# Can Bettas be kept with other fish?



## MarkSchnell (Nov 7, 2011)

Are there any other fish that bettas can be kept with safely, or will they always go after the other fish like they would there own kind? I seem to remember that I had a male betta in a community tank (neon tetras, some livebearers, etc.) about twenty years ago and I don't remember any problems. But now that I have gotten back into this wonderful hobby one of the guys at Big Al's in North York told me I shouldn't put a betta in my community tank. Thoughts?


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## fubujubu (Jan 10, 2011)

iv done it a few times and never had a problem with it. Some people say that bettas will sometimes pick on other fish that have long fins and lots of colour. But I'v never personally seen it.


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## Pamelajo (Aug 9, 2009)

I think it depends on the personality of the betta. I have heard of it working for some and not for others.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

totally depends on the betta in my experience.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

When keeping with other fish it is best to choose a female betta. The results depend on your aquarium setup. Surface plants? Easy to get to the surface? Calm tank mates? Is it planted? Who else lives there?


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

I found the bettas usually suffered and ended back on their own for their protection.


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## bettasandbeads (Aug 18, 2010)

*betta*

I find it depends on the Betta. I have had a male Betta in his tank (5 gal) with a few otto cats and a platie before. Usually I find that in a large tank if there are a lot of fast moving fish, he isn't happy.
Bettas are usually very layed back. They like their own space, even if it is only a small tank. Some swimming room, a plant or two and a hiding place, makes them happy.
You could try one in a large tank but make sure there are lots of hiding places and plants for him. If it is a tall tank you will run into trouble because he has to swim so far to get to the surface.
Good luck
Catherine


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## arapaimag (Dec 6, 2007)

I've had male bettas in several community tanks and had no problems.

As an experiment I added a male betta to an 800 gallon tank in January. It has lots of plants, driftwood and bogwood.

He has no problem with the 36 inch depth and cruises the whole tank.

His tankmates include

13 Cardinal tetras
5 Neon tetras
9 Discus
3 Snakeskin gouramies
30 +- guppies
100 + Odessa barbs (Put 5 in the tank in March and they bred and the babies are now full grown. I now use a minnow trap in the tank to catch some of the barbs and got 65 adults out over the past week)
4 Hemiodus
6 Roseline barbs
12 Harlequin rasboras
2 Royal Plecos
1 Synodontis Decorus
4 Corydoras
1 Otto 
1 10" baby Mbu puffer
1 3" South American puffer.

The key as Catherine said is lots of safe spots when he wants to rest.

The only fish that ever have scared him are the Gouramies. But as they grew and got over 6" they no longer bothered him as he was too small.

I also added a betta to a 55 gallon tank last spring. He is in with 3 elephantnose, 3 small antenna catfish (4 1/2") a guppy and a synodontis angelicus and again no problems but there are again lots of bogwood and plants.

Be careful and spend time observing the fish to make sure he is safe in any community tank you decide to place him in. I spend many hours studying all my tanks every week.

The video of the big 18" mbu puffer and his african cichlid tankmates in my signature would never be appropriate and the betta would get eaten within seconds.


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## Jordin (Sep 14, 2011)

bettasandbeads said:


> I find it depends on the Betta. I have had a male Betta in his tank (5 gal) with a few otto cats and a platie before. Usually I find that in a large tank if there are a lot of fast moving fish, he isn't happy.
> Bettas are usually very layed back. They like their own space, even if it is only a small tank. Some swimming room, a plant or two and a hiding place, makes them happy.
> You could try one in a large tank but make sure there are lots of hiding places and plants for him. If it is a tall tank you will run into trouble because he has to swim so far to get to the surface.
> Good luck
> Catherine


I'd agree with all this.

I had 3 in a 45 Gallon Community... One simply could not be kept with any other fish. He totally wanted to be by himself (although I kept him alone for a long time first so maybe he got used to that).

The other two were fine in the tank, 1 male, 1 female.... The male sometimes chased the female but there were lots of plants, space and hiding areas. It was never a problem. They got along with all the other community fish and spent a lot of time swimming around with each other. They got along very well together in this tank. I put them in a 5gallon together and had to remove the female. The male did not have enough space and she had nowhere to swim to.

I'd recommend that if you are going to keep more than one together or in a community tank, it should have enough space and hiding places. and watch them to see how it goes....


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

Maybe use turtle tank, the one designed for shallow water level. Add some plants, rocks, heater, filter and heat lamps. Small fishes like neon tetras & cpd would okay too.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Ive had my male bettas in my shrimp tank before! Even saw one shrimp right in front of his nose and he never even noticed it.


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