What Fish Can Live With Bettas? Full Tank Mate List (Proven)

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Last Updated: January 8, 2024 by Flora Gibbins

While male Bettas have a reputation for starting a fight, they often can’t match other species once they decide to put the Betta in its place.

In fact, outside of their own species, male Bettas are often more likely to be killed or seriously damaged by other tank mates.

Knowing what fish can live with bettas can go a long way to ensuring your aquatic pets remain safe, healthy, and in good condition.

Which fish can live with bettas - JapaneseFightingFish.org
Pic from @wikiacuarios – thanks!

Overview

On offhand, you might think that the best tank mates for a male betta are females of the same species.

Unfortunately, once the female has eggs available to fertilize, the male will most likely kill her during the egg-laying process.

Even though there are some fish species compatible with bettas, finding the right tank mates can be challenging.

4 Fish That Can Live With Female Bettas

What fish can go with bettas? Gender is a very important consideration.

Betta Fish Tank Mates - What Fish Can Live with Betta Fish - JapaneseFightingFish.org

Usually, female bettas are less aggressive than males. 

While they are still inclined to be solitary creatures, they can school with other species if the situation is right.

Some female bettas are relaxed and non-aggressive. They will fit into community tanks easily for their full lifespan.

Other female bettas are more aggressive and might need to live alone or with non-fish-based creatures.

 

Other Female Bettas

Unlike males, female bettas can live readily in groups of 2 to 4 fish. This is known as a sorority. Tanks with multiple female betta fish are called betta fish sorority tanks and will require a little bit of research before going ahead.

Each female will require at least 5 gallons of water, as they can still be quite territorial.

The biggest problem with female betta fish is at some point they will reach reproductive maturity.

Female bettas aren’t structured internally like other egg-laying species. They cannot simply eject the eggs without the assistance of a male.

In this case, the male must squeeze the female so hard, she will most likely die from the injuries.

If a fertile female betta does not mate, the eggs will die and decay within her. This will lead to disease and death.

Personally, I don’t recommend keeping female bettas because their lifespan is measured in months as opposed to the 2+ years you would get with a male betta.

Although female bettas are incredibly sweet, intelligent, and personable, they simply don’t work out as long-term pets.

Swordtail

These colorful livebearer fish make good tank mates for female bettas.

They aren’t especially aggressive, and will mostly keep to their own species.

The biggest challenge with Swordtails revolves around the female’s need for a bit of salt in the water.

Without the aquarium salt, these brackish water fish might not be able to release all their live-born fry into the water.

As with the egg situation in female bettas, if the fry is not released promptly from the female, they will die within her. This, in turn, will kill the female fish.

Neon Tetra

Neon Tetras offer the best of all worlds when it comes to fish that can live with bettas.

Neon Tetra can live with Betta fish
Neon Tetra photo by Brandy Dopkins

First, they are egg layers that don’t require any special care or consideration during the spawning process.

Second, they are inclined to be peaceful creatures and will accept female bettas into their school.

As long as the number of tetras is small, and the female betta good-natured, there shouldn’t be a problem with the school ganging up on her and killing her.

Platies

Platies are also livebearers that can live alongside female bettas.

There is a considerable amount of debate on whether or not they need a little bit of salt in the water once they reach reproductive maturity.

Some claim captive-bred Platies have been raised in freshwater for several generations and don’t need the salt.

Personally, I can’t say I believe this because aquarium salt is an old standby when it comes to keeping tanks free of disease.

Depending on the breeder, there may be just enough salt in the tank for good reproductive outcomes, but not enough to qualify as a brackish tank.

If you want to try pairing female bettas with a peaceful live-bearing fish, Platies are a good option.

You may also be able to get away with smaller salt amounts, which will always benefit the betta.

But you have to keep in mind that you also can’t mix male betta fish with female betta fish unless you are breeding betta; otherwise, there will be betta fights and continued casualties.

3 Fish Species that You Can Pair with Male Bettas

The question “Can betta fish live with other fish?” is notoriously hard to answer.

Contrary to popular belief, male bettas are more inclined to be injured or killed by other species of fish because their body, fin, and tail size put them at a disadvantage.

On the other end of the spectrum, male bettas are also aggressive and will eat freshwater shrimp. If they can rip flesh from other fish species, they will also consume that.

Finding the right balance on the aggression level alone is complex. By the time you factor in tank size needs, the number of possible tank mate options gets even smaller.

Harlequin Rasbora

We can look to natural habitats for an answer to the question “Can bettas live with other fish?”

Harlequin Rasboras often occupy the exact same water as betta fish in wild settings.

As a result, the water quality, temperature, and depth needs are pretty much the same.

Harlequin Rasboras are also fairly peaceful fish. You can keep them in a small group with a single male betta.

While these fish will probably not harm a Veiltail betta, even Rasboaras can become aggressive if challenged in limited real estate tanks.

I would recommend choosing moon, double, or delta tail variant males to go with Harlequin Rasboras. Even though they are a little more aggressive than Veiltails, they are less aggressive than Plakat variants.

Cardinal Fish (Female Only)

As long as females aren’t ready to lay eggs, both male and female Cardinal Fish are known to be peaceful creatures.

Unfortunately, once females are ready to lay eggs, the males will become as aggressive as Tiger Barbs and other egg layers.

This can readily extend to other species in the tank.

Therefore, even if you started a community tank with Cardinal Fish and one male betta, they may start fighting once the Cardinal Fish reach reproductive maturity.

At that point, the betta may kill off individual Cardinal Fish, or the school will gang up and injure or kill the male betta.

Rather than take a chance on this happening, you can try keeping just female Cardinal Fish in with male bettas.

Unlike many livebearers that look like female bettas, the male won’t get confused and try to mate with a female Cardinal Fish.

Otocinclus

Otocinclus are small, sucker-mouth fish that usually stay at the bottom of the tank.

Otocinclus

As long as they have plenty of rocks and ornaments like live plants to hide under, they will make suitable tank mates for male bettas.

If you plan to keep them with Veiltails, make sure there are plenty of upper-level couches and other supports for the betta to lounge around on.

Since you might need a slightly deeper tank to accommodate the Otocinclus, it can cause some problems for Veiltails.

Fortunately, bettas with smaller tails and fins will do ok in a deeper tank. Just bear in mind, these bettas may also be more aggressive.

While Otocinclus won’t start a fight, they can and will finish it. Temperament-wise, they are similar to Cory Catfish and other suckerfish. Regardless of their size, shape, and psychology; they can easily latch onto other fish that get into their space.

This includes bettas that are having problems staying in the upper regions of the tanks as well as ones exploring other areas.

Depending on the situation, the interaction may lead to minor or major injures and eventual death for the betta.

Check out this video to watch Mr. Betta enjoying some brine shrimp treats, right here…

Non-Fish Species Tank Mates ForBetta

Snails

Snails are the perfect companion for all types of bettas.

Since they are small in size, they are especially perfect for Veiltail and other large-tailed bettas that really don’t do well in larger tanks.

I’ve watched several of my own betta fish pokes at snails and play with them.

The snail will simply pull into its shell and wait for the betta to go away.

Unlike freshwater ghost shrimp or an African Dwarf Frog, bettas won’t have an interest in eating the snails.

Snails will also keep the tank free of algae.

Nerite snails may also consume excess food that falls to the bottom of the tank.

Even though bettas will venture into the lower portions of the tank, they won’t consume excess food.

snail in aquarium

Marimo Moss Balls

While these are plant-based organisms, Marimo Moss Balls are an ideal companion for all types of Bettas.

Smaller balls can easily be pushed at and nosed by curious bettas.

They can also serve as pillow rests for a betta’s long tail, or even a prop for their heads while snoozing.

Using Tank Dividers With Multiple Male Betta Fish

When it comes to the question “Are there any fish that can live with bettas?”, everyone agrees you should never put two males together.

Bettas get their nickname “Siamese Fighting Fish” because the males will display incredible aggression towards each other.

Their unique fighting style has also generated an industry where people gamble on which male will retreat first and be dubbed the loser.

Depending on the training and matching of the pair, these fights can go on for hours.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about male bettas, it’s impossible to keep just one at a time.

They don’t take up much room, have wide color variations, and are incredibly intelligent.

Many times I’ve looked into their tubs at various stores and wound up bringing one home even though I hadn’t planned on it.

While I had the resources in terms of extra bowls, filters, and water from other tanks, I’ve also kept male bettas in the same tank.

The trick to this is using tank dividers. This is perfect if you have bettas with smaller tails that can swim faster and need more room.

As long as the tank is shallow and long, you can easily fit 2 – 3 male bettas in a 5-gallon tank as long as the dividers are in place.

Just make sure that you have adequate diffusion on the filter outlet so that each of the divisions receives a slow return from the filter.

I also recommend keeping the inlet to the filter in a division of its own. This will help keep the bettas from getting trapped on the inlet if its pull is too strong.

Things to Avoid When Choosing Betta Fish Tank Mates

There is no such thing as a 100% proven list of fish that can live with Bettas. A great deal depends on the gender of the betta, its tail shape, health condition, and characteristics of the aquarium.

If you still want to keep other tank mates with bettas, here are some general traits or characteristics you should avoid.

Pleco Fish can be Betta Tank Mates
Pleco Photo by Dimitris Siskopoulos

Avoid Fin Nippers

Usually, any sign of life will cause fin nipping tank mates to investigate. 

As a case in point,, barbs and most of the species in the tetra family will immediately sample the fins and tails of any tank mates they detect.

Some species are more aggressive about that within each family.  Even though Tiger Barbs are smaller, they are far more likely to be aggressive fin nippers than Tin Foil Barbs.

Similarly, Buenos Aires Tetras will chase and nip at just about anything, while an Ember Tetra will be more daring if they are in a big enough school versus the intruder.

Since male Bettas are brightly colored and instinctively show aggression, they have a sad tendency to immediately attract fin nippers.

Once the other species lock onto them, the male Bettas have neither the speed nor the turnaround capacity to fight off the faster swimming, agile nippers.

Avoid Fish that Bash

It is absolutely true that Fan Tails and other deep-bodied fish tend to be very peaceful.

Over the years, I’ve even schooled these fish with Tetras and had no problems.

If Fan Tails get disturbed, they will simply use their weight to bash any aggressor or push them outward through the waves they generate in the water.

This doesn’t work out so well with male Bettas simply because they can’t get away from the Fan Tails fast enough.

Remember, most male Bettas are weighed down by tails that are 2 – 5 times heavier and longer than what they need for power swimming.

At the same time, their steering fins are poorly suited to rapid turns and other maneuvers when compared to other species.

As a result, in the likely scenario where a male Betta shows aggression to a fish that bashes, it is likely they will get hurt or killed very quickly.

Avoid Fish that Swim Fast

Veiltail Bettas are usually cheaper and more common than other variants with shorter tails.

Some hobbyists consider them inferior because they are no longer favored in the aquatic equivalent of beauty contests.

Personally, I’ve always loved the way male Veiltails move and find them far more beautiful than other variants.

Sadly, this beauty comes at a great price, because these fish can’t move very fast, nor are they strong swimmers.

Except for Plakat Bettas, which look much more like wild betta fish, other variants don’t have the speed or agility required to live with faster fish.

Since fast-swimming fish are also inclined to be nippers, they will quickly injure or kill male Betta fish within a few minutes of displaying their gill ruffles.

Avoid Some Shoaling and Schooling Fish

As individuals, schooling fish may become aggressive because they feel insecure.

Depending on the species, some may be more equipped to do serious harm to another fish than others.

A single Buenos Aires Tetra is very close to the ultimate aquatic killing machine when compared to a single Neon Tetras.

Shoaling fish like Harlequin Rasboras may work out alright with a male Betta even if the school is composed of 6 – 10 fish.

Avoid Fish that Need a Lot of Water or Deep Water

Even if the fish species is compatible in terms of aggression and size, it may not work well in smaller tanks.

Consider that many Veiltail Bettas can barely swim in a 3-gallon tank with minimal filtration flow. Putting these fish in a bigger tank is a recipe for disaster on this point alone.

Insofar as compatible tank mates, Neon Tetras and most others need at least 10 gallons of water.

Putting them in a 1.5 to 3-gallon tank will spell disaster for them. Depending on the species, this may lead to aggression and distress not normally seen in the species.

Tail Shape: Affecting the Choice of Betta Tank Mates

Tail shape and ability to follow through on aggressive traits in male bettas are heavily linked.

Larger tails and fins make for slower swimming and less agility.  In general, male bettas with smaller tails and fin shapes swim faster and are much more aggressive.

Depending on the variety, they may also have the agility required to compete with other aggressive or semi-aggressive fish.

Economically speaking, I don’t recommend buying a smaller finned male betta in hopes that you can house it with tetras, tiger barbs, or other conventional tropical fish.

When compared to Veiltails; Halfmoon, Crowntail, and other smaller tail-sized varieties cost 2 – 5 times more.

This trend hasn’t changed in the last decade or so since other betta variants became more available to home aquarium keepers.

Even though smaller tails and fins can translate to increased tank mate options, that doesn’t mean it will work out as well as you hope.

Make sure that the betta in question can swim easily in all areas of the tank as well as handle any increased stress that may be caused by more robust filtration.

You can achieve this by putting the betta in as the first fish in the tank and then adding other fish later on. Check out our thoughts on the best betta tanks to help you choose based on your requirements..

Just make sure you have a backup or spare tank in case you have to separate them. Or, be ready to install a tank divider.

Remember, fish skirmishes can lead to death or serious injury in well under 15 minutes.

If you go through all the expense and effort to purchase a betta with smaller fins and tail, then make sure you are ready to separate the fish if a fight starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put betta fish with other fish?

Even though the options are very limited, bettas can live with other fish.

Before you select any given fish species, you will need to pay careful attention to various aspects of fish psychology and body shape.

Sadly, far too many “experts” base their answers on color, pattern, and known levels of species aggressiveness. 

These kinds of data may be correct for fish with similar body shapes, speed capacity, and agility. It may not apply at all to fish that are shaped like bettas.

I recommend taking a much closer look at schooling behavior as opposed to what just one fish will do. 

You should always be aware of how the entire school of fish will respond to the aggressive tendencies of bettas.

If the fish are inclined to gang up on an aggressor, there is every chance the group will kill or injure the betta very quickly. Depending on the species, this can happen in well under 15 minutes.

Is it easier to place female bettas in a community tank?

Overall, it is easier to put female bettas in a community tank because they aren’t as aggressive as males.

Since female bettas also have smaller fins and tails, they can withstand deeper and larger tanks without having problems staying afloat.

Conclusion

Many people have asked me if there are any other fish compatible with bettas.

In general, the answer to this question is “yes”.

On a more complex level, there are many factors that you need to consider before you combine bettas with other fish.

This includes members of their own species as well as others.

What Fish Can Live With Bettas - JapaneseFightingFish.org

304 thoughts on “What Fish Can Live With Bettas? Full Tank Mate List (Proven)”

  1. Pingback: Do Betta Fish Have Teeth? | Japanese Fighting Fish

  2. Hi, i am on my second fighter fish in a year.My presant one has a problem with his mouth its gone white around his mouth. I am a little worride because my first one whent the same way and died. can anyone advise me please.

    1. Its a disease fish get called Ick and most places like walmart and what not have treatments to cure it. it lives in your tank no matter how much you clean it without the treatment.

    2. if it has white spots on and it and is acting weird that mean it’s probably sick and needs to be checked by a pet store or a vetrinarian.

    3. it sounds like mouth fungus and from petsmart you can get melafix to help with that, finrot, open body wounds, and open red sores… hope that this will help you in the future!!!

      1. If you are using the same tank that you had your former sick fish in than this is why you are having the same problem. I am a firm believer that you can not wash awsy the illness from your former fish. It will always remain in the tank no matter what you do. Because you can not use soap to clean your tank. Throw it away and get a new one for your new fish. problem solved

    4. All fish require a filter, no matter what the pet store tells you. The betas that live without a filter die early, from fungi, and stress which brings on ick. Cotton mouth is a bacterial infection also happens. Never keep a bettta’s in a small bowl or cup, give it the room it deserves and they do great in a community aquarium.

      1. Cookie the Betta

        My Betta lives perfectly fine without a filter. I change half of its water weekly and it has survived for nearly three years. You have to remeber that Bettas originated from rice paddies and canals in Thailand where the water is far worse than non filtered water!

      2. I agree with you! I don’t like that they advertise to keep Betta’s in little tanks or bowls. It’s a fish and they deserve to have room to swim.

    5. i just got my first betta fish and i am i little worried because i have a 1.5 gallon tank no filter, and bettainfo have said to have a five gallon tank. though my friend has a very small tank with her betta fish (sprite)also no filter and her fish has been alive for over a year now but reading these comments people have said that their fish have died in this situation. What am i supposed to do?

    6. Just feed your fish every day 2 pellets in the morning 2 in the night that is what I do and my Betta has been living for a long time. Try that and tell me if it works

    1. Hmm, technically you can but it is not recommended as they will probably get stressed. This is because every time they look at each other they will become threatened and flare their gills to protect their territory. This behavior is ok in small doses but all day every day is too much.

      1. With my betas, when the males see eachother, they get very stressed and almost always flair their gills and show off. I do not recommend this for their permanent home unless you are trying to stress them into making a bubble nest for breeding.

        1. I recently bought a crown tail beta fish and put him by himself in a 1 gallon tank with a plant and mossback. Is my tank too small?? Should I buy a bigger tank?? I’d like to send a picture, but I don’t know how..

          1. Hi, your betta fish will survive in a one gallon tank, it just will get sick much easier and may not be happy with the space it has to swim. A 5 gallon filtered tank is recommended for a happy healthy betta!

        1. I have two cory cats with my fighter – and he sometimes chases them around, but they’re quick and disappears quickly. They’ve been in the same tank now probably 4 months – and it’s all good. The cory’s seems to be okay with being chased now and then 🙂

      1. I have a halfmoon betta in with 8 guppies and 2 cory cats and they all seem to get along ok. The guppies tend to stay near the front on the tank and my fighter stays in his area at the back but if I go over to the tank he comes over to me. Since I put the other fish in it has been alot easier to keep the levels of the water right.

        1. Phyllis Murray

          I have 25 beautiful and VERY PEACEFUL male Bettas in my 55 gal community tank, some of them even hide together in hiding spots!

        2. how large is your tank? I’m wondering because I would like to add a fish to mine but not sure what would work with my Half Moon betta

    2. Definitely betas don’t do well with other betas period and even if they cannot technically touch each other they will become very stressed think about maybe putting a blue gourami instead they do well with betas because they are bottom feeders

  3. I love these fish, but by god did I have the stupidest one ever. My tank was near a mirror, so the top inch or so of the tank could see it. First time he saw his reflection, he flared up, saw his reflection and swam away as fast as he could to hide in an ornament….stupid fish. He also kept getting stuck behind the tank filter.

    Slightly more on topic, I kept him quite happily with some guppies. There were a few territorial fights at first, but once dominance was established they got along fine. Unfortunately I lost him to white spot (fungal disease) after putting some new plants in the tank and I was too late with the medicine.

    1. Hi Liz, thank you for the comment. Great addition to the post! Ha, he sounds like he was the typical funny betta!! Sorry to hear the end of your story though! Thanks for sharing.

    2. Liz,

      Your Betta was not stupid. They are fighting fish and their nature is to fight. That is typical behavior of a male betta to see his reflection and flare up. Sounds like you are the one lacking intelligence or you would have been on top of his white spot disease!

      1. Margo,
        Nicely put!! If you don’t understand your pet to the fullest extent, you shouldn’t have it. Plain and simple. Ignorant pet owners, like Liz, make me sick.

        1. Hey, Liz is just inexperienced. Instead of criticizing you should help. That is not a common known fact unless you are a long-term beta owner. To liz Read the article in toys for beta. It tells you why the male does that

          1. Danny the Betta lover (love you arctic my little betta)

            i Agree with Leslie people are turning to this page for help clearly as first and newer betta owners personally ive had a few in my life time but still its not nice to criticize someone over the internet for expressing there feelings on there betta. Its one thing to disagree with what they say but its another to say an inexperienced owner who clearly came here to read up and get help makes you sick. Now that is Rude if you ask me.

    3. time one of your fishes has white spot seperate it immediately.white spot is one of the most common illnesses in fish yet is the easiest to treat, to do so as I said earlier seperate it and add a TINY amount of salt Iv had this problem many time and this Always clears it up ut once the fish does get the illness clean out the tank and the water to make sure that there are no traces ofnit coming back…good luck

  4. I love these bettas, but can i keep my red crown tailed betta with a school of rednosed tetra and some neon tetra? i’m afraid he might kill all of them. and also, my tank is quite small (18CM X 13CM X 15CM). is it okay? :/

    1. Hi Fahmi, Betta fish can live with tetras but sorry you could not keep a betta with those fish in your small tank! You need at least a 5 gallon tank before you should add any other fish. I would have to say your tank it too small for a happy healthy betta! – At least it is not a vase though 🙂

      1. Actually, all the pet stores I’ve talked to say it’s faine to keep a betta in small quarters if the tank isn’t that small and you clean it often. I might be wrong though… ;P

        1. Hi Pheonix, thanks for joining the betta conversation. Yes bettas can live in small containers, but what I advise is how to keep the most healthy and happy betta fish. The smaller the tank the more you will have to clean it – almost daily for the smallest tanks.

          1. I heard that smaller tanks will make the bettas life shorter as well as having a small margin to failure resulting in PH swings and amonia spikes which all can cause serious stress on your fish. I would never go with anything smaller than 10gal, the bigger the tank, the smaller the problems will be.

          2. i have a 75 gal and a 20 gal i have a male vt betta i kept in the 20 gal with 3 neons 2 glo light tetras 3zebra danios 1 pleco and 3 african dwarf frogs then i set up a 75gal put a femail vt betta in it pulled the zebra danios and the 3 frogs out of the 20 and put in the 75 seems good so i also pulled the male betta and added it to my 75gal and 2days so good

          3. I have my male Betta in a 2.5 gallon but I want to maybe add a bottom feeder so I only have to clean it every month or so but I’m afraid it’s too small 🙁 I have a 20 gallon tank as well but I don’t have much room in my bedroom to put it. Should I just change the tank and get over it or would a few more fish be okay in the 2.5 gallon?

          4. If you wanted a few tank mates you should opt for the bigger tank. Get a bottom feeder like you said and maybe a school of colorful neon tetras to live with you betta fish.

            I’m sure you will notice the difference in your betta fish’s behavior when you promote him to a bigger tank.

            Setting up a tank for a betta fish

  5. i have 3 glofish in a 10-15 gallon tank, would it be okay to add my male betta in with the glofish? would the blacklight bother the betta?

  6. I dont know for sure but I think the black light would damage the Betta Fish’s eyes. Bettas also need periods of both light and dark. Light all day and then dark for sleepy time. Also three colorful Glofish… hmm I think the betta might not like the look of them in his territory.

    Glofish look cool, hope you enjoy them as pets in your big 15 gallon tank! 🙂

  7. I just recently got a Betta. I love him and he loves me!! He comes to the glass to see me and I’m almost able to feed him by hand. (toothpick) But I have him in a 2 1/2 gal. tank. PetSmart sold it to me and said it was fine. I have a small plant and a small ornament in there. It has been 2 months and he seems very happy! He eats, swims and sleeps. I also have a tiny little filter/air system in there. Are you saying I need a bigger tank for him? I have a tiny little pleco in there too. He’s supposed to stay very small.

    1. Hi Sandra,
      Thanks for you comment! What I outline is the perfect environment, for the happiest and healthiest betta fish. I can tell from your comment that you are taking great care of your betta and he is happy. 2 1/2 gallon gives him enough room to swim, just keep up the regular water changes and I’m sure he will be fine and happy.
      Ha, sounds great that you can almost hand feed him and that he comes to say hello! He sounds a happy betta and you sound that you care for his needs! That is great to hear!! 🙂

    2. Great Sandra! Yes, I know how you feel, that is how my betta affection started! i was going to the mall to pay my cable bill like I always do, and stopped to look at the fishes on one of the vendor’s stands. Well, this one dark blue guy with plummage to be jealous about, kept watching me, and there it was — love. He came home with me and I sat him right by me on the computer table.But I later got him a larger tank at the lps. I like the Kritter Keeper plastic tanks, especially for 1 or 2 bettas. I think it is cruel to keep a fish in those tiny bowls. bettas don’t need air filters though, but not sure about the pleco.

  8. When I got my betta Klaus from walmart they kept trying to sell me a mini area for 2 but it was so tiny! I ended up getting the 1.5gallon starting kit and a rainbow “house” for him and he’ll follow side to side watching me its cute. Anyway back on topic the dual container is cruel! I have a 20 gallon tank from my old Chinese water dragon but our apartment wont allow it here. Sucks I know he would love the depth and room in it.

    1. Thanks for joining the conversation Krystal! 🙂

      Its great when betta fish follow their owners! Just shows their cute personalities!
      Aw. It’s a pity that your apartment wont allow your big tank. Hope you manage to get the biggest tank your allowed can and make it look great and make it a home to a few happy fish!

  9. Pingback: Betta Fish Names | What should I call my betta fish?

  10. Interesting! butttttttt, – I have 4 [I said F O U R ] males in one tank – lol. But they are a special mix; 1 V.T. purplish 2 yr old, 2 c.t./vt blue 1 yr olds, and Charlie-a white/violet delta. Charlie I just got in December at a store-he’s cute. He’s getting along with the others-they chase each other once in a while, but no jaw:jaw fighting. Gorgeous is the old guy, and the brothers are Frick and Frack[lol]
    I am interested in finding out if anyone has any vt and dt mixes in their tank and if they see any behaviour differences.

    1. Wow, well as long as there is no fighting or injuries then I guess you are lucky! You must have a real big tank??

      Please keep an eye out for any ‘out of the normal’ aggression between them – just incase. But you sound like you know what you are doing 🙂

      The only times I have seen two males together they have been fighting! and it wasnt pretty 🙁 . Females can be kept together as long s there is enough space.

      And yes, if anyone else has any comments on Janice’s tanks set up lets here them!

      1. Thanks bettainfo!! The tank is a Kritter Keepers large[about 3 gal. When we had the hurricane[sandy] I had 9 in there! We didn’t have ANY electricity for 3 weeks and I had to put warmer water in there twice a day so they wouldn’t freeze! I’ve had a few pass on to betta heaven since then, but I still have 2 adults[momma& Gorgeous] and the rest are my babies[Sweetheart 11/11, Frick & Frack 2/12] Charlie, the d.t. I got in December, so he didn’t know about what the others were going through. I really think it is the “family” that has attributed to their co-existence. Sweetheart & the brothers & Gorgeous are not agreeing to the community living at present. Momma is looking for some hugs-lol. She’s the only female, right now. I’m thinking about getting Charlie[d.t.] a friend since Plukot passed last month(she was a blondish white).
        Charlie seems to be an organizer though. He keeps the others in their place, lol. When Frack comes out of his pirate house, Charlie is right there to say “where are you going?”
        It has been really heart warming to watch the fry grow!

        1. My baby betta Fiona loves his new tank, but he’s been acting really strange. I got a sucker fish a week ago but he doesn’t suck hard enough. Fiona and the sucker play “tag” in the pirate house. Should I be worried?

  11. I have a betta fish named silver abd i had him for 4 years he lived in a small tank (the tank i got him in) for about 2 years so 2 years ago i got a vase. He likes it

  12. I forgot to say this. I had 2 more last year names lily and pico (lily girl) ( pico male) and i left them together in a 2 gallon tank and they got along fine! Pico died for some reason and lily died because she swallowed a rock
    I had a rainbow shark named rain and he died for the same reason as lily. I loved the so much and i vow to silver (my 4 yer old betta) that the day he passes

  13. Hi, I am currently setting up a 5 gallon tropical tank and definitely am going to get a betta. The local aquatics store told me I could keep two females with a male in a tank of this size, is this true? If not what would you recommend I put in there for company? Your advice would be appreciated as I can’t seem to find a consensus from what I’ve read. 🙂

    1. Well with males and females in the same tank they could end up breeding. After breeding you must separate the male from the female, this is because the male protects the babies in the bubble nest and he will even try to attack the female.

      5 gallon is a good tank size for one betta fish – he will be very happy and healthy with all that room. Depending on your betta fish’s personality you may have room for another fish (some bettas wont like it though – what I always say is 5 gallons of personal space for your betta then add one gallon for every inch of fish there-after). You may be able to put in a small ‘bottom feeder’ like a pleco or another type of catfish. These will help keep the tank clean and will often stay out of the betta’s way. Hope this helps 🙂

  14. I recently purchased a male blue beta & set it up in a 3 gallon vase. I added 2 frogs, 6 tetra, a bubbling dragon filter, moss balls and a lily plant on top.
    All are doing just great & looks good!

    1. I am VERY surprised that you have that many fish in a 3 gallon. I had 4 ADF’s once, but that was in a 30 gal, then i gave them to my science teacher. anyway, each dwarf frog NEEDS a minimum of 5 gallons. and then the fact that you have SIX tetras and a betta in there, that’s very high on the PH level and what not! anyway, i am glad that your fish seem happy, for now. but you may want to consider getting a minimum tank size of 10 gallons for the safety of your fish.

  15. Pingback: can betta fish live with other fishBetta Fish | Betta Fish

  16. So we have a little 3 gallon tank with a male betta a African dwarf frog and a gold snail they all get along pretty good was thinking about adding something would a couple ghost shrimp be fine? Mostly looking for creatures that don’t need a heater, filter or bubbler so any other ideas would be nice 🙂

  17. Hello so I had a male betta for about 8 months before he passed away. His name was jaws 🙂 for Christmas i got a mairneland 5 gallon hex tank and i want to get back into the fish scene. I find them very peaceful and calming. I want to get another betta! possibly 2? or what can i put in that 5 gallon tank with the betta? Any help is much appreciated!

    1. Hi Michael! Thanks for joining the conversation. You couldn’t put two bettas into the same 5 gallon tank – you shouldnt even really do that in a 10 gallon if both bettas are male. We say male bettas need 5 gallons of personal space (all to themselves) before adding any other fish, so your tank is on the borderline. Depending on your bettas personality you could maybe add a small bottom feeder / catfish / pleco to the tank. Stay away from any colorful fish or fish with flowing fins.

      Alternatively, you could give the whole 5 gallons to your betta and give him a really awesome home where he will live a really happy and healthy life.

      Hope this helps, and anyone else with any more information that could help Michael, just join in! Hit reply under this message. 🙂

      1. SO a cory and a betta could work? what about like 2 female bettas? Or no bettas and some other fish? i just felt like my last one gotta lonely and bored so i wanna ensure the best for both parties.

        1. Hey, Cory and a betta you say??

          If you are putting females together they need to be in groups of 3 or more and you should probably have a bigger tank! Of course there are loads of peaceful fish that can live together, betta fish just have that littel bit of aggression or ‘extra personality’ which means you have to think about their tank mates a little more . 🙂

          1. RunsWithLightsabers

            The blue fins look more like ribbons compared to mine that has more uniform fins. Is that just a different kind?

    1. Hi Jack,

      Well a 5 gallon tank is a great space for a betta fish, a perfect amount where it will be happy! Neon Tetras are schooling fish, so you will have to add more than 6 for the tetras happiness. Tetras also like swimming and are always on the move, if your tank is wider than it is high, then yeah, this partnership could work. Though it is recommended that you give male betta fish 5 gallons of personal space.

      1. @Bettainto you are so diplomatic. I would tell Jack his betta needs 5 gallons and his school of Neon Tetra’s need 5 gallons. 5 + 5 = 10 gallons maybe 15 gallons. I have a question for Dustin how do you keep the water’s temp between 76-84 F. without a heater.

  18. Hi, I’ve had my male betta for 2 weeks now and i got told i wasn’t aloud neon tetras with him so i got told to wait a week and get some females to live with him. So i got the females and then did some research and it doesn’t look like it was a good idea. Just wondering if anyone has any advise or help. thanks.

    1. Oh, how big is your tank? Neon tetras would have been fine if your tank was big enough! (and they didnt nip at the bettas fins)

      Males and females will probably fight for territory and may end up breeding and then the male will aggressively protect the nest.

      1. My tank is 5us gallons 19l, he seemed really happy before i added them but he’s just chasing them at the moment. thanks.

  19. Hey, I just got a Betta fish yesterday, along with a 10 gallon tank and decor.I’m afraid it might get too cold and that will harm him. The water feels a bit below room temp but I can’t get a heater or anything soon. Anything I can do to help him? Or is he OK?

    1. The water is best kept between 78 – 80 degreesF. For a tank your size you should really go out and buy a heater, it will do wonders for you fishes health.

      Also by room temperature it depends what you room temperature is, if you live in Thailand or anywhere tropical it will be ok 🙂

  20. I am looking for a good bottom feeder/cleaner fish. Small tank (2.5 G) unfiltered, unheated. Do I need to upgrade the setup before I add anything else?

    1. Hi Heather, I would always recommend 5 gallons of space for your betta fish before adding any tank mates.

      For a 2.5 gallon unfiltered tank two fish will be too much, your water will always be dirty and bad for both fishes health. 🙁

  21. Hi I am just startng up my new tank and unfortunaly needs a good clean! I am looking to get a couple of Betta’s and a few other fish that will live happily together. My tank it 5ft long and holds around 100litres. Will this be big enough for 2 betta’s? And would you recommend them both to be female? Also want to add some tetras and possibly a pleco eventually. Do you think this would work?
    Many Thanks 🙂

    1. Nice big tank! If you are going to house more than one betta fish make sure there is plenty of scenery – plants, ornaments etc – for the bettas to hide if they feel threatened and also to block the fishes view so that they do not always see each other.

      If you are going to house female betta fish, you will need more than two. When there is only two often one becomes the dominant female and may bully the other. Search for ‘betta sorority tank‘ on the web and you will find more information on this.

      5ft long tank sounds perfect for a school of tetras! It would look really good! Pleco / other bottom feeders would also be good to help clean the algae of your big tank.

  22. I have had my betta for about a year now alongside many various other small fish and shrimp without any problems at all, just this last day or two he has become very listless, he’s still eating and I can’t see any signs of infection or disease but I have to keep poking him to see if he’s still alive….he’s not quite floating on his side but he’s not far from it…..it’s not like him at all.

  23. i am getting 10 silver tip tetras, 2 corys and i was thinking of a bette in my 20 gallon tank. if a betta works, it would have to be male because i dont have room for 3 females. would this work?

    1. Hi Logan,

      Yeah, I can see that working 🙂 (Sorry for late reply). The betta fish should leave the two corries alone, as they will spend most the day out of the bettas way. Sometimes if the tetras annoy the betta too much he may go after these small fish. Just make sure there are pleny of hidey holes and live plants in the tank to obstruct the view of the fish. This can help reduce any yension that is building in the tank, 🙂 . Try and keep the tertas in a school, just like you mentioned, otherwise they could get a little stressed too.

      Again, different bettas have different tempers but, that should be adequate space. Maybe because my reply was late you have already tried this out? Let us know how having a betta fish with other fish is working for you!

      1. i havent put the fish in yet. the tetras have been known to be nippy though, and i thought the might tear the bettas fin s and cause an infectinon

        1. also i was wondering about the setup above with 6tetras, 5tigerbarbvs, and2-3corys, and possibly a betta. will he be able to live peacefully along with 2 species of possibly nippy fish? and will tropical fish flakes be an ok diet? not worried with corys though. also there are 3 plants and plenty of swinning space, along with a cool rock with enough holes for at least one(maybe both) of the schools to hide in. substrate is a large, smothish rock.

          1. Those tiger barbs, are generally known to be nippy fish. If you add and long finned fish just be aware that tiger barbs are notorious for chasing long tails and tearing them up. I know from experience.

    1. Hi Kellie,
      It depends if you have a filter and if there is anything else in the tank. But I think you should be doing quite large water changes (on around) a weekly basis for a 1.5 gallon tank. 🙂

      1. i recently had a small betta bowl (now i realize bad decision) but 50% water change semi-weekly (twice a week) without a filter wasnt edaquate, and sadly, he quickly died

  24. Hi I have a 55 gallon tank with a variety of fish, guppies, tetras, plecys, mollies and I have one male betta and three females. All seem fine together in the tank lost of ornaments and plants to hide and play in. But to the point we are confused by one of our females she looks identical to the other two but her two fins under her belly are longer than the others and have gotten told that she could be a male. Any ideas on whos right

    1. Sounds like a great tank setup! 🙂

      Well generally it is the male betta fish that will have the long flowing fins, the females most often have short fins. Another way you can see if a betta fish is a male or female is by looking for a small white dot on the females under belly, this is called the egg spot. Sometimes hard to see though.

      Hope this helps! 🙂

  25. Beth Williams

    Hi,
    I’ve just found your website and am really impressed with all your topics, links to other info and Q+A’s.
    I have a 24 litre tank (UK) with 1 Betta I’ve called Steve (It was just the first name that came into my head).
    I have a filter, heater set at 26 degrees and a gentle airstone/plant and he seems quite happy.
    My question is about how much and how often I should feed him.
    The specific Betta food I bought is very fine and the pack says to feed a small amount several times a day but my small and your small could be poles apart
    What would u suggest?
    Thanks SO much x

    1. Hi Beth, thanks for joining the betta fish conversation! (and also for all the compliments!)

      Great question, it is very important not to over feed your betta fish. Over feeding leads to food that is not eaten which only pollutes the water, but also it bloats the betta fish’s stomach – this leads to swim bladder disorder. The swim bladder is beside the stomach and is used to keep the betta fish swimming up right and helps it move up and down the tank.

      The thing to remember is that a betta fishes stomach is about the same size as its eye! Two or three small pellets is all it takes for a betta fish to have a meal. Try not to put excess food in the tank as it dirties the water. Betta fish can also go quite a long time without eating – some owners often leave one day every 10 days or so to not feed the betta, it is meant to help the digestive system and help reduce risk of constipation (which leads to bloating, which leads to swim bladder disorder). Feeding daily is fine, just dont bloat their tiny stomachs 🙂

      Hope this helps

      1. I have a 10 gallon tank, it had a illness and all of my fish accept two died. After i treated the illness I decided to put mt male Betta in that tank because his heater wasn’t working, one of the fish left is a Glolight Tetra and the other is a Goldfish Danio, they all get along great. I would like to add some other fish, i did some research and some places said that Cory Catfish and Platies and also cherry shrimp will do good. What will be some good tank mates for my Betta?

  26. Daniel'and'Annabelle

    We’ve just purchased our first betta (Ashura), he’s beautiful! Dark purple but all his fins are neon blue except his bright red pelvic fins. The tips of all his fins have got a metallic pink and purple end though. We love him!
    He shares the tank with 2 corydoras one albino (Marie) and one peppered (Toulouse). And soon we will get some glow light tetras.
    One question though, in our tank we have plenty of plans and a large stone bridge. But at the back to one side we have a little oriental house next to some bamboo. Ashura (the fighter) has decided to call it his home. Not permanently, but sometimes he will go and sit inside the little house for a little while. Then come back out and seek attention again.
    Does anyone else’s betta have any silly habits like this? Also is it normal for a betta to sit in such a confined space?
    Thanks

    1. Hi Daniel and Annabelle! Thanks for sharing your story and sounds like you have a great tank!

      Haha, yeah funny story about your betta fish, but this is perfectly normal! They love to have a hidey hole which they call home. There is quite a funny video on our do betta fish sleep page that shows a betta fish doing something very similar! Thanks for joining the conversation! and yeah… does anyone else’s betta fish do funny things like this??

      1. my betta fish likes to twist itself around my heater. he just sits there, but it is weird cause he is actually touching it

      2. I have an 80 gallon tank, 2 male bettas,10 neon tetras, about 20 ghost shrimp, and a 3 plecos will that work? Also i have a water heater, a large filter , lots of sea shells, 3 live plants, 5 little leef hamocs, and a little cave

  27. Hi there!! We just purchased our very first aquarium!! It’s just a 5 gallon tank, with pretty decorations, and we got a little Betta, for our 8 yr old daughter for her birthday, she has called her fishie “Cinderella” (even though its a male lol) anyhow, I set everything up, filled it with water, put the conditioner in it, but kept Cinderella out for the time being. I’ve noticed bubbles all over the tank and plants (fake) and decorations…. Is this normal? Should I go get ph strips and stuff?? I’m new to this, so I want to make sure I’m doing it right. We want to add more fish & critters to it in the future, but I want Cinderella to get used to his new home first, and not get stressed out.
    What are some “needed” items for a little aquarium? Should I get a heater & such?
    It does have a filter

    1. Bubbles in a new tank set up is normal, you must let the tank cycle before adding fish. Some beginner information here.

      Your tank should have a filter and a heater to keep the water at around 78-79 degreesF (thermometer needed too). You could get PH test kit too, the result needs to be as near to 7 as possible (6.8 – 7.3 is good)

  28. Hey ive had my betta for about 3 months, his been living in a huge wine glass and he seems happy, his curious and isn’t scared of his new ornament anymore (I guess because he spent his life in a tiny empty jar before I brought him?) it’s getting close to winter here and I’ve been thinking about getting him a 20l tank with a filter and heater, probably rectangle. Do you think a 20l tank will be big enough for my betta and a small school of terra?

    1. I am so glad that you are putting him in a 20 Litre tank!I would say that is a perfect size for a betta fish to live alone. You could maybe have a small bottom feeder / catfish like a Cory in the tank. I have seen people with schools of tetras in a tank that size that looked happy, but tetras do like quite a lengthy tank so they can swim back and forth. If your tank is a long rectangle shape, it may be ok.

      1. So I ended up getting him a 50l heated tank and some new tank mates! 2 Banded Kuhli Loach, 3 Pleco and 10 Neon Tetra. They get on great. No fighting so far. Clown Loach and Corydora are next on the list. (I’m hooked)

  29. I have a 10 gallon tank, it had a illness and all of my fish accept two died. After i treated the illness I decided to put mt male Betta in that tank because his heater wasn’t working, one of the fish left is a Glolight Tetra and the other is a Goldfish Danio, they all get along great. I would like to add some other fish, i did some research and some places said that Cory Catfish and Platies and also cherry shrimp will do good. What will be some good tank mates for my Betta?

    1. im not sure about the other 2, but cories work great with bettas. they are different in shape and color, so they wont get attacked. they are also entertaining, and clean up the bottom very, very well

  30. i have posted before, but i have another question. i promised my sister a betta fish to put in my clycled, filtered, and heated tank for her b-day. i have doneabout 72 hours worth of reasearch about my fish, and this is the setup i desire: 3 yoyo loaches, 3 julii cories, 5-6 silver tip tetras, and a female betta. would this work in my tank? or is my promise an empty one? plz answer what u think is ok, preferably using these fish, P.S. i alredy have the cories but not anything else

    1. or could you tell me what i could replace the betta with? my sister is little so it would need to be cute and pretty. also it would have to eat betta fakes of tropical flakes as those are the foods i have now.

      1. The betta fish would need to have betta specific flakes. These are much better for the betta fish. Also Betta fish can be very picky and not even try the generic tropical fish flakes.

    1. That sounds like it would be quite a full tank, so depends on the size of the tank! If the tank is big enough for all those fish plus a betta, I recommend have a male betta fish if it is going to be solo. Female betta fish do best in groups of 5+ female betta fish (a sorority tank).

  31. I just poured my fish in his tank he was moving for 20 secs and then he froze is he in a shock or somthing

    1. I hope he is ok now? putting your fish from one water temperature to another without letting the fish slowly adjust can really stress out a fish!

      You should place the container you were moving him from into the new tank’s water, letting the water in the container slowly begin to match that of the new tank, then pour the fish into the new tank.

  32. Ok, I would love some advice here! I have a 10 gadling tank set up with lots of plants and some decorations. I planned to add ghost shrimp and a beta. I found a solid black Halfmoon yesterday at a pet store that I really want to get. My friend went to a carnival last night and won a white/pale pink common beta and gave it to me because I have a tank. They both seen really laid back and I still have my heart set my the black one. When I was younger I had a dark blue and a pale pink betta that lived together for about 5 years. Would it possible for them to live together?

  33. so I wanted to add a betta to a 20 gallon tank containing 5 sivertip tetras, 3 cories, and 3 yoyo loaches. would this work? too crowded? or ok? if it is ok, I might add some ghost shrimp, only 1 or 2 though? will all this be ok? I have only put in cories so far, so I wabt to know befote I purchase these fish.

  34. Hey, I currently only have one delta tail male betta who is swimming around his 1.5g. I’m making the upgrade to a 10g tank next month. I wanted to add a bulldog pleco and mixed tetras (6); an albino pristella tetra, a cardinal tetra, a true rummynose tetra, a neon blue tetra, a bleeding heart tetra and a penguin tetra. Will my betta get along with all these different types of tetras or should I just buy a school of the same kind? Help!

    1. For the tetra’s stress levels I would get all one type so that they can school nice and friendly together 🙂 I would also recommend looking into if any of these tetras are ‘nippers’, you dont want a fish nibbling at your betta fish’s tail.

  35. Hey I have a beta in a one gall. tank he sometimes freezes though. I’m worried he might die and he’s only my second beta my first one I had in a two-by-two with the one I have now. There names are(smackers1) (shine2) 1and2 means that there my first and second beta smackers froze to death while shine is still alive and there both male. But is it normal for shine to do that

    1. a 5 gallon fish tank at petco or other places are like 10-15 dollars, and a small heater/filter is probably only 15, so only 25 dollars total

  36. hi, we just got our 1st betta. he is in a 1.5 gallon tank. he seems happy and swimming around but i feel like he is not eating? i will see him take in food them spit it out and over the past week there is a lot of betta flakes floating on the top of the water. i have gone between the pellets, flakes and a nix food trying to figure out what “sid” likes best. i am going to clean his tank this week to take that excess food out and add a few snails just for company and to help clean. thought about a bottom feeder at some point but dont want to tramatize him with the cleaning and a new tank mate all at once, plus i want to get his food in order

    1. Sorry that it has taken me a few days to reply. Betta fish can often be picky, so you need to find some dry food they like, betta specific pellets are usually best. Remember betta fishes stomachs are small, just the size of one of their eyes, so they do not need to eat much, just two or three pellets will do. Still not eating, try a dried bloodworm they cant resist those! but that shouldnt be their full diet – just a treat.

      Betta fish can go a little while without food, so hope all is well.

  37. My boyfriend just bought me a 5 gal tank for my birthday with a heater,filter and air bubbles. He also bought me a another male beta Finnie (body is white and fins are purple). I have male betta for three years, Flow is in a small tank and seems happy. I would have loved to give Flow the 5gal tank but i thought it would be hard for him to adjust to a tank with a filter. The problem i seem to be having is that the new male betta Finnie seems to not be liking his food. I started with pellets n he was spitting them out, today i bought flakes and he is spitting them out too, what do i do? Also i would like to add tetras to the 5 gal tank with the betta, it would be nice to add for color in the tank.

    1. If hes been doing fine and one of the bettas has to live in the small tank, you may aswell leave them the way round that they are. No need swopping the fish and stressing them. Hope the betta’s appitite has came back, sometimes that can happen for a few days, remember bettas do not need to eat much, two or three pellets is enough for a betta fish and they can go a little while without food too.

      Tetras may need a larger tank. The longer the tank is for neon tetras the better.

    1. Hmm, no, I have heard some stories about these fish. There is no guarantee that one day you wont come back home and look at your tank an a fight has taken place. Both fish are a little too aggressive to be compatible.

  38. Great article. I think one of the most misunderstood topics besides tank conditions is tank mates for bettas. I see so much inconsistency. Some people are fine with adding semi-aggressive fish to their tanks with bettas and then they recommend it, but this doesnt work for everyone. Like sometimes gouramis are great tankmates but at times they can become too aggressive. What do you think?
    p.s. ghost shrimp rock as tank mates 🙂

    1. Thanks for joining the conversation Molly, and thanks for the great comments on our site!! 🙂

      Interestingly the comment above you asked the same question about gouramis, I say they arent good tank mates for betta fish because there is no guarantee that you wont come back one day and a fight has taken place in your tank, both a little too aggressive to share a tank. (well there will always be a big enough tank size to keep them both – big enough for them both to have personal space and hiding holes etc)

  39. Hello, I’m thinking of getting another fish with my male betta. I’m not sure to put another female or another kind of fish. Please help…

    1. Well you have came to the right page on the internet! Theres loads f suggestions in the blog and throughout these comments. How about some Cory catfish??

      Only if your tank is bigger than 5 gallon though…

  40. here is an interesting question: how do you restart a heater? I moved it today, only to feel it was not hot at all. I know I need a new one, but my betta and cories see
    m to be thriving, so I was wondering if I needed it immediately? if so how much is a heater for a 20 gallon tank gonna cost me, as im rather short of cash at the moment!!! plz respond asap!!! thanks

  41. I have finally perfected my water conditions, and added more fish. there are 2 cories, a male betta, and 3 loaches (I am not sure wether they are botia loaches and yoyo loaches) and they are living well together, with the betta ignoring the other species, and the other 2 types interacting nicely. I have 2 questions

    1 would a school of 5 neon tetras added to this 20 gallon be too much?

    2 I am hearing weird splashing noises at night ever since the loaches were added. are they jumping or something?

    thanks for any response!!

    1. Sorry for the late reply, I have been away for a while.

      All sounds good to me! Neons should be fine in there.

      Many fish jump to the waters surface so it could be the loaches or even the betta fish. Make sure you have a lid on your aquarium, but also remember to leave breathing space at the top of your tank for the betta fish to breathe.

      1. I have tried putting yoyo loaches in my 10 gal and either the female is pregnant or they are mating and bit the hell out of my half moon male. It is not ideal to mix yoyos and betas FYI.

  42. my beta (Marshmallow)seems happy enough in his 2.5 gallon tank but he gets angry at the colored rocks, and my brothers beta(separate tank)throws the rocks at night, he also on the first day tried to eat one… but is mouth was too small, anyway! is this bad???

    1. Its not too bad, like I mention in the post, 5 gallon tanks are what we recommend, though I have seen betta fish happy in 2.5g. I dont really know what to say about the rocks, maybe its just his way of playing. Are they shiny? could he see himself in the rocks? If he can he will probably think it is another betta fish and thats why he seems angry.

  43. Hello everyone iv just got a quick question iv got a 28L tank and waned to get a betta fish and some neons ma tank is now circulated ect and ready fory fish however Im not sure what fish I should put in first, if I put the betta in then the neons will it think their food or b annoyed they in his territory or if I do it other way round will neons b annoyed he’s now there and nip his fins? Well confused about this can anyone help?

    1. Stress usually leads to bad health in betta fish, so a few signs to look for:

      Lazy / sluggish compared to normal
      The betta fish’s color is fading
      Clamped fins
      loss of appetite
      Bloating

  44. i have 2 tanks one a 10 gal and 30 gal, I have one comet goldfish {Skittles) in the 10 gal and 3 goldfish (2 comet and one reg) in the 30 gal. I am thinking of adding a betta to one of the tanks but wondering if they would get along?

    1. Sorry Betta fish and goldfish do not get along! Goldfish make the water dirty quickly and their bright colors and fins are exactly what makes a betta fish stress, be angry and aggressive!

  45. I have a betta and have had him for almost a year now (or at leazt I think its a him, how can u tell??)
    anyway, he’s been in a tank alone since I’ve had him but would like to add more excitement to the tank by adding new fish.
    do you think he would react badly to something new to his tank after having his own space for so long?

    1. Yes possibly! It would depend on the size of the tank but he will be thinking this as his territory now. If your tank is well over 5 gallon, you may be able to add a small bottom feeder, if your tank is any smaller though I wouldnt risk it, or you may find an injured fish!

      Males generally are the ones with the long flowing fins, females have shorter fins and are not sold as often.

  46. Will a 5 gallon tank with 6 neon tetras, male betta, snail and 3 ghost shrimps be to full? If so, will it be still to full if I get a ten gallon tank. 🙂

    1. Hi Andrew,

      Yes, a 5 gallon tank would be too full. Neon tetras alone like a nice long tank so I dont think they would be too happy in the 5. Betta fish ideally like 5 gallons of space for themselves. A 10 gallon fish tank would be much better!

    1. Hi Jen, thanks for the question.

      Still only one male betta would be comfortable. More than one male and you will come back home one day to find an injured fish (or worse). A female betta fish sorrority may work if you have over 3 females in the tank though.

      Hope it helps! 🙂

  47. Hi, I had put a male and female betta together in a tank, they were acting shy around each other so I thought it was okay. The next day I noticed the male would bite the side of the female so I have to take either the male or female or and put it in another tank that has a fish in it.. I have a koi fish that I can keep in a tank until it gets big, it’s shy and doesn’t seem harmful at all. I’m not sure if I should put one of the bettas in with the koi fish…if I can should I put the female or male with him? I don’t want my make to keep hurting my female. The female is shy and doesn’t do anything but eat anything it sees lol

  48. hey I have a betta fish and im wondering what fish that I could get from pet smart or walmart that get along with my male betta

    1. Hi Mike, I dont know what your local walmart sells. There are plenty of examples on this page, in the blog and in the comments. Nothing to bright or colorful and nothing with flowing fins. You also must make sure your tank will be big enough. Over 5 gallons is needed.

  49. I just bought an albino Cory and a spotted Cory for my 11 gallon tank to live with my Betta and Gold Inca snail. My Betta seems uninterested in the spotted Cory, but keeps taking jabs at the albino. He doesn’t flare his fins or gills when he approaches the albino; it seems like he’s just curiously poking at it. Will this behavior dissapear as the Betta gets used to the Cory? My only concern is how stressed out my little albino Cory will get.

    1. Hmm, yes your albino cory will get stressed out by this. Hopefully it is just a temporary territory thing, but be careful incase one day it gets to be more than just a ‘curious poke’. 11 Gallon should be enough space really… unless you have an aggressive betta fish.

  50. Hi daar ek het 2 mannetjies en 1 wyfie mannetjies in afskorting tank en ek weet nie hoe of hoekom nie maar hulle bly oorspring Dan al 3 saam in tank maar bakly nie bly hulle split maar spring net weet oor wat moet ek doen Dankie

  51. Hi i have read that i would need over 5 gallons to add any more fish to a male betta. My tank is 6 gallons..originally we were told tetras but i have now read they like nice long tanks but mine is quite square and tall..

    bearing this in mind…what can i put with the male betta? and how many ie corys? or loaches? i dont want it overcrowded but the hubby wants more than one fish in the tank..

    Thanks muchly!
    xx

    1. Hi, great question, I love how you have been doing your research and you obviously really care for your betta fish.

      Yeah, neon tetras prefer a longer tank, they like to swim in their school and do so length ways, not so much vertically. As you have read I like to say leave 5 gallons for your betta fish’s personal territory before adding fish, then as a general rule every inch of fish should be an extra gallon.

      Im sure one or two corys would get on fine with your betta fish in its tank.

  52. I have a 3 gallon tank with one Male Betta and I wanted to put some more fish in with him for company does anyone have any ideas on what I should get

    1. Hmm, well considering that a three gallon tank is perfect for a betta fish i think that you should get tetras or bottom dwelling fish like tank cleaners. just be considerate about the amount of fish you buy so the tank wont be to full.And well i know you said fish but have you considered getting crabs. just make sure for them not to be too big

    1. Hi Alexa, thanks for joining in the betta fish conversation (sorry for the late reply).

      Well there are a few suggestions in the post and quite a few within the comments, a small bottom feeder like a cory would be a great partner. Although in the 3 gallon tank you say you have I wouldn’t recommend a tankmate with your betta fish. He would be happiest and healthiest by himself with lots of personal space! 🙂

  53. Hi, my name is amber and i have a betta and he is blue.. His name is stitch. I got him a little starter kit with a 2 gallon tank and he swims around.. There is a little plant and he swims through it. Is it normal for a fish to stalk his food and
    Attack it and eat it? Also he is the only fish in the tank and he looks a little lonely.. Do bettas get lonely?

    1. Hi Amber, great starter questions for betta fish care.

      Yeah that sounds completely normal, great fish arent they? They all have there own personalities and some will hunt the food you put in.

      No they dont get lonely, in the wild they spend most of their time alone anyways! 🙂

  54. Hi I have a 20 gallon tall with one male crowntail in there. It has a filter, heater, plenty of plants and a hollow log. There are plenty of hiding spaces and I just feel like the tank is so empty. I’ve considered tetras, cories, african dearf frogs, and otos, but im really wanting some other centerpiece fish in the tank. I researched the web for a while and I’ve decided that I want to add one gourami or even a pair. I’ve heard mixed outcomes of how the betta and gouramis would interact but I don’t want either species to be too stressed. Would this work. And if not. What else could I put in the tank

    1. It sometimes just comes down to the personality of the fish! Add gouramis with care and keep an eye on the territorial reactions of the betta fish and the gourami.

      Look for the less aggressive species of gouramis and stay away from ‘kissing fish’ as these are very territorial. 20 gallons is a great size tank for a few tanks mates – but be careful not too go too far! 🙂

  55. Good news I have a 20 gall. Tank with my beta(shine) a pleco 1tetra he doesn’t have a pack the store had only one they made me feel sad because they said he was all alone 🙁 so I took him home with me he’s happy though 🙂 he stays with the Pleco oh and I forgot the zebra diabos I have 4 and they all get along great 🙂 !!! So that’s also a fish that can live with betas I hope I helped and I’ve never saw fish so happy 🙂 🙂 and I need help with names for the blue neon tetra

    1. well you can calll them Blue, Ballo , Azul, and Cerulean ( they al mean blue :)) or you can call them based on how they are

  56. Good Morning. I have several questions.
    I am new to community tanks but I have owned Betta ever since 2009.
    I have been ignorant enough to keep them in small tanks.
    My current Betta, Fletcher, has velvet. I have quarantined him and I shall be buying Aquarium salts and possibly Coppersafe to kill the velvet.
    In the 20 gallon tank, I have 5 neon Tetras.
    I have read if you add Aquarium salts to the tank your betta will almost never get various diseases.
    Will the medication effect my Tetras at all?
    I also want to add a bottom feeder so when the tetras miss some of their food, I have a fish that will eat it off the gravel at the bottom. Are Ghost Shrimp good for that? I want to add more variety to my tank.

    1. Hi Will, Thanks for your questions.

      Always check with the aquarium salt you get but yes tetras can cope with a small dose. I think about 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons is sufficient for tetras as a general water improvement, you can add more if you are trying to cure a disease. Always check! 🙂

      And yeah your right about the bottom feeders and ghost shrimp!

  57. And thanks for all of the names I decided his name shall be blue macral because he is a neon (blue) tetra and like off of the old (sea) movies macral means beautiful

  58. hi(again). I have had a very sucessfull tank for about 4 months now, and I have some extra fish space in it. I have 7 fish; dwarf gourami, coryX2, zebra loachesX3, and platy. as you can see, 5 of the 7 are bottom feeders, and my gourami kind of hangs around the bottom. I was wondering how I could fill up the space? would a betta work( a king ale betta because of short fins) or should I go with something else? my other thoughts were a small school of either neon tetras, or harlequin rasboras? or a couple of boesamni rainbowfish? I was also wondering about benefits of ghost shrimp. also, I will be 100% fine with getting rid of my platy. could you plzzzzz give me the best option…!!!tnx a bunch

    1. p.s. it is a 20 gallon, and soon I will get a 30 gallon, so plz base it off of that 9if it is overcrowded by only like 1 fish ten they will soon get a bigger habitat

  59. does anyone know about adf(African dwarf frog)…. I have 2 and one of them was sitting on the top and not moving but now he is o the bottom and not moving…. I moved him to a different tank to stop a spreading sickness(if that is what it is) and he is no better wont eat ont move…. other one is chubby and active… this one I skinny, and doesn’t move.. does anyone know what is wrong…. cure….help me

  60. I am a new Betta owner, I have had my Crowntail Betta for about a month..

    I’ve noticed that the tips of his fins are beginning to curl, is he sick or is that just how they are?

    Also, this page is extremely helpful for me! I wanted to get a bottom feeder but wasn’t sure if my betta would get along with it..

    1. Thanks for the great comment about the page Gabrielle! 🙂 glad you found it useful.

      Hmm, the very tips are beginning to curl, or have they always been like that? You should Google ‘betta fish fin rot’ and compare your betta fish to the images that show up to make sure that there are no problems.

      1. They started to curl like, the day after I got him. But stopped after just the tips had curled. He doesn’t really compare to the look of Fin Rot, and he’s still blowing bubblenests..

  61. I have a crown tail beta in a one gallon “bowl”, no filter. He has been living this way now for 1 1/2 years. I change his water bi-weekly with bottled water. He seems very happy. His bowl is sitting were I can interact with him daily on a regular basis. This is not the ideal tank situation, but it can work.

  62. Hi, so I saved my male betta (his name is Turtle) from my cousins wedding in July. They put them in toxic beads, so me and my other cousins spent the night getting them in clean water. Mines been alive and happy since then, but I”d like to get a 10gl tank and some other fish as well. Are Molly’s a good choice or no? And if they had babies, would he eat them? And he has a tiny but of fin rot. I’m getting medicine for him soon, but would the rot and medication hurt other fish? Thanks for the help!

    1. Nice story Megan 🙂

      It depends on the fish’s personalities. Mollies can also be on the aggressive side so it isnt a great match with a betta fish but can work. I have heard stories on both sides.

        1. Hi it’s me agin so to begin with fish that would live with bettas are serrace,neon,red tail,and colored tetras,zebra diablos,cories,ghost shrimp,and pleco 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  63. Pingback: A Beginners Guide to Setting up a Betta Fish Tank - Japanese Fighting Fish

  64. My son will be getting a 10 gal tank for his birthday and he really wants a “catfish tank”. We also have had a beta for the past year in a 1.5 gal personal tank. The beta is currently happy with no filter (he hates it) and room temp water with no heater. Prob around 72 degrees. Is there a way to combine the “catfish” and beta and what would be the best combination of fish. I was intrigued by the ideas of corys, plecos, neon tetras, and ghost shrimp. I don’t know if our beta is male or female. Thanks!

  65. Wilbur we had 2 black male mollies and one was sex mad and a bully, we took him out and replaced him with 2 guppies and a platy, my tank is 30 litre and now houses 1 male fighter 2 female, 1 molly, 2 guppies and 1 platy, all seem very happy now. The guy at the shop said this size tank would hold around 12 fish, so 3 more platys and we should be safe. Any comments will be appreciated Thank you

  66. Hey, for Christmas I’m getting a Siamese fighting fish and I went to the betta fish shop and he gave me probably the smallest tank. I read on line and it says 5 gallons in the tank? What must I do? I also don’t have a filter and I wont have space for ornaments. I don’t know what to do?

    1. Hi Tayla, your betta fish will be able to live in the small tank and survive for a while. Please keep his water extra clean, as it will get dirty soo quickly!

      5 Gallons is reckomended for happy and healthy bettas, a little smaller would be fine, as long as you get a filter and a heater to keep water conditions optimal.

      There’s a difference between surviving and living happily! 🙂

  67. Hi everyone,

    I got a new fish tank 2 weeks ago, added a female betta with 5 tetras in a 5 gallons tank (witch was a bad idea i know). Two of them died of stress. I placed the female in a separate tank, she’s doing fine.

    This morning i added a male betta and guppies (i heard that they COULD live together )listen to this .. the guppy jumped out of the tank … he is stress out and hiding. The tetras are fine. The betta wasnt chasing but swimming around. As i’m speaking, the guppy is a bit more relaxed.

    Do you think it’s a matter of time before they get used to each other ? or the guppy will eventualy die of stress ?

    Thanks in advance for you answer, and nice website with a lot of info

  68. I have a 1.5g tank with a betta and he seems to be happy he eats his blood worms but makes bubbles everyday for the past month LOL will he stress out from being without a female betta? I know he is making bubble nests does that mean he wants a mate?

  69. Hello! My boyfriend & I purchased “Bruce Lee” (the fighter) last April (2013). It will be a year in two months since we got him and he’s doing great! We started him off in a 1 gallon as I did not know a ton about these guys, just that they are all so beautiful and unique and I had to have one! He was upgrades to a 2 gallon about 6 months ago, and today he had his first swim in his brand new 10 gallon tank! I got brand new everything; filter, heater, thermometer, plants & decorations. My only problem I’m having this far is finding the ideal temperature! (Bruce seems to be hanging out beside the heater when normally he’s darting around the tan exploring, & coming to the front when I talk to him!) I’m sure he will come around once the heat distributes evenly. I really want to add friends for him! We tried an African Dwarf Frog but within the first day Bruce grabbed the poor guy by the leg and shook him around like a ragdoll. This fish is out of this world when it comes to temperament. He’s so friendly with people; will come to the front when you’re close and talking to him, he’ll flare his hills, puff up, & strut back & forth showing off & looking so proud! But I’m afraid these awesome characteristics are the same reason he attacked the poor frog! (Who I only got to keep Bruce company…!) Do you think this will also happen if I try adding some shrimp, catfish, or small schooling fish? He is SO interested in everything & is such a smart little guy. I have him a mini ball & a
    Hair elastic strung in the tank made into a little hoop and he plays basketball! I feel like he would do well with other fish & be able to work out a hierarchy which would benefit him socially… But his past with the frog & even the fact that he flares at me when I just look at him through the tank worries me. Input please!

    1. Thanks for sharing your story! He sounds quite a character! Poor frog though! 🙁

      Some betta fish can have a high temperament and all tank mates may get a nip or two at some point which we dont like. A 10 gallon tank should be big enough for a tank mate though. Because he was put in first he is probably territorial for the whole tank. Adding plants and ornaments can help break up the vision and create places to hide which can help when introducing fish.

    2. me n my fiance purchased our fighting fish a yearago we named him blue cause hes royal blue in color he has grown so big since we first got him hes such a joy we only put him in poland spring water they r very smart fish n can be very playful.

  70. What kind of catfish and other mouth sucker fush can bettas live with? Right now i have two bettas. One female and one male. The male dosen”t care shes in there, but with the female looks like she snows off time to time when she swims near him. Other then that, there fine together.

    1. Ok, well I cant recommended keeping them together…

      As for the sucker fish / catfish – it all depends on the size of your tank. The good thing about these ‘bottom feeders’ is that they stay out of the betta’s way. Keeping towards the bottom of the tank so they make a good betta fish tank mate as they choose to stay at the top. You could try Glass Catfish in a small group – these are completely see through. Cory catfish are a good choice also. If you have enough room and there are plants / decorations to block the betta’s view so that they dont get too irritated by sharing their space.

  71. I have 3 female bettas & 2 glowfish.. my girls look at me do they ever stop & sleep.. ? My girls dont fight plenty of hiding spots heated 5 gallon.. loves peas once a week changed their water yesterday…

  72. I have a 3 gallon tank is it okay to have tankmates for my single Beta? He seems to be a calm boy who likes to lay about on his hiding spot.

  73. Hi,

    Great website and advice. I would just like to confirm my thoughts, but please let me know if I am not on the right thinking path.
    I have kept a Betta many years ago, but it was in one of the tiny tanks, and although he lasted for many years I would love to add one to my large tank.
    I have a 24gallon tank with 5 neon tetras at the moment and was thinking of putting a Pleco and blue Betta in the tank as well.
    Would they all be ok together? I’m thinking the Betta would have plenty of space and the Pleco can help keep the tank clean, but the Neon’s are only nearly an inch in size.
    I also have a few live plants and drift wood as well as a sunken boat to hide in.
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated 😉

    1. Sounds good! 24 gallon is enough space.

      Fantastic upgrade for your new betta. You will surely notice how much more lively and happy your betta is in a bigger tank.

  74. Had a passive, shy and sweet male crown tail that I thought would like some company so got a small female veil tail. They got along famously in my 2 1/2 gallon cube-shaped tank with filter until the male just passed away recently. If it’s possible for a fish to grieve that’s just what she did. She would go looking for her friend in the plants and she quit eating for a couple days. I finally rearranged the tank so that she wouldn’t be constantly reminded of her lost friend. Am considering getting a medium-sized catfish or ground feeder to keep her company now.

  75. I have 3 comets and 4 neon tetras in a tropical tank and a male betta (red body with blue tail) in a separate tank. Would it be safe to place my betta in with the other fish?

    1. It depends on the temperament of the fish and how big the tank is. Sometime tetras can be nippy, but in a big enough tank with plenty of live plants to keep the fish occupied it should be fine.

  76. Hi, I got a beta fish, male, in a 1 gallon tank a few weeks ago. He appears to be happy and he loves hiding in the back of the tank where the plants (fake) are. I don’t know if 1 gallon is too small for him, so is it? Although he appears to be happy, I just wanted another opinion.

    Also, my tank is pretty big appearing with lots of space (he sticks to the back). I was wondering if a snail would be okay to get.

    1. Hey, I’m sure your fish will be able to live and survive in the one gallon tank – but we think it is too small.

      Once you put your betta fish in a tank that is around 5 gallons you will see it in a new lease of life! We recommend 5 gallons with a soft flowing filter and a heater.

  77. Ok please help I’m buying a $40 elephant ear fighter fish it is going in a 23 gallon tank with plants and rocks can I keep him with neons or will the neons rip his fins thanks

    1. They should be fine together. Just keep an eye ut as some Tetras can nip fins often depends on the fish. Plenty of plants to block the views of the fish will help.

    1. Hi, no I wouldn’t put any other fish with your betta in a 2 gallon tank. Betta fish like to have a lot of personal space other wise they can get stressed and aggressive which will lead to fights and fish injuries.

  78. Hi Bettainfo,
    We’ve had a Betta – Voldemort for about 3mths now, we’ve had a couple of different fish with him, (shrimp & neon tetra) both of which sadly died!!, but Voldemort keeps surviving!! He’s being a happy, solitary fish now for about 6weeks, swimming lots, coming to see us at feed times & when we’re near the tank, but the last couple of days he’s seems depressed, he rarely swims around the tank, choosing to stay behind a moss ball, comes up to eat, but not for long.
    I introduced a new filter a few weeks ago, but started growing algae on the tank calling for more cleaning, so reintroduced my old filter 2days ago with a small amount of water change & cleaning of the glass & he’s not been happy since.
    Or maybe he’s just planning his next move against Harry Potter!!!!

  79. i recently got my first betta and all these different betta fish sights are great but they all say to have a 5 gallon tank and i have a 1 gallon tank.
    the thing is, my friend has 33 betta fish and they all have 1 gallon tanks and they seem healthy and happy! and i dont know what to do. please answer this comment i would love to join the conversation and i subscribed because its a great site and i am very worried about my betta!

    1. Many fish owners have bettas that appear happy and healthy in lower gallon tanks. However a 5 gallon tank will mean your betta fish is so much happier and healthy – you will notice the difference. 🙂

  80. So I thought I would share an absolute first for me, I have had own and bread beta fish before.. I want their spell for a couple of years I did not own any. Recently my friend and land lady she has a 30 gal tank, the oldest fish a 7inch koi who lost his tank mate sadly, and got him a picasimus, and the koi was such a bully!!! After a week I don’t know why it occurred to me that may be a beta fish might make a good tank mate for this koi, The irony of the situation is it’s been a week and there hasn’t been a single fight and everybody is now coexisting peacefully… I’m not really recommending this I’m just saying that in this particular situation and all seems to be working out. Mr Betta put billy bad a$$ the koi fish in his place lol I swear it’s like the beta has just enough attitude to somehow relax the koi. Just thought if share as having Betta’s in the past I find this kinda interesting 😀

  81. My boyfriend is “secretly” getting me a betta for x-mas, I’m trying to buy a unique bowl for him to swim in and put him with my moss ball (Philip) , is a sucker fish a bad addition with the betta? I don’t have much room and that’s why I don’t want to get a regular tank. I was thinking of maybe a 2 gallon bowl? Guarantee I CAN’T get a 5g tank :/

  82. I had 2 male bettas in a 50 gallon tank with 3 10inch koi. They had caves to hide in and I fed them sinking food. They did extremely well. They had territories, but they were at opposite sides of the tank.

  83. I have a 10 gallon tank for my betta. Currently I have a clown nose pleco and a mystery snail. I was wondering what I should look out for because I don’t see much Algie build up and im wondering what I should add in to fix that. I just don’t want to upset my betta with to much change or clutter

  84. So I have been after a Betta for a while as a feature fish for 26 gallon tank.

    I have a few Guppies – they all have short fins so they should be OK and a Feather Fin Syno (Catfish) that lives in the inside of a hollow log. So after a lot of research I thought we should be OK.

    Yesterday I took the kids to a Garden centre that does fantastic Christmas displays and found that a fish shop had opened (a branch of one of the biggest fish shops in the UK) – and they had some lovely specimens of Betta’s so I ended up buying one. He was happy, not chasing the guppies and completely ignored by the catfish.

    Got up this morning and he has vanished. Could the catfish have eaten him whilst he was resting overnight?

    1. He’s gone? Is it possible he has jumped out the tank? Betta fish can be good jumpers. Failing that check under the ornaments behind the heater / filter incase he has got stuck.

      I find it unlikely that any of your fish have ate him whole.

  85. I have a 3 year old son who is obsessed with animals and fish so yesterday we decided to go buy him a 10 gallon fish tank and added five female beta with two fake plants and a home to hide in when they want to the tank has a heater and a filter and UV lights on the lid so my son uses it as a nightlight also we have been feeding them in the morning and at night I’ve never had an actual tank growing up so my fish never survived but my sons bettas seem very happy in there new tank they play with eachother and haven’t shown any aggression and more active in there new home then when I got them at the store I plan on cleaning the tank every two weeks to make sure they stay happy in a clean environment but what I was wondering is it possible to in a month or so add a type of small frogs to the tank and maybe 2 alge eating fish or would the tank be to small for this? the fish love my son if he puts a finger on the outside of the glass they follow him so I think its a great learning experience for him and a great idea since he is an only child till we can have another one but I’m afraid of them dying is there environment okay for them and would it be okay to add two more fish to eat the algue to help keep the tank cleaner and also the frogs since my son absolutely loves frogs?

  86. Hey, I have a 10 gallon community tank with a filter and air stone and rocks and fake plants and I have a Cory cat, one pleco, and a lot of guppies. My friend recently got a betta fish and he wants to put him in my tank, will they all be fine together?

  87. Today I went to pet smart and really wanted a gold fish. I wasn’t able to get one because the people working there said if I wanted a gold fish it would have to be in a 30 gallon tank. This 30 gallon tank was way to expensive for the one paying for my fish. Does just one goldfish really need to be in a 30 gallon tank?? Instead I bought a betta (Gilbert) Andplaced him in a 5.2 gallon tank! Im happy I got a betta they are very cute!

  88. I’m worried that my Betta fish has ick! It’s not really tiny dots it’s more like big splatters that werent there when I bought him!

  89. I have had my betta fish in his 10 gallon for years now. I am thinking of upgrading to a 40 long because the 10 gal is over stocked. I was reading “Tropical Fish in Your Home” by Herbert and William For ideas on tank mates.
    There were several fish i liked that i was wondering if they are good with betta fish. Many were featured in the article above.
    Does anyone know if the fish listed below are betta friendly?
    Bumblebee goby
    Red fin shark
    Raibow shark

    Thank you!!!

  90. Hi I was wondering I have a male Betta fish can he be put in my community tank with my neon tetras and glo fish (not goldfish) without a problems? It’s a heated tank btw.

  91. I have had a male beta for 7 months now. He seemed sad till I put 2 balloon female Mollie’s and 1 black male Molly and 1 female beta with him. He surprisingly is gentle with all the female and doesn’t bother the male. The one balloon Mollie had fry and are now in its protective net breeder. They all swim together to me when I near the tank. I love them all. They are in a 10 gal. tank and are doing fine!

  92. Okay so I have 1 female and 1 male who seemed to be not getting along so well.i also had a Cory cat. The female bit a couple chunks out of the males tail and a couple out of my Cory cats tail!!! Why? I thought bettas were supposed to not mind Cory cats.im so confused.

  93. Hello, i got a red beta (jelly bean) a few weeks ago. The pet store told me I could put him in a 1.2 gallon bowl with rocks and a plant. After I brought him home and set him up I did a little research and realized that was not a sufficient home for him. I went back to the pet store and got a beta tank 2 gallon with filter that was made for beta fish. After getting the tank set up and a lama it in jellybean I watched and he was miserable. The filter was pushing him all around and he even got stuck behind it. I immediately put him back in how bowl and he has seemed extremely happy ever since. I’m scared to try another filtered tank. I don’t want to shock him!

  94. Has anyone else had a male Betta live for six years? It wwould lived longer if it wasn’t for that cat pushing tank of table. I even was even an non experience beta owed, learned a lot with him, yes in deed he love mirrors every once in awhile puff up his fins. He eat a mate I once got him for just experiment see if I had a green thumb for breeding. I often used tap water straight out of sink. Feed him three times a week. In kept uping the size of vase bowl the bigger he got. Sure miss him.
    Now reading all this information on how take care of them! Am like totally amazing how long he lived, even with my life style at the time I was teenager. Now, I know some great information I feel the new betta I have will do great! I now know not use tap water lol….
    Thanks this site been very helpful in the what do’s&don’t!
    Sincerely, Brenda

  95. I need advice before I get a betta. I’m thinking of getting 1 Betta, a Dwarf Frog, and a few Ghost Shrimp. Would they all be okay in a tank slightly bigger than 5 gallons or should I get a bigger one. Thanks so much for your help. 🙂

  96. I have a 5 gallon tank with a male betta and some fish I want to put is the guppies, dwarf guarmis, mollies, zebres, and swordtails. ¿Are this fish compatible with bettas?

  97. Hello,
    So I have a 10 gallon tank and I’m planning on getting some buddies for my betta. Mostly just a bottom feeder
    is 10 gallons enough for a betta fish and feeder??

  98. Hi, I love your website: its helped me alot with my tank setup and everything but i still have a quick question. I have a 5 gallon tank and was wondering how many fish i can put it along with my betta? I was thinking a school of neon tetras and a cory catfish? But then i read somewhere that Cory catfish like to be in a school too. So now im deciding is it a school of cory or a school of tetras. Are cleaner fish/snails necessary?

    1. Hi Kevin, Thanks for the comments!
      Ok, so really what we would say is a betta fish need 5 gallons of personal space before another fish is put into the tank – then that fish will need some personal space too depending on species. 5 Gallon is a very borderline tank for a betta fish to share, depending on its own temperament it may be fine. Add a few plants and ornaments to break up the vision between the two fish. You may want to opt for a bottom feeder as it will stay out of your betta fish’s way.

  99. I have an 80 litre aquarium and a red Betta who loves to snake about in the vines. He lives with 4 glass shrimp, 2 large Angels and a small shoal of tetra. There are also 4 zebra cory. He seems happy and doesn’t fight. I have a pond style filter,heater and air pump. They are very graceful fish. I rescued him from living in a stupid cup. It looked like Harry Potter living in a cupboard and I felt sorry for him. He’s a cutey and seems oddly smarter than my other fish. I’ve bought another 55 litre tank so I can get another, I’m smitten.

  100. My Betta Pebbles lives together with a black ghost knife fish, a rummy-nose tetra and a algae eater. They all live happy together in a 60L tank (Europe uses liters xD) the knife fish is really shy and always hides just like the rummy-nose. I had Betta’s before and learned out of experience that you don’t want them with bright colored fish (before I researched for information) but it also depends on there temper. My blue one couldn’t care less about the other fish and after that one died I got a red one and he cared, always flaring… But Pebbles only cares about food 🙂

  101. I have 3 female bettas that share a tank with one African dwarf frog, 2 guppies, 3 platys, one cory cat, and one temporary comet (had a problem with neighborhood cats and our pond). My aquarium is a 36 gallon bow front that is moderately planted. My biggest betta has been very territorial when I add any new fish to the tank. After she establishes her dominance though (usually only takes a few days), she does not bother the other fish in the tank. My smallest betta hangs out with my dwarf frog under the same plant every day. My last betta swims around with my platys mainly. In my experience they are great community fish.

  102. I am getting a 5 gallon tank and was wondering if I could put a tank mate in. I had a one gallon and put a rank mate in until it the tank mate jumped out and then my cat ate him.so would a tank mate be OK?

  103. Just to sum all of those comments up.
    NEEDS A FILTER- or fungus will eat your little friends
    2 GALLON OR MORE- for the space they need so they won’t get stressed easily
    FIND OUT PERSONALITY-calm, mean, shy. determine if you can get tankmates with out issues
    IF YOU WANT TANK MATES HAVE A 4 OR MORE GALLONS-so that betta won’t feel as territorial
    NEEDS GOOD FOOD-or will die
    DON”T BE JERKS TO YOUR BETTA NO BOWL!!!!NO CUP!!!! STUPID PEOPLE TORTURE BETTAS!!!!DON”T DO IT OR YOUR FRIEND WILL DIE!!!!
    TRAIN BETTA-so it won’t be bored a depressed and die
    PLAY WITH BETTA-same reason you should train it
    HAVE FUN!!!! most important thing

  104. I wanted to know if I could put my betta in a tank with goldfish? I want to purchase some but I want my betta to be in the same tank as them. would that be ok? and what gallon tank would be preferred so my betta doesn’t attack them or become stressed from it.

    1. Sorry Liesel no there isn’t. We do not recommend that you keep your betta in a tank so small! We always advise a 5-gallon tank as a minimum for the happiest healthiest betta fish (and to definitely not to go smaller than 3 gallons).

  105. I was wondering if I could put one or two Tetras in with my Betta, I only have a 3 gallon tank though. I just want to make sure that my Betta won’t get mad.

    1. Thanks for the question 🙂 . No, as that tank wouldn’t be large enough for the betta and the tetras. Tetras need space to swim and should be kept in larger groups than 2 or three.

  106. If I were to want to put some neons with my Betta are there any special feeding requirements, do they eat the same sorts of food as the Betta do I need to buy separate food for the neons?

    1. It won’t matter if each of them nibbles at each other’s food. HOwever, you will probably want two different foods for them. 🙂 A some specific betta food which will stay on the water’s surface and some that will fall to the middle of the tank to ensure that the neons get to eat some.

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