Betta Tankmates...you Have Probably Had This Before

[Cowboy_craigie]

hi

i have a 43 litre tank and a red male betta. the tank looks a bit empty and he looks a bit lonely in the tank on his own. was just wondering if anyone could give me some information regarding tankmates and how mnay fish i could put in with him as i am jus being pushed round from post to post. any information would be much appreciated.

 

[Deagan182betta]

A few bottomfeeders like pepperd catfish...maybe? Help maintain the tank and wont harass the betta.

 

[lilfishie]

usually bottom feeders fair best with bettas, cories, plecos ottos etc although a group of smaller cories (dwarf would be better) would be good in your tank

 

[minxfishy]

Ive had no problems with albino cories (so I guess most cory species) also shoals of rasboras seem to get no attention from them either

 

[catxx]

depends on your betta! i had a betta that would sneak up behind corys and pounce on them, only realised what was happening when i caught him in the act, i wondered why there was chunks missing out of the poor corys dorsal fins! he was moved to isolation! pesky critter.

i love dwarf and pygmy corys, they usually do well with peaceful bettas but really really need a sand substrate, i had dwarfs on pea gravel and they lost their barbels.

 

[Athena]

Yes, I think it depends on the nature of your betta. Some just prefer to be on their own (like mine!). I remember a few weeks ago I bought some live food for my convicts and had a few small shrimp that I wanted to keep alive for a few days before feeding the convicts with them again - so I thought I'd put the shrimp in the tank with my male betta. Well, Mr Unsociable chased around the tank after the couple of shrimp, flaring at them etc until he finally went for them! So that was a silly idea of mine...

...but then you hear of Bettas who do live happily with various tankmates!

ps - just remembered that you could keep an ADF with a betta, apparently (providing you have a heater in the tank). Not tried it myself as my ADFs are happy where they are in a community tank.

 

[tibby25731]

I have 2 ADF's with one of mine, and the betta doesn't even notice them, even when they fly up to the surface for air! Would reccommend at least 2 ADF's though, as I started with 1 and he hid most of the time, but since the addition of the second, he is much more sociable.

 

[Cowboy_craigie]

tibby25731 and Athena...can i ask wot ADFs are

 

[lilfishie]

African Dwarf Frogs, if you do get them make sure there not African Clawed Frogs or they'll eat him

 

[Cowboy_craigie]

someone said to me that you can put golden rams in with bettas but i have alo been told they are fin nippers?? any opinions??

 

[Cowboy_craigie]

also cud a female betta b put in the same tank???

 

[lilfishie]

Females are a definate no with males, don't know about the rams but as they are cichlids i'd say no

 

[moll]

I have some white cloud minow and a ADF in with mine

 

[ReMz]

No Rams with the bettas unless you were an odd case that it would work.

My opinion of the BEST tankmates you can keep with a betta (although not the most "desirable" maybe). Otocinclus aka Otos. You can have 5 or so of them and they are entirely harmless to the betta. Yet, they are fast enough to dodge the betta's agression.

I had one betta that would not even tolerate these guys and actually caught one. So it's up to the temperament of your betta.

Search "Tank Mates" in this section for more info. It's a pretty common thread and you will find loads of info. Although the info here is good. Just repetitive of what the other threads say.