2006-12-30 13:47:34 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
For the most part they can live with other fish in a community tank. They are mostly only aggressive with their own kind. They can even be the one BEING picked on by some fish, because of their frilly fins.
2006-12-31 06:39:33 · answer #1 · answered by Chad 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a male Betta in my ten gallon tank with 4 Mollies and a Chinese Algae Eater. I also have a 20 gallon tank that had a female Betta and 5 Lemon tetras and 5 neon tetras and the mollies. The bettas were really good with the other fish. I was under the impression that all Bettas were supposed to live by themselves, but as long as they are the only betta in the tank they will do fine. The only other fish that I wouldn't put my bettas in with would be agressive fish or fin nippers. (Barbs, etc.) Also the bettas would probably be inclined to eat very small baby fish. The algae eaters and snails are fine with bettas, and all of the tropical community fish that are bigger than the bettas mouth. (Just in case.) Other people might disagree with me, but my betta has been in with my mollies for 6 months with no problems.
2006-12-30 14:08:08 · answer #2 · answered by Lacey B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! I have a 20 gal. tank with 1 male beta, several mickey mouse-eared platys, and several neons. Like the pet store told me, mixing is fine...but (1) just be sure the other fish don't have LONG tails, that the beta could think was another beta and (2) NEVER put another male beta in the tank. Another tip: betas are tactile fish that are used to small areas, so make sure there are plants they can rest on (even fake ones). Good luck!
2006-12-30 18:04:18 · answer #3 · answered by wolfsong1111 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had a beta fish and he lived by himself for awhile, but he seemed lonely...so we got him a chinese algae eater and an albino catfish that joined him in his tank. These were both smaller than him and not colorful so he wasn't threatened, but he still enjoyed their company. I think betas can be placed with just about anything except another beta and ofcourse the fish that are marked as aggressive and don't get along with anything. i also read somewhere that beta's might feel upset if a fish is prettier than them (more colorful, bigger fins, etc). Hope i helped, but yes please do get your beta an appropriate friend!
2006-12-30 16:28:13 · answer #4 · answered by sasha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I successfully kept a beta for years in a tank with gourami's, ghost shrimp, some weird pink frog I don't know the name of, some neon tetras and some barbs. I may have just had an unusually placid beta, but I didn't experience any problems with them getting along.
2006-12-30 13:58:26 · answer #5 · answered by Jennifer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can keep bettas with any other fish except other male bettas. The main problem is bettas are usually kept in small bowls that can't accomadate other fish. They do fine in a community tank however. I would not recommend keeping bettas with aggressive fish such as cichlids as they are likely to pick on the betta.
Another option is female bettas. They are not quite as flashy as the males, but you could have an entire tank of them if you so desired. They also can be kept with other fish.
2006-12-30 16:22:53 · answer #6 · answered by maggot_hex 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bettas do great with almost every kind of fish. Just avoid nippy fish like tiger barbs because they may nip the bettas fins. Also avoid fish with long flowing fins because the betta may get confused and think the other fish is another betta. That all applies to males of course. Females go great with anything that won't nip their fins, and they can even live together as long as you have 3 or more to spread out potential aggression.
2006-12-30 15:44:27 · answer #7 · answered by fish guy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the environment they are in. They can live with goldfish, in large bowls, or even with guppies, platies, or other mild mannered fish in a community aquarium. You have to be careful with aggressive fish, Angels, many larger tetras, and barbs as they will often attack and eat the long fins of the betta.
Bettas are only aggressive with other betas, around other breeds of fish they are quite docile
2006-12-30 14:02:55 · answer #8 · answered by gibblet_78 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sure there are, just not other male betas. I had one for years in a tank with tetras, gouramis, cory cats and other assorted community fish.
2006-12-30 13:59:37 · answer #9 · answered by Mr.Robot 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My beta has been living with two goldfish, a moonlight gourami, eight zebra danios, two plecostomas, an oregon newt, two snails, and several ghost shrimp for about a year now. One of my previous betas peacefully co-existed with two goldfish for two years before committing suicide (he jumped out of the tank).
2006-12-30 14:29:38 · answer #10 · answered by Mandi R 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋