What kinds of fish can live with Beta fish?

Question

I want to get a beta fish. I might put some other fish with it. Apparently, they can live with other fish, just not other betas?
What kinds of fish can live peacefully with the beta?
Please include any advice you have about keeping beta fish.

I know that they can live in a small fish bowl, but that seems cruel. How big can the tank be without currents being too strong for beta? How many fish can I put in? (I am thinking of getting a 5-7 gallon tank)

Answer 1

A 5-10 gallon works well. You'll need a heater and filter. Bottom dwelling fish are most commonly kept with bettas (Corydoras or Ottocinclus catfish), but you can try others as well. Be careful not to mix them with aggressive/fin nipping fish like some barbs or tetras in that small of a tank, though. You can go with a larger tank (such as a 20 long), but bettas don't do well in deep tanks.

For more info on betta care & compatibility see http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/5516.asp

Answer 2

A five gallon tank (minimum) with heater and filtration system will keep the beta healthy. Information about Beta fish:

Scientific Name: Betta Splendens
Other Names: Betta Family: Belontiidae
Origin: Cambodia, Thailand
Adult Size: 3 inches (7 cm)
Social: Males cannot be kept together
Lifespan: 2-3 years
Tank Level: Top dweller
Minimum Tank Size: 3 gallon
Diet: Live foods preferable, will eat flakes and frozen foods
Breeding: Egglayer - bubblenest
Care: Easy to Intermediate
pH: 6.8 - 7.4
Hardenss: up to 20 dGH
Temperature: 75-86 F (24-30 C)

My sister thought her small tank was cruel for her beta so she got a 5 gallon tank with filtration and heater and the beta is more active (than being in a cold water tank with no heater).
her tank is: Eclipse Corner 5 System (Marineland).

Marineland has a good selection of tanks with hood filtration/lighting system). These have top water filters (a running waterfall like filter - but if you keep the tank full, the noise is not noticable. The current is not strong for the beta.

(I have a 12 gallon marineland glass tank).

She also has two pristella tetras in the tank and they are fine with the beta.

Most other fish that you can put with betas are tropical (meaning they need water temperatures above 72 degrees fahrenheit).
compatable fish need to NOT be fin nippers. (such as barbs). (Do not put angel fish with the beta). (also do not put fish with large fins with the beta). Fish that are smaller than the beta, such as tetras, work well with the beta.

The general rule about number of fish and tank size is: 1 inch of fish per gallon of water.

And be sure to buy water conditioner to get rid of chlorine in the tap water that will injure fish gills.

Other care: change out 1/3 of the water once per week to cut down on waste / toxic water conditions of/from the fish. (this will keep pH of the water in livable conditions).

My sister feeds her beta a pinch of food (the pristella tetras need food twice a day.) (all the food should be consumed within two minutes - if not -then you are feeding too much).

Good luck with your Beta. :)

Answer 3

I'm so glad you want to do better for your betta than a bowl! Bettas can live in any size tank. The filter will determine the current, not the tank size.

In that small a tank (5-7 gallon) you'll be better off not adding other fish. It's too small a space for a semi-aggressive fish like a betta to share. You could probably add a snail or some shrimp.

If you go up to a 10 or 20 gallon, you have more options. Bettas can be a peaceful part of a community tank as long as you don't mix them with other bettas, any gourami species, long-finned fish such as guppies, or nippy fish such as large tetras or danios. They go well with platies, neons, rasboras, and catfish.

Answer 4

I have a 23 gal with this: 1 x Betta 10 x Harlequin Rasboras 4 x Peppered Corys 4 x Oto Catfish A few Snails. The Betta doesn't even give a hoot about the fish in the tank. I've also had success keeping Bettas with Blackskirt Tetras, Neon Tetras, and Albino Corys. Bettas attack: - Other Bettas. - A fish that resembles a Betta. - A fish that could become a meal (he thinks of it as food). If you can overcome those conditions, you'll probably have success. In all honesty, in a community tank the fish you have to worry most about is the Betta. It's alone, and its a slow swimming fish. It can't really chase schooling fish. Even if it tried something funny the fish can just outswim him. But if other fish in the tank want to attack him, he's the slowest swimming, easiest target. Bettas get bullied more than they bully.

Answer 5

you could get a 5 gallon tank and divide it for 2 male bettas or put in a group of female bettas. the concept of bettas with other fish is nice but it doesn't work very often. there are horror stories on here all the time of people waking up and finding all their fish dead. i keep ghost shrimp with mine . they keep the betta entertained and if they get eaten i don't care that much -- they are 3 for a dollar.

part of the problem is betta tanks are really too small for other fish and community tanks are hard for bettas to establish a territory in. it doesn't work that well.

Answer 6

Female bettas- can be kept with any fish that share the same water parameters. You may keep several female bettas together peacefully.

Male bettas- can be kept with almost any peaceful community fish that share the same water parameters. Avoid nippy fish such as tiger barbs, and avoid fish with similar body shape and flowy fins such as rosy barbs, to avoid mistaken aggression. Only keep 1 male betta per tank.

Answer 7

I have had a betta for a very long time and just in the last 3 months we have added a goldfish (bad choice they are soooooooooo dirty, but they betta loved him, made bubble nests), then we took him out and no more bubble nests. Put in a telescope corwntail goldfish (who went blind fast) and he paid no attention to it at all. Just put in 2 little Danios and he is making bubble nests again. I read on aqualand forums that Danios, Otos and Plecos were good with Bettas.
Had to put an Oscar in with him one day for safety reasons and the Oscar tore up the Bettas tail! Took the Oscar out ASAP! So our Oscar is back in with his buddies and very happy again.

Answer 8

Betas cannot be put in a tank with ANY other fish, not even other betas. They will fight and kill any other fish in there. I'm not even sure that you would be safe putting snails or anything in there. If you really want one, get a large bowl. You can put the gravel and all the cute aquarium stuff in there, but you should check before adding any real or even artificial "seaweed" type things. They may chew them up, which would either kill the plant or kill the fish. They are beautiful to look at and easy to keep, but they will not tolerate any other fish in the same bowl or aquarium. I don't think they require an aerator like tropical fish.

Answer 9

Cory Cats, Mollies, Platies, Plecostomus, and Swordtails.

Answer 10

yeah any kind just as long as it's not beta, but if u do git another beta make sure they're sepperated, and don't git the little like peeble food make sure to get colur inhancing flakes for food i had a beta and feed it peeble food and my friend gave hers flakes, mine died the next week but hers lived a few years and are still alive