsnail]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

Adding any fish to a betta tank is for your benefit, not the bettas. Your betta will be perfectly happy on its own as long as the aquascape in your tank keeps the betta engaged. Keeping any fish with a betta is a risk, and it will be down to the temperament of the individual fish as to whether it works or not.

10g is on the small size to keep any group of schooling fish. You might get away with some kind of small rasbora or tetra, but they would be better in a larger tank. A larger tank would also reduce the risk of your fish clashing personality wise as they would have more space to keep out of each others way. Neon tetras, galaxy rasbora (celestial pearl danio), corys and harlequin rasboras are schooling fish commonly kept with bettas. A couple of platys might be a better choice in 10g, but only 2 or 3 fish. Avoid anything with long fins as the betta can mistake then for other bettas.

If you proceed with your plan, get your new tank set up and stocked with the new fish first. Cycle the tank and let them settle in before adding the betta. This way you wont be introducing the new fish into a tank where the betta has already decided it all belongs to him. This will reduce the risk. Keep your 3g tank in case you need to remove the betta. He might react with extreme violence immediately, after a few days, weeks, months, years. Or maybe never. But have a plan ready should you need it.

Well said. "...the betta has already decided it all belongs to him". They are the king of their environment and check up on everyone. My bettas each have two companions: a mystery snail for fun and a nerite snail as clean-up crew. They're not lonely. They stay busy exploring the interesting world you've set up for them.

[PandaCoryLover]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

Adding any fish to a betta tank is for your benefit, not the bettas. Your betta will be perfectly happy on its own as long as the aquascape in your tank keeps the betta engaged. Keeping any fish with a betta is a risk, and it will be down to the temperament of the individual fish as to whether it works or not.

10g is on the small size to keep any group of schooling fish. You might get away with some kind of small rasbora or tetra, but they would be better in a larger tank. A larger tank would also reduce the risk of your fish clashing personality wise as they would have more space to keep out of each others way. Neon tetras, galaxy rasbora (celestial pearl danio), corys and harlequin rasboras are schooling fish commonly kept with bettas. A couple of platys might be a better choice in 10g, but only 2 or 3 fish. Avoid anything with long fins as the betta can mistake then for other bettas.

If you proceed with your plan, get your new tank set up and stocked with the new fish first. Cycle the tank and let them settle in before adding the betta. This way you wont be introducing the new fish into a tank where the betta has already decided it all belongs to him. This will reduce the risk. Keep your 3g tank in case you need to remove the betta. He might react with extreme violence immediately, after a few days, weeks, months, years. Or maybe never. But have a plan ready should you need it.

Thank you so much for the advice!
I will ask my local pet store if I can add 2-3 platies, but I think I'm definitely going to get the mystery snail. I think my betta is going in the 10 gal for sure.
Thanks again, and have a great day!!

[Colin_T]

Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) is territorial and males set up territories and keep other fish out. They should not be kept with other fish.

Platies come from harder water than Bettas and the two types of fish should not be kept together because they both inhabit the top half of the tank. Many platies are brightly coloured and this will attract the male betta who will see them as intruders and potential competition for his territory.

Platies need water with a GH around 200ppm and a pH above 7.0
Bettas come from water with a GH below 100ppm and a pH below 7.0

If you want shrimp or snails with a Betta, they are usually fine. However, some bettas will eat small shrimp. But other fish should not be introduced to a Betta splendens tank especially if they are brightly coloured or live in the top half of the tank.

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by PandaCoryLover

Thank you so much for the advice!
I will ask my local pet store if I can add 2-3 platies, but I think I'm definitely going to get the mystery snail. I think my betta is going in the 10 gal for sure.
Thanks again, and have a great day!!

Your Betta would probably do better alone in the 3 Gal tank rather than the 10. If you really need to keep something with him, add a snail to help eat any excess food. Set the 10 gal for your other fish.
Taking nothing away from your local shops, be careful where you get your advice. People who need to sell things do not always give you the best advice. Speaking as a former Pet Store retailer, you usually get better advice from those trying NOT to sell you something than those who do.