Fish tank companions for Betta???

HI group, just needing some helpful info. I have a 30-gallon tank, and one betta male. I have him in a smaller tank, and want to put him in the big tank. But I want to have other fish in there also. What is a good companion fish for a Betta? I am going to leave him in the smaller tank until I get the other fish settled. So as to hopefully avoid the bettas aggression towards invading fish. But what type of fish is good for them, and as hardy as they can be. Also how do you feed both fish types. Would they both eat the same food? I get Betta freeze-dried food for them, would that be ok for their companions? If so that can get a bit expensive. Also how many fish can I fit into a 30 gallon with out crowding? Thanks for any info you can give me. God bless


Francine

 

Re: Companion fish that will get along with my Betta???

Unfortunately it's always a bit of an experiment, however the following are APPARENTLY safe.

Bala Shark, Chinese Algae Eater, Corydoras Catfish, Glass Catfish, GloFish, Molly, Pearl Gourami, Platy, Rainbow Shark, Red Tailed Shark, Swordtail, Three Spot Gourami, Upsidedown Catfish, Zebra Danio.

I would add the oto catfish to this list and advise with caution that some of the above, ie the gouramis, swordtails, shark types and swordtails may fight with the betta and being faster may get the upper hand. Others like the molly might get nipped by the betta. The chinese algae eater has a bad rep for sucking the slime off other fish when it gets older. Danios tend to nip each other and might find a bettas flowing fins really tempting.

That being said, some on here can testify to their fish getting along well with other fish types as listed above. Some like me have found their bettas to be really aggressive and better with just a couple of small fish that can hide from them.

Hope it helps a bit...

 

Re: Companion fish that will get along with my Betta???

I respectfully disagree with some of the suggestions. I would not get any sharks for that tank. Although you will find that some sites will say that 30 gallons is an okay size for the sharks, I think they need at least a 55 gal. to be happy. Some of them get quite large, and I think the 30 gallon would be too small for them. I also would not put a gourami in with a betta. Gouramis get aggressive as they mature, and I think one would terrorize your betta. the danios are also quite nippy and might be okay with a school of 6, but that would be taking quite a chance. I have had good luck with yo yo loaches and cory cats in with my betta. Anything with fancy finnage or aggressive (nippy) nature would not be a good choice IMO. I'm not sure about this, but neons or cardinal tetras might be okay for the middle fish in that tank. Hopefully someone else will come along with more suggestions.

 

Hey Francine. Some fish you can put with bettas are platies and swordtails. The problem with this is that bettas prefer bloodworms at least 3 times a week, while platies and swordtails can not handle that much protien in a week. For stocking the 30 gallon, I would suggest buying this book:


This book has good tips for aquariums as well as some great stocking themes that will tell you what kind of fish to put together, and how many.

 

Re: Companion fish that will get along with my Betta???

I concur! It also depends on your Bettas personality if they are going to accept the fish or not. Bottom feeders such as cories are a good bet as well as neons. Snails are fun to have with Bettas and do a great job of cleaning as well as are very enjoyable to watch in the tank when they cruise and play. Gouramis are not a good mix as they come from the same family as Bettas. You need to keep in mind the adult size of the fish you are plaing in the tank. Sharks need a good size tank. Well, good luck and enjoy your tank!

 

Re: Companion fish that will get along with my Betta???

I agree with Gunnie - I wouldn't put sharks in a 30 gallon tank. Besides, they can be aggressive. But Glass Catfish are very peaceful fish, and they're also very beautiful. You could get 4-6 of them (they like to be in groups). They also need clean water and good diet. If they're not in group, they tend to be very shy and hardly ever come out, except during the night. They also like to have hiding places. If you'd like other fish in your tank, in addition to Glass Cats and Betta, maybe get 4 glass cats so that your tank is not overcrowded.

Other fish that are known to be peaceful are Cherry Barbs (very beautiful as well). In fact they're the only peaceful fish of all the barbs (or at least out of what we usually get at fish stores). They are small so you could have a nice school of them in a 30 gallon tank (they're schooling fish too). Another choice would be Harlequin Rasboras - still other beautiful and peaceful group. Cherry Barbs, Harlequin Rasboras, and Glass Cats - could all be combined in a 30 gallon tank, plus a Betta (as long as the Betta won't bother these fish!!!).

There are really many other small, peaceful, and beautiful fish - you'd have to do a research and see what you'd like best. How about small tetras like Neons?

 

Re: Companion fish that will get along with my Betta???

All I can add to what everyone has said so far is, Bettas regardless of gender, are unique in personality..some, male or female, get along well with all the other species mentioned in previous posts..some don't..the key is to monitor your Betta every chance you get to see how he interacts with the others..I honestly believe Bettas, when they're still young, can be placed in a community-tank and live a happy and healthy life with minimal aggressive behavior towards the other fish..you will also have to monitor how the other fish interact with your Betta, because ALL fish, regardless to species or gender are personality-driven, and so can be passive or aggressive.. also bear in mind, pregnant females, regardless of species, can become overly aggressive..We just had a pregnant HellerI take out a Glass Rosy-Barb that was twice her size, and she would've taken out his girl-friends too if we hadn't moved her to a birthing-tank, and now she's back to her sweet passive self with all the others in that community-tank..so there are a lot of variables involved in mixing species in community-tanks..bottom line, monitor all the fish in your community-tank, and be prepared to move bullies to separate tanks if necessary.

 

Re: Companion fish that will get along with my Betta???

The key to what everyone is saying is that no two bettas are the same. One betta may be fine with corie, otos, platies, rasboras, and tetras; but the next one may terrorize the first fish they run into. But normally I have never seen a betta that did not get along with Otos, Cories or Snails after a warming up period. I have heard that Gouramis are not to be placed with them. They are of the same family and we recently had a Betta in our little community killed by a Gourami. I have heard that tetras can be fin nippers so would be hard on the bettas.

The secret to the whole thing is watching your fish and doing like Richard said "be prepared to move bullies to separate tanks if necessary".

Rose

 

I do not know that I would put male swordtails or any other fish with a long fin in with the Bettas. This would be an invitation for the Betta to mistake them for another Betta or some fish related to them who needs to be challenged. Be very careful with fish like mollies or high-fin style of fish that may seem threatening to them. They are not good community fish on a good day and there are really very few fish that they really tolerate well. They really do much better in a 5 or 10 gallon tank with a few small peaceful fish like cories or otos and a snail. They do well being the center of a small tank as they do not have other fish nipping on them or they are not nipping on the others.

Rose

 

I had a very docile/timid beta. My neons and zebra danio were tearing his fins to shreds!

 

I would not put Neon tetras in with bettas. Their brilliant red and blue colours will cause a case of mistaken identity and the betta may very well stalk, harass and attack them. Neons are already skittish and do not deal well with stress.

Conversely, bettas, with their trailing fins and slow movements often become targets for fish not even known for nipping although people sometimes successfully keep them with rasboras, as has been mentioned.

Really, in the end it might be better to leave your betta in a small tank (if it's too small you could upgrade to 5 gals) and have a community in your 30 gal.

 

This is not a suggestion, I don't know. But what about African Dwarf Frogs? You think a Betta would bother them? And they are really neat. They have a height limit though, they have to be able to easily reach the water's surface (tank can't be much taller than 12 inches). But then you would be limited as to what else you could put in... other fast moving fish will outcompete African Dwarf Frogs for food but a betta may not. I know mine wouldnt... he only eats pellets... no brine, black worms, flake food, nadda. But I doubt all bettas are like that

 

I have a pleco in with my Male Betta and they get along well. They often hover right next to each other and seem to like each others' company. Once in a while my Betta will kind of nip at the pleco but it ends there and they don't fight.

 

That nip could even be non-aggressive.. more of the Betta's way of checking something out.