Can i keep a male betta in............?

Question

Can i keep a male betta in a 4 gallon tank with a light, heater and filter wth a dwarf frog and 5 tetras of some kind?
What tetrass would you put in?

Mind you that compared to what the male bettas live in at the pet shop this is luxury, cause they live in little boxes that i think are like breeding containers

If not tetras what fish could go with them

Answer 1

Can I keep other fish with my Bettas?

Well the answer is complicated, a nice big maybe

1st lets see what you have;
a 5g tank or larger 10-20g being ideal?
1 betta male or female?
A desire to have an amazing home for your betta and other fish?

The tank:
The tank itself should contain 1 or more caves as space allows, plenty of plants, fabric or real. A smooth substrate, fine gravel or sand. A Filter, light and a heater. The filter should be adjusted so the water current is minimal.

I have bettas in various community tanks. I have had only 1 that was not going to be friends with his tank mates and so he lives alone.

So the list of critters I have with my bettas;
Danios, Rasboras, Black Neon tetras, wild guppies, African dwarf frogs, Cherry Shrimp*, Ghost Shrimp*, Cory cats, Zebra loaches.

Things I would never keep in with a betta;
Gouramis, Angelfish, goldfish, most tetras, tiger barbs, cichlids, crabs or crayfish, anything bigger than a betta, anything thats a fin nipper.

Always research any fish before putting it in your aquarium.

In my experience you need to watch the other fish for picking on the betta than the betta picking on the other fish.

When introducing new fish to a bettas tank, let them float for about a half hour, long enough for the betta to investigate them and get bored. Bettas are very curious and will follow and examine new tank mates very closely. Try checking your bettas fish aggression with a colorful and very fast male wild(feeder) guppy, if he kills it you know he is not suitable for a community tank. Odds are he will play chase with it and never actually hurt it. Out of the many bettas I have owned only 1 killed the guppy, she was very determined.

The next thing you need is a backup tank, all prepped and ready to be home. Be ready to move the betta to it if things go bad. Sometimes bettas will just let other fish bully them, sad but true. Remove betta immediately if this happens to him or he could be bullied to death. It is easier to catch and move a betta than other fish.

Remember each betta will react differently to tank mates. Be observant and careful and things will go your way. The larger the tank the less likely your betta will go ballistic on his new friends.

Also remember that no matter how big your tank is, do not place 2 male bettas in it or keep a male with females.

So now that your an educated betta keeper, when people tell you that bettas kill any other fish you can laugh in their faces and tell them they are full of betta myth BS.

Heres some vids of my 20g tank with Vash the Betta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4TUmWSiHhs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4fbTPhlvRA

*Some bettas see shrimp as dinner and will eat them, same for snails.

Answer 2

Oh gosh, NO! Please, please don't.

1. Contrary to previous answers, male bettas CANNOT be put with any other betta, male OR female. This set-up will never work on a long-term basis and you will eventually end up with one if not two injured/dead fish.

2. A 4 gallon tank is enough for a male betta and perhaps 4 tetras. I'd put in cardinal tetras, but you do want to watch out for them as they tend to nip at fish with longer fins. Your betta should ignore them, but just keep an eye out for any aggression. If you want a frog in there, you will need to get a 10 gallon tank; otherwise, your betta will live happily with an ADF in a 5 gallon tank. You also want to make sure the tank is well planted with lots of hiding spots. Bettas get very stressed when they are able to see their tankmates all the time.

Answer 3

I would not get tetras. They can nip betta's fins and bettas can even eat small tetras

I think the frog would be fine with the betta in that tank.

Your right about the petshop thing. Your betta would be in heaven in that size tank :)


FishieFin ♥

Answer 4

You can keep a male betta in a 4 gallon tank but I would suggest three female bettas and a mystery snail as tankmates instead.

Answer 5

YESS you can put your betta in a 4 gall tank BUT. .. .betta's can only be by thier self. . . .& you cant put 2 male bettas together. . . .betta means chinese fighting fish. . .. & if they are put together they will fight. . .you can have a male & a female together. . .and females with females . .. . but not 2 males. . ..I learned the hard way. . . .

Answer 6

nicely, you will possibly choose around 5-7 females. In a tank that massive it ought to truly be achieved (conserving adult males with females) yet even females will combat if in small numbers, yet they're going to become acquaintances in case you have adequate (a minimum of 5)

Answer 7

sure just don't put another Betta male in.ever put a mirror up to the tank so the Betta can see itself.it's cool, try it.

Answer 8

Yes.. Just don't add a female betta to the tank..

Answer 9

I would not cuz they will kill other fish and they might like being with a Femal betta so u could try that