Betta tankmates

[Tanker]

Seems like there are wildly differing opinions out there about what can happily coexist with a betta... figured I'd get the general thoughts around this camp, as well.

I currently have one male in a ten gallon with 6 small (3/4 inch) Harlequin Rasboras. Everyone is happy and doing fine, the betta took some adjusting to his new 'friends' as he had not seen another fish (except that one guy that came around once in a while and 'fought' with him... tricky devil) in a very long time.

Should catastrophe strike... (in other words: when i DO kill everything) what other fish should I consider to keep the old man of the tank company? I like small, and schooling is fun... I keep my tank at 77-79 as that's just what it sits at in my apartment, without a heater. Prefer 6-10 fish, as long as they ar fairly smallish, and not going to outgrow my 10 gallon too quickly.

[HOSStile]

Check out http://www.fishprofiles.com/ What I found interesting is they say a Jack Dempsy would be compatible. I do know a guy that kept a betta in with green terrors with no problems. Of course gouramis get along with bettas although most get too large. My 3 bettas only want their plant for company and get pissed if you remove it. Of course the bettas are in separate bowls.

[arixonbarnes]

I moved one of my female bettas into my 33 gallon angel tank with my adult angels and they immediately began to run at her and peck her so I pulled her out and put her into a long 3 gallon tank with 2 male guppies. She demolished all the fins on the one male and killed him (while I was doing yard work) and took most of the veiltail off the other male. So I pulled her and put her in with my tank (22"l x 12"w) of Ameca splendens(4 adults and 6 fry) as they have attitude and can hold their own. She was okay for about 3 hours and then she started running at them.

She is now in a floating breeding cage in the angel tank. If she jumps over the top into the tank she will be toast. I was surprised that a female betta would be so aggressive to other species and that the angels would be so quick to go after her as they never bothered the three swordtails that are in with them even when they were only 3/4" long.

Anybody else have a similar experience with their betta (male or female)?

Edited April 15, 2005 by arixonbarnes

[vantgE]

Mine is in with some whiteclouds and some adfs, African Dwarf Frogs are great and the betta spends most of it' time just watching them I hear they can go with anything that isn't to nippy

I've heard of a betta in with bala sharks not sure how long thw guy kept it up buy it shows they are easily compatible with many fish unlike some souces suggest

Edited April 16, 2005 by vantgE

[BleedingHeart]

I've heard these myths about Bettas - maybe someone could let me know which are truths and which are bull...

-A male betta will attack the other fish in his tank if their fins are more or as beautiful as his

-A male betta prefers to have two females bettas with him (what man wouldnt?)

Let me know

- :well:

[chloeclose]

-A male betta will attack the other fish in his tank if their fins are more or as beautiful as his

True... but not necessarily only fish with 'nice fins'... quite often a male betta will attack anything just 'cuz he wants to, they are highly territorial... there are exceptions of course, but IMO the exceptions are rare.

-A male betta prefers to have two females bettas with him (what man wouldnt?)

False... well I guess it could be true depending on how you wanna look at it... he COULD want to have 2 females in there with him because that would mean he'd have 2 other fish to scrap with! In other words, don't keep males and females together EVER... unless you're trying to breed them but even then it's iffy and a very involved process.... and BTW... females are not necessarily more peaceful than males either.

[BleedingHeart]

LOL about the two female theory - that was a customer who told me that...

BTW, we have a betta in our live plant tank and he is co-existing with three guppies and a yoyo loach - albeit they all have plenty of hiding places...I notice that he is so much more lively and colorful in a filtered tank than his bowl.

LOL for Tanker's betta's tricky-devil reflection - too funny

[Oxquo]

a school of cory hasbrosis, hastatus or pygmaeus look cool You could use others like pandas if you want a little bigger. As much as i am not a big fan of bettas, they have been selling like mad in this town, of course I intend on replacing the interest with killies in the near future. At any rate, to my customers, I have suggested keeping nothing more than a betta and an ADF in a 1 - 2 gallon bowl also that they have a cave for the frog so he can store air bubbles and stay out of the crusty bettas way. I have big doubt though that a betta could hurt an ADF. I always put a little free riccia flutans in with my bettas which also gives a frog a place to hang out. If a person has filtration and a nice floating plant corner of duckweed, riccia etc... I'd say the betta will mostly just stay there, anything that won't nip it should be fine.