Tank mates for Bettas

[0morrokh]

Alright, before I ask about tank mates, what kinds/brands of heaters work best? I am on my third one in a week, and of course it's not working...grrrrr >. Anyway, once I can find one that works, I'm going to get three female Bettas for my 10-gallon tank. I've been wondering what other kinds of fish I could have with them, and I thought cory cats sounded good. I've heard that some fish need more aeration than Bettas do, so will cory cats be okay with just a filter and heater, or will they need some special equipment to put more oxygen into the water? Is a pH of 7.2 and temp. of 80 F okay for cory cats? And will three Bettas and 4-6 cory cats be too crowded?

 

[0morrokh]

Alright, before I ask about tank mates, what kinds/brands of heaters work best? I am on my third one in a week, and of course it's not working...grrrrr >. Anyway, once I can find one that works, I'm going to get three female Bettas for my 10-gallon tank. I've been wondering what other kinds of fish I could have with them, and I thought cory cats sounded good. I've heard that some fish need more aeration than Bettas do, so will cory cats be okay with just a filter and heater, or will they need some special equipment to put more oxygen into the water? Is a pH of 7.2 and temp. of 80 F okay for cory cats? And will three Bettas and 4-6 cory cats be too crowded?

 

[Caty]

Well when I went to the pet store they said thet you shoud get fish thst don't have a lot or lagre fins.

 

[0morrokh]

Okay, forget I asked about cory cats--I just did some research and didn't realise how big they were. But what about Guppies? I know you can't keep male Bettas with Guppies because the Bettas might mistake them for other Bettas and fight, but what about females?

 

[0morrokh]

Okay, forget I asked about cory cats--I just did some research and didn't realise how big they were. But what about Guppies? I know you can't keep male Bettas with Guppies because the Bettas might mistake them for other Bettas and fight, but what about females?

 

[Miss Mouse]

I think female bettas are fine with most fish - I've seen them in the pet shops with many different species. They're pretty much community fish I think but correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[Miss Mouse]

I think bettas are generally happier on their own to be honest...I have seen a few in tanks at pet shops with female dwarf gouramis and platys but they always fight and have bites on their fins.

 

[fletch]

Ok, I'm confused! Is there more than one kind of betta? I'm sure bettas are known for being peacfull because they are called peacefull bettas

 

[Miss Mouse]

Yes I've been told too many times that bettas are "peaceful, community fish" but the number of times I have seen them munched and finless due to little fish nipping them - and vice versa! has bought me to the conclusion that they prefer to be on their own.
As its been discussed before, I think it totally depends on the betta and the tank it's in, and the fish in the tank with it... but you don't want an unhappy community!

 

[fletch]

oooooh, dark!

 

[Miss Mouse]

Sorry I didn't mean to sounds defensive :-\ I just feel sorry for the bettas! And I know that my betta is quite mean towards other fish so I don't want other people having the same problem but not being able to separate them.

 

[AlphaOmega]

remember fish have a personality too!!!

Bettas i've had have been in community tanks, and as long as you don't put them in with notorius fin-nippers such as the tiger barb they do fine. my neon tetras love him to bits and always swim about with him and he always seems to 'school' with them (not just follow, like in amongst them) ahh,, such a cool fish!!!

 

[Miss Mouse]

Aww that's really sweet! I might try putting my platy's in with my betta and see how they get on because I worry he gets lonely :-\

 

[0morrokh]

I'm going to try keeping some female bettas with some other, non-agressive fish, since everything I've read in books seems to think the females are generally fine in communities since they lack the beautiful, tempting fins. Miss Mouse, tell me how it goes with your betta & platies, because I'd like to try a male sometime if I set up another tank.

 

[joe]

there is really no good tank mate for bettas

 

[fishphreak_4]

I tried putting my female (the one I breed with unfortunately) into my 30 gallon tropical fish tank from my 10 gallon breeding tank, and I don't know who but one of my fish killed my prized female betta. I haven't known any of those fish to be aggressive to anyone else so I thought it would be ok, but if you decide to try that, please be careful. use a female you can afford to lose.

 

[0morrokh]

fishphreak_4, what kinds of fish did you have in the 30 gallon? And are you sure it was another fish that killed her, not, say, stress from changing environment and possibly water conditions?

 

[fishphreak_4]

oh, now that I think of it, I was feeding my fish in the 30 gallon tank a different food....I think the ph or the different food must have killed her. I am so stupid stupid stupid... :'(

 

[Gunnie]

Alright, before I ask about tank mates, what kinds/brands of heaters work best?  I am on my third one in a week, and of course it's not working...grrrrr  >.  Anyway, once I can find one that works, I'm going to get three female Bettas for my 10-gallon tank.  I've been wondering what other kinds of fish I could have with them, and I thought cory cats sounded good.  I've heard that some fish need more aeration than Bettas do, so will cory cats be okay with just a filter and heater, or will they need some special equipment to put more oxygen into the water?  Is a pH of 7.2 and temp. of 80 F okay for cory cats? And will three Bettas and 4-6 cory cats be too crowded?

Some cory cats are bigger than others depending on the species. There are also pygmy corys that are quite small. I have housed a female betta in a 20 gal. community tank with corys and had no problems. Keep in mind that your bettas, eventhough they are females may still fight each other. Females are not always peaceful. Also, any other fish with fancy fins like fancy guppys may be looked at as a threat to the bettas, and they may attack just like a male would. I think 3 cory cats would be a great choice.

 

[0morrokh]

Gunnie, thanks for the advise. I'm going to try two female Bettas with 3 Cories and 3 platies. I don't think 2 females will fight, and since platies have short fins I don't think they will be a problem, either.