what fish goes well with a betta?

Answer 1

Tankmates for Bettas

The first thing to consider is your tank space. Never overstock, and never try to house fish in a tank they'd be miserable in. If a fish is happier in schools, obviously you would not want to condem it to a little 2 gallon tank.

The second thing to keep in mind is that some fish that don't get along well together due to temperment. For bettas, you don't want certain types of fish as tankmates: bettas are fiercely aggressive with each other, but are sometimes even timid in a community tank. Fin nipping fish like some barbs or some tetras will bite their long, flowing finnage. Others like cherry barbs are suitable, though.

Another thing sometimes overlooked that you should consider when looking for tankmates is the type of water that each fish requires. You should do some research on the species of fish in question to find out its specific needs, then see if they match up. This is very important to the longterm health of your fish!

That being said, here are some types of fish that would be suitable with a betta:

- white cloud minnow
- tetras
- danios
- angelfish
- livebearers *except mollies, which benefit from brackish water
I also don't know that I'd put a betta in with fancy guppies, as it might confuse them with another betta.
- rasboras

As far as tankmate bottom feeders go, plecos, loaches or catfish are suitable. Corydoras (cory cats) are a common favorite. I enjoy Khuli loaches, although they are sometimes hard to care for. There's also a black Khuli loach, by the way.

The bottom line is that the best tankmate depends on the temperment of your betta. It may get along fine with one type fish, but another person's won't. Keep an eye on tankmates and be prepared to seperate if there are trouble signs (fish who are injured, stressed, hiding, chasing or harassing, etc).

If you're playing with dangerous combinations you may think things appear fine, but one day you may wake up to a nasty surprise such as dead tankmates. "Everything was just fine, until he started attacking." Some combinations just weren't meant to be! Respect that even if things appear fine at first, and as always, just keep an eye out for troubles with your tankmates.

Don't get me wrong - I don't mean to scare you away from tankmates. Bettas can be just fine as community fish. You just have to remember a few guidelines to make it successful for both you and the fish. Good luck with it!

Answer 2

Gutuku hit the nail on the head.

Bettas don't NEED to be with other fish. They're perfectly happy being 'loners'. However, a lot of people have had success incorporating the beauty of a betta into their community tank.

The best rule of thumb to use is to get docile tankmates that thrive in the same temperature water. Gutuku's list is excellent. I don't recommend guppies, or any fish with long flowy fins. Bettas may mistake them for other bettas.. and yeah, you know what will happen then. Also, you'll probably have to install a aerator if you do not already have one, so the other fish (who don't have labyrinth organs like bettas do) can get oxygen.

Even if you think the betta and the other fish you pick are compatible, a lot of it depends on the personality of your particular betta. Monitor them all closely once you make the addition, and have a backup tank ready to transfer your betta to, should he and his new friends not get along.

Answer 3

n March of 2005 I received an email from someone wanting to know which varieties of fish are compatible with male bettas in a community tank. Since I had never housed bettas with other fish I didn't know, so I spent an afternoon searching the Internet for information. The following is what I gleaned from dozens of different sites:

1. Only have one male betta in a tank to matter how large it is.

2. Avoid fish with long, wavy tails like bettas. The fin action will trigger the betta's attack response. Fan tail guppies and fancy goldfish are examples to avoid.

3. Select fish that are the same size as the betta and will not grow larger. (The betta may perceive small fish as food and larger fish might think the betta is food.)

4. Stay away from aggressive fish like barbs, danos, gouramis, angelfish and catfish.

5. Use as large a tank as possible with as few fish as possible to reduce interactions.

6. Provide plenty of rocks and plants to provide hiding places.


Follow these guidelines and you should be okay with having a male betta in a community tank. Good Luck!

I also would like to add stay away from tail nippers...

Answer 4

Gutuku's list is okay, but for the angelfish, and mollies. Angels can get to be very aggressive as they get older. Also mollies are perfectly fine with bettas. Mollies can live in fresh water to salt water. Yes they are less prone to diease in saltier water, but they are no more prone to diease in freshwater than the average freshwater. (Ich, velvet and a host of other diseases don't like salt.) I have 3 female bettas in my molly tank. With mollies I would avoid the larger sailfin, and lyretails as they get rather big, and have large fins.

Personally I prefer not to put any fish with my bettas as they seem happier on their own. Also don't mix male and female bettas they can only safely be together briefly during mating.

Answer 5

Betta aren't the friendliest fish since they do fight and I wouldn't put another fish with the Betta. But u can go to Petco and Petsmart and ask one of the employees to see what they recommend .

Answer 6

nothing goes well with a betta. anything u put in there it will kill. they are fighting fish and if u have any kind of fish in there with the betta the betta will kill it.

Answer 7

My sister has a betta and i don't have any specific names, but just go to your local petstore and ask them what are community fish that'll go well with a betta. don't forget tank size!

Answer 8

you dont ought to favor to purchase yet another tank truly pass to walmart or petsmart and purchase a gold fish bowl and he or she ought to correctly be chuffed that way she will be able to eat and don't be disturbed about gettin attacked! If a lady that wasn’t ripe, or waiting for spawning, ought to have entered a men tank, it’s conceivable that she ought to’ve been attacked, as non-ripe women human beings human beings aren't to any extent further tolerated interior the realm of the nest. by making use of no longer fleeing, a lady exhibits her readiness to spawn. certain, some cases once you aren't to any extent further careful even as attempting too breed bettas, the male will attack the female and he can injure the female, the ladies human beings are a lot smaller than the lads. A Male and a lady: interior the wild, women human beings persons avert men, diverse than in the time of mating. even as cohabiting in tanks, men ought to kill women human beings persons, and are frequently kept aside except (a) they're juvenile siblings, (b) they're breeding, (c) there's a partition, or (d) the tank is sufficiently wide for the female to flee attack. typically, till ultimately now breeding, breeders use the range of field to allow woman show without risking damage by making use of the male. 2 or better women human beings persons: Bettas aren't to any extent further education fish, yet in an astounding tank with many hiding parts, woman bettas can cohabit. even as 2 women human beings persons share a tank, one in many cases bullies the diverse, even regardless of the very undeniable actuality that, 4 or better women human beings persons will set up a hierarchy allowing non violent co-life, even regardless of the very undeniable actuality that, women human beings persons residing in community ought to correctly be monitored for aggressive women human beings persons.

Answer 9

Go into a pet store and you will notice that beta's are kept alone. I offered to get my daughter another fish to go with her beta and she informed me they don't get along with other fish and usually will kill the other fish, but ask the pet store salesperson. Good Luck.... and Happy Fishing!! lol

Answer 10

another betta they were found in the rice patties of southeast asia they dont care much for other fish species, but u should have male -female to breed but they all fight one will surely die