What are the best tank mates for bettas?

[riri7022]

I'm starting a new planted tank and I wanted to know what fish are recommended to put in a 70L or approx. 18 gallon tank. I'm leaning towards bettas because of their aestheics but I've heard that they're hard to keep with other fish. If I get other fish I plan to put them in first so they can establish their territory before I add a betta but I also don't want to add a betta that turns out to be aggressive and kills everyone.

Additionally, I wanted opinions on the ethics of getting a long-finned or dumbo betta, knowing that their quality of life will be less than for a fish that has shorter-fins and can actually swim properly. I just want to make sure that whatever fish I get has a good quality of life. Currently I just have bladder snails in my tank as they arrived on the plants and have infested the tank. Will I have to get rid of them or is it fine to leave them in the tank and just cull them when the population grows excessively?

 

[Aiken Drum]

I dont really like giving advice on "what fish should I get" questions, because you would then end up with what I would keep, rather than what fish you would like to keep. So my advice would be to go to a fish store, see what fish you like, come away and then do some research on those fish, and ask questions about those fish with regards to aquarium size, compatibility with other fish etc.

But to answer the question in your threads title. The best thing for a "male" betta is to keep it on its own. Keeping bettas with tankmates is for your benefit, not for the fishes.

Male bettas are solitary, territorial fish. They dont need a lot of room, and dont often tolerate company. So they suit smaller aquariums. The problems with keeping bettas with tankmates are twofold. As said they are territorial, and can react with extreme prejudice to other fish in his territory. Might be today, tomorrow or next year. But at some point you could wake up to a tankful of dead fish and a triumphant betta. And the flowing fins of a betta are a tempting target for fin nipping fish, so you risk a group of other fish fin nipping your betta to death.

That's not to say you can't keep bettas with other fish, but it all comes down to the temperament of the individual fish. One betta might have a calm temperament and be relatively happy to share his space, while another won't. One group of neon tetras might keep themselves to themselves, while another won't. The only way to know is to try. You will even find reports of 2 male bettas getting along, but thats the exception rather than the norm.

There are measures you can take to make it more likely the individuals will live together successfully.

• Make sure the aquarium is big enough so all the individual fish have enough room to find their own space.
• Some fish are generally a better match than others to cohabit with bettas. Do your research and talk to actual people who have kept these fish and made things work for them.
• Make sure you add the betta to an aquarium last. That way the betta hasnt already decided the tank is all his territory and be more likely to tolerate other fish.

But its always a risk. Mixing any fish is a risk. When adding new fish to an aquarium you should always have a plan in the background should things not work out. Some fish are jerks no matter what you do.

As for what are commonly good choices. Neon tetras are often kept with a betta, I've kept celestial pearl danios sucessfully with a betta. A small group of corys or otocinclus are good choices to. Avoid anything with flowing fins that a betta might see as a rival, or anything that are known to be fine nippers.

But really, if you want a male betta, get a 5g aquarium and keep him on his own. Provide an interesting aquascape for him to patrol so he doesnt get bored. If you really want a tankmate add a mystery snail.

And then there are female betta sorority aquariums. But thats not something I've ever done.

 

[V227]

My Granddaughter kept juvenile Rosy Barbs in her 20 gal. male Betta tank w/no issues.

When the Rosy's grew to about 1.5 inches, they were transferred to a bigger tank. The move had nothing to do with aggressive behavior from either species. The Rosy's just needed more space.

 

[Andy Sager]

Have to agree with Aiken on this one. Male Bettas ( a.k.a. Siamese fighting fish) are best kept by themselves as colorful fish enhance fighting and many of the smaller fish that will fit in a 17L tank are small enough to possibly get eaten.
Here's the thing tho with today's Bettas, because of so much inbreeding that has be done over the decades, today's Bettas are a " crap shoot" as to their behaviors. This is why you can get opinions that vary from " Mine did fine with ....." to " Mine ate everything I put in the tank with him." You may get one that is a sweetheart and you may get one that is a terror and there is no way of knowing until after you get them. By nature, Bettas are solitary fish. They take up residence in small areas and build nests in the hopes that a female will swim by and if she does, they spawn and the male drives the females off or else he'll kill her. This is why they are best on their own.
With females, you can get the colors but not the fancy fins but even with females, some can live well in a "sorority" while other can beat the snot out of the other females.
I've bred hundreds of Bettas over the years so I've seen a lot of different behaviors. This is why Bettas on a whole are a " crap shoot" and best kept by themselves.
Hope this helps.