What can you mix with betta fish?

Question

I have been thinking my small tiny (big as a nicke) female betta fish needs some friends in a big 10 gallon tank! (before I got her all my fish die). So she is really shy and scared alot so thats why I need her a friend(s) andshe is not like a killer, like they say jappanese fighting.she's not like that!

Answer 1

Male bettas cannot be kept with other bettas because they will fight to the death. A male should only be in contact with a female for a very short period of time if breeding. However, females can be kept in groups (3+) and both sexes make peaceful community fish. It is for this reason that you must choose the tankmates carefully. If you don't, they are likely to get bullied by smaller, faster fish and have their fins nipped. Good examples of tankmates are neon or cardinal tetras, swordtails, otos and platies, or perhaps just another couple of females. Bad examples are guppies. Take a look at my source and ask a question there for stocking guidelines (how many of what you can fit in your tank). I wouldn't trust the '1 inch per gallon' rule.

You are correct in housing your betta in a 10 gallon. I believe that this should be the minimum size for a betta. In the wild they live in rice paddies with thousands of gallons of fresh water gushing through every minute. Yes, in the dry season many survive in puddles, but many also die in these conditions. Why replicate the worst time of the wild betta's life, when you could replicate the time when they swim, breed and flourish?

Answer 2

A betta, either male or female can live in a community tank with non agressive tropical fish. Female Bettas especially. It's not a good idea to add a male betta however. You can get a few more females. Or add a small school of Zebra Danios. A school of Cardinals would be more colorful. I wouldn't go with Neons, they are not very hearty fish and are smaller than the Cardinals. The Betta may pick them to death. Despite what I have seen to be lots of people's idea of Bettas....they are not "killer" fish. Two males will fight with each other to the death and a male may kill a female in the same tank if exposed other than for breeding. A tank full of female bettas may squabble a little for dominance, like any other fish. A male betta will pick on fish smaller than him, like neons or guppies. But then....and angelfish or many of the cichlids and some other seemingly non aggressive tropical fish will pick on and sometime kill a male betta. But generally...even a male betta will go about it's business in a calm tropical community tank.

Answer 3

Only male bettas are aggressive, hence the name Siamese Fighting Fish. If you wish to house more than one female, keep at least a group of three. This will elimate any chance of one female being the bully and the other being picked on. If you want to know other types of fish that can be housed with a betta in a 10-gallon aquarium, join my yahoo group:

http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/novice_aquariums

Answer 4

It is better not to add any other fish with Betta fish. In case if you want to do so, try a male Betta. I believe that Betta doesn't need that big (10 gallon) tank at all. At times, in natural surroundings and in paddy fields, Bettas can even live in the horse hoof's imprints in the wet fields.

Answer 5

Betta fish can stay with neon tetras as long because of fact the fish tank is 20 Gallons long fish tank and neon tetras could desire to be in shoals of minimum 6. from my adventure Bettas do get on nicely with glow easy tetras , herliquin rasboras, hengels rasboras, micro rasboras .

Answer 6

The females are usually calmer, and can be mixed with some other fish. You do have a small tank. I would go with a group of around 5 neon or cardinal tetras. These are beutiful fish, and can be very hardy.
Do not overstock your tank, make sure it is clean, and that you keep the filter clean. Then you won't have to worry about your fish dying.

Answer 7

Bettas' are an extremely aggressive fish,any fish placed in the tank is in peril.

Answer 8

none