What other fish can I put with a male betta fish?
I would love to hear any kind of fish, but I would prefer fish that are reasonably clean and easy to take care of like the betta is. My tank (now) has more than enough room for almost any fish.
I already know that male bettas do not go together, and I know that species releated to bettas cannot go together. Also, dont say none, I know they can live with other fish, I have seen it before.
Hi!
Assuming your tank is a min of 5US gallons and is heated with a power filter you can house a small mix of the following:
Cardinal tetras
Platies
Swordtails
Female guppies (NO MALES)
Mollies
Cories
Frogs (NOT AFRICAN HORN)
Bristlenose Plec
Otto's
Clown Loach (They get huge!)
Danios
Snails (Apple only!)
Shrimp
How many you can have and in what combo depends on the tank size and filtration. Join a good forum like SNBA and get more specific advice and tips!
November 30th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Betas have to be kept in a warm tank- 70-80 degrees. Check out the weblink. That eliminates most freshwater fish, as they are usually cold water fish. Warm water fish are usually salt water fish.
References :
http://care.betta-fish.com
November 30th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
It really depends on your tank's capacity and the temperment of your betta.
Bettas usually do fine with virtually any similar-sized tropical community fish. Problems arise when those tankmates resemble (even faintly) another betta because your betta will recognize it as a threat to its territory and will harass the long-finned neighbor. Another problem is nippy tankmates. A male betta is hindered by those long flowing fins. They make him an easy target for belligerent tankmates and they make him an ungainly swimmer when he needs to take flight from aggressors.
Whatever species you choose to house with your betta needs to be tolerable of a tropical setup so that means no coldwater fishes. Also keep in mind the size of your tank and know your limits. Don't overstock!
References :
November 30th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Is your tank filtered? If it doesn't have a filter, there's really nothing that can survive with it for very long. Bettas have the advantage of their labyrinth so they can breathe without a filter, and other fish will basically slowly suffocate and die :\ not cool.
If you *do* have a filter, I'd suggest corydoras catfish. These fish stay small and are peaceful bottom dwellers who can clean up any food the betta drops. How many you can fit depends on the size of the tank… hopefully it's at least 5 gallons? Corys like to school with other corys, but if you have the typical tiny betta tank, that may simply not be possible. Remember, the smaller the tank, the more vital it is that you stay on top of keeping the tank clean.
References :
November 30th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
People are so wrong about bettas. I have a male betta with three fancy guppies and it has been great- very colorful display! Beware of fin-nipping though. The great thing about their compatibility, though, is that guppies can withstand pretty much anything. They stayed alive while the tank was cycling in 95 degree heat. So, they don't mind the unusually warm water that the betta needs to survive. They also eat similar foods, like bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp, and occasionally some flakes.
References :
a 4 gal tank with the above
November 30th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I'm very happy to read you understand that a male betta can be kept with other fish!! Actually, if your tank is large enough (10 gallons or more), you can keep multiple males in the same tank. It takes some excellent planning, but it can be done!
In a 5 gallon tank, a male betta can be kept with an African Dwarf Frog (not the clawed variety) or 2-3 small tropical fish (as long as the fish don't have long fins and don't get larger than 1-2 inches). In a 10 gallon tank, you can keep a male betta with 6-8 tropical schooling fish (1-1.5" max size and no long fins). You "could" also keep another male betta as long as the tank is planted heavily and "tiered" so that each male has it's own territory. (I really don't recommend this to anyone except those with quite a bit of betta/gourami experience, though.)
In tanks of 5 gallons or more, it's important to use a heater to keep the water between 72-80 degrees for the betta and any tropical tank mates.
Hope this helps.
References :
November 30th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Hi!
Assuming your tank is a min of 5US gallons and is heated with a power filter you can house a small mix of the following:
Cardinal tetras
Platies
Swordtails
Female guppies (NO MALES)
Mollies
Cories
Frogs (NOT AFRICAN HORN)
Bristlenose Plec
Otto's
Clown Loach (They get huge!)
Danios
Snails (Apple only!)
Shrimp
How many you can have and in what combo depends on the tank size and filtration. Join a good forum like SNBA and get more specific advice and tips!
References :
http://snba.freeforums.org/index.php
November 30th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
they do well with most smaller tailed fish but specifically they can't be schooling fish… they agitate the bettas… and make sure your betta had a place to go to in the tank/bowl… like plant space or something near the top so he can rest undisturbed. (they are surface breathers after all)
References :