Betta is the most famous fish among aquarists. Its colorful appearance can add beauty to the dullest tanks. There are different types of Betta fish, each with various tail types that enhance their beauty.
Most Betta fish are quite aggressive, so finding the right tank mates is difficult. They don’t always get along with other peace-loving community fish, which is why they are also known as Siamese fighting fish.
Are you interested in the Betta fish community tank but don’t know what fish can live with Bettas? We can help you here.
In this article, we will cover several fishes that will happily live with your Betta. To know more, keep reading till the end.
How to Choose Betta Fish Tank Mates?
There are several things to remember before choosing betta fish tank mates.
Betta, also known as Betta splendens, is quite famous for its territorial and aggressive behavior. Small tanks and slow-moving fish can trigger these behaviors. However, this behavior can be reduced if kept with other compatible fish in a large tank.
A few things should be considered before selecting any partner for them. These will help reduce aggression and avoid getting harmed or harming other fish.
- Large fin/tail fishes— Other fishes can be mistaken as Betta from their large fins and tails. Bettas will nip on their fins/tails if kept together. So, avoid keeping these fish with Bettas.
- Single fish – Never keep any single fish from other species with Betta. Otherwise, they will keep harassing them, which can stress the other one. Keep other species in groups of 4-5 fishes who move in a shoal. It will move Betta’s focus from any individual fish.
- Predatory fish— You should avoid large predatory fish, as they can harm your Bettas by continuously nipping and biting their majestic tails or fins.
- Same temperament fishes— You should avoid keeping the fishes who share the same temperament or are territorial. These fishes can fight with your Bettas over territory and hurt both.
- Set up a second aquarium—When setting up a tank for Betta and other fish species, add the other species before Betta.
It will help them set their territories and become comfortable in the new environment. Prepare the second aquarium with the right conditions to keep Bettas separate.
Betta fish lifespan will also increase if you keep them in the right community tank.
It will also help if anything goes wrong with the tank that has already been set up.
These things might make your work even harder to choose the right Betta tank mates. But there are a variety of fishes and even other species of Betta that you can keep together.
In this article, you will get all the fish names to make the best companion with your Betta. So, please stick with us till the end.
The Best Betta Tank Mates
Here is the most awaited list of the best betta tank mates to be the best companion. To know why, keep on reading –
- Tetra—Different species of Tetras can make the best companions for Bettas. This is especially true because of their small size, which is limited to 2 inches.
So they don’t require a lot of space in the tank.
They are non-aggressive and move in a shoal. They won’t nip on the fin or tails of your Bettas as well. They will add variety with their appearance and active movements.
The best species of Tetra that will go along peacefully with your Bettas are –
- Neon Tetras
- Black Neon Tetra
- Silvertip Tetra
- Ember Tetra
- Diamond Tetra
- Rummy-Nosed Tetra
- Cardinal Tetra
- Glow-Light Tetra
Coming up to other perfect tank mates for bettas-
- Harlequin Rasbora—These species of Rasbora are considered the best fish for male Tetras. They are small and can grow up to 2 inches only. They are also habitual of the same water conditions as Bettas.
- Fire Rasbora – These are other Rasbora species that are compatible with Bettas. They are small, non-aggressive, and must be kept in a group of 8.
- Endler—This is another compatible species for Bettas. Depending on gender, they usually grow up to only 1 inch. These small fish move in a shoal, which reduces their chance of being harassed by Bettas.
- Female Guppies—Guppies are another peace-loving community fish, but the males are not fit for the Bettas because they move slowly and have colorful long fins.
Bettas can harm them by nipping on their fins and tails. So, keep female guppies instead. They don’t have any bright colorations or long tails.
- Otocinclus Catfish—These fish are also quite peaceful and small in size. They are bottom-dwellers but are not very active. We can see these fish sitting on the logs for hours so they won’t invade Betta’s territory.
- Cory Catfish—This is another bottom-dwelling species of catfish. They are peace-loving and thrive best in a community tank.
- Glass Catfish—These catfish have a transparent appearance and can grow up to 5 inches. They are best for larger tanks.
- Celestial Pearl Danio—These Danio species are schooling fishes that can’t grow more than an inch.
- Pleco—Plecos are also recommended for larger tanks only, and they spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank.
- Kuhli Loaches—These nocturnal fish are great tank cleaners. They are best because they are small and do all the work when the Bettas are asleep.
- Platy (short-finned)—These small fishes are social schooling and only grow up to 2 inches.
- White Cloud Mountain Minnow—These small schooling fish dwell in the tank’s upper or middle parts.
- Molly (short-finned)— These fishes are known for their non-aggressive and schooling nature. They will add variety with their coloration. They mostly dwell in the upper parts of the water.
Female Betta Tank Mates
People choose male Bettas over females because the males are attractive, brightly colored, and have long majestic tails, while females don’t. However, female Bettas are easier to care for and keep in the community tank as they are less aggressive and territorial.
You get various options to choose a mate for a female Betta’s tank. You also don’t have to worry about keeping other fishes with bright coloration and long tails, as the female Bettas won’t nip on them.
The female Bettas are less territorial and won’t fight with other fishes invading their space. It also allows you to keep a slightly larger fish with them. But make sure they won’t nip or bite your Betta.
All of these depend on each fish’s temperament, as there is a chance that some of them can be slightly more aggressive than others. You can keep bottom dwellers with your female Bettas.
Their presence or activity won’t annoy female Bettas much. The best bottom-dwellers for your female Bettas are –
- Clown Loach,
- Yoyo Loach
- Pygmy Cory
- Panda Cory
- Clown Pleco.
These are the good betta tank mates.
Fast-swimming shoaling fishes, such as-
- Red-eye Tetra
- Blue Tetra
- Penguin Tetra
- Gold Tetra
- Mosquito Rasbora
These also make the best companion with the female Bettas.
Male Betta Tank Mates
We all know that male Bettas are aggressive and territorial. Their nature limits the options of fish species that you can keep with them. They don’t like their territory being invaded by others and can attack anyone who does it.
The bright colorations of other fish who share their size can also trigger their aggression. We should avoid the slow-swimming ones, as the male Bettas can easily attack them.
Other species you should avoid are those with long, majestic tails. They can be mistaken as another male Betta by them. Their activity can turn into a violent fight within the tank, resulting in death or heavy injuries.
The small shoaling fishes with dull coloration and short fins will make a perfect companion with the male Bettas. Fishes like-
- Blackline Rasbora
- Dawn Tetra
- Colombian Tetra
- Green Neon Tetra
- Head-Tail Light Tetra
These are the perfect tank mates for bettas.
The fish that dwell at different tank levels can also become the best companions for the Betta tank. The fishes who won’t invade the territory of Bettas are –
- Snowball Pleco
- Bristlenose Pleco
- Candy Striped Pleco
- Zebra Loach
- Albino Cory
So, you can consider them to be the best tank mates for bettas.
Adding more plants and keeping them in large tanks will also reduce their aggression. It will also reduce the vision of the Bettas and provide shelter to the other fish.
Betta Sorority Tank Mates
What is a Betta sorority?
Bettas sorority, or Betta harem, is a betta community tank that contains around five female Bettas. As discussed earlier, female bettas are less aggressive and territorial than males, but this depends widely on individual species. So, choose their tank mates wisely.
Tank Mates for sorority
The other species of fish that you wish to keep with them should be fast-swimming schooling fish. They shouldn’t be finnippers but can be bottom dwellers.
For the Betta sorority, you need a tank of at least 30 gallons capacity to give them ample space to swim. It would be best to have plenty of plantations and ornaments to make hiding places for them.
The fishes whom you can keep with the Betta sorority are –
- Black Neon Tetra
- Neon Tetra
- Cherry Barbs
- Guntea Loach
- Guppies
- Cory Catfish
Considering Tank Sizes
Betta Tank Mates 5 Gallon Aquarium
A 5-gallon aquarium tank is very small for keeping a betta and other fish. It won’t provide Betta enough space to swim with other fish. Bettas can easily get aggressive, which can result in a fight even with a compatible mate.
We won’t recommend having a 5-gallon tank for this purpose. This small aquarium is suitable only if you are planning to keep a single Betta in it. Bettas are antisocial creatures, so they will live happily in a small aquarium all alone.
Instead of fish, you can stock the tank with various plants, such as Amazonian Sword Plants or Java Ferns. You can also add other decorative ornaments or artificial plants to the tank.
Just make sure it is not made of hard plastic but other soft materials. The Betta can get hurt or scratched by it. Also, make sure everything is fixed firmly. Bettas are known to dig and uproot plants and other ornaments.
If you still want to add some live creatures to the tank, you can add snails or shrimp. They will keep the tank clean and live peacefully with your Betta.
Betta Tank Mates 10 Gallon Aquarium
A 10-gallon aquarium is large enough for keeping other species of fish with your Betta. But the tank should be set up right so everyone gets ample space. You can add more plants and bogwood logs to create hiding space for other fishes and block Betta’s view.
As we discussed earlier, you can add artificial plants as well, but they should not be made from hard plastic or damage your Betta’s fins. Also, the fish species that we discussed above will be perfect for keeping in a 10-gallon tank.
Bottom-dwellers like Loaches and Catfish will be perfect for a tank of this size. To add variety to your small-capacity tank, you can also add snails, shrimp, or frogs.
Now, you can easily choose a fish that can live with bettas. Are there non-fish creatures that can live with bettas? Let’s discuss.
Non-fish Creatures for Bettas
You can also add non-fish species to your Betta tank. The main benefit of keeping these creatures is that they will add variety to your aquarium. They can become good betta fish companions for both males and females.
These creatures should not be too small; otherwise, they will become dinner for the fish but small enough not to harm or disturb other fishes. The non-fish species that will be suitable for your Betta tank are –
- Mystery snails are colorful and are famous for their ability to keep the tank shining. They won’t get big enough to disturb your Betta and quietly eat any leftover food and algae from the tank.
- Malaysian Trumpet snails are nocturnal algae-eaters. So, they will wander the tank at night and do all the cleaning while your Betta sleeps. During the day, they will burrow under sediment.
- Nerite snails are also small and won’t get large enough to disturb the Betta. They also need brackish water to breed, so you don’t have to worry about them crowding the tank.
You can also add shrimp to your Betta tank. Shrimp are famous for their tank-cleaning skills and peaceful nature. Their appearance and active movements in the tank will add variety.
Ghost shrimps and adult Cherry shrimps are perfect for this purpose. You can also add amphibians to the tank, such as African Dwarf Frogs. They are peaceful and won’t disturb Betta.
Do you want to give a name to your fish? Here is the list of betta fish names. Pick a good name of your choice and let us know.
Summary
Bettas are beautiful fish, but their aggressive nature makes them less compatible with other fish or community tanks. Finding the right tank mate for a betta, especially a male, is difficult.
However, we have provided you with a list of fishes and non-fish creatures that will easily accompany both male and female Bettas. You can keep them together in a tank of 10 gallons, which is the smallest tank that we recommend.
This tank is not enough for the Betta sorority. It would be best to have at least a tank of 30-gallon capacity for the Betta sorority. Also, make sure to keep the tank heavily planted to create enough hiding space for every fish.
What do you think of the list we provided for your Betta tank? Which fish species do you keep with your Betta? How is your experience? Let us know in the comments given below…
