Bettas with Other Fish

[JanetB]

My Betta, Alphie, has been doing great. I just had a birthday, and thought of getting myself a new tank as a gift. One thought was to put Alphie in the new tank with some other fish, and put something else in Alphie's old (relatively small and unheated) tank. I have a few questions though -- I know that Bettas do well with other fish if the other fish are passive. Which fish qualify as passive? Do I need a divider in the tank if I use the right "other" fish? And how do I feed so that Alphie gets his food and the other get their own food? Thanks in advance for any insights!

Janet

[jedicat]

What size tank are you planning on getting?

I have 2 10-gallons with a betta and some snails in each, and I'm going to get them tankmates.

I've been considering panda corydoras or white cloud mountain minnows. I've been asking around, and it seems that both types of fish do seem to prefer being with others of the same species. Corys apparently don't mind if it's the exact species, as long as there's other cories. The reasons I chose pandas specifically is because they're crazy! cute, and they also seem to stay small enough to keep a group of 4 of them with a betta in a 10-gallon. White clouds also prefer to be in groups of 4. For me, it would be an either/or decision, because I don't have the space for both white clouds *and* cories in each tank, let alone with a betta and snails.

I'm also considering otos...has anyone had experience with keeping them with bettas, and how did that go?

[Doofusmom]

I have otos with one of my female bettas in a 10 gallon community tank and the betta doesn't pay attention to them at all...Although I have had panda corys in there and the betta harrassed them so bad...(they are so placid they won't defend themselves)...I wouldn't recommend panda cories...I haven't tried white clouds but I have zebra danios and they get along really well...and they are fast enough that the betta even if he wanted to can't really get at them. I also have some harlequin raspboras in with a betta and they do fine...One of my community tanks has guppies along with a female betta but I wouldn't put them together because every betta is different and they might decide they look too much like a betta with their bright colors and long tails and try to beat them up...hope this helps... ;D

[nene]

It can depend on the betta also. I have one male betta who I could put anything in with I think and he wouldn't bother it. He is so mellow. Then I have other bettas who I have no doubt would try to kill anything that moved. I do have White Clouds in a separate tank. They are totally mellow and next to bettas they are my favorite fish. No power struggles or aggression with them. They are active but not as active as zebra danios. Zebra Danios can sometimes aggravate other fish just because they are so hyper. Your betta would have a hard time catching either a White Cloud or a Zebra Danio.

[BettaBGood]

Corydoras are extremely peaceful, bottom dwellers and could exist with almost any non-bullying fish. My cories originally shared a tank with female bettas (oops, I mean pigs), who would eat their own food & then follow the cories until they located sinking food & steal it right out from under them! Ideal water conditions for cories would not include aquarium salt (some treat freshwater w/salt) or temps hovering at 80F. My cories (pandas, punctatus, & leucamelas - in their own "species" tank) thrive in 75F water & enjoy 30+% weekly water changes with water that is somewhat cooler than the existing tank water (supposedly mimicking a good rain). Also, some freshwater meds (like malechite green, for example) can kill cories.

Currently, I have long-finned, golden danios and female bettas together & no problems at all. Danios are also top-of-tank dwellers, so my betta girls are experiencing "a taste of their own pig-medicine" at feeding time! (I still drop them some sinking wafers & shrimp pellets once a week, though - for "old time's sake" & free entertainment.)

[palepinkvase]

What about fish that might harass the Betta? I have heard and read that there are some fish that will nip at the Betta's fins and casue real damage.

[mickey85]

I have a couple dwarf gouramis, upside down cat and a blue ram cichlid in with my 3 females. The UDC is pretty funny, he chases the females a bit when they get too close. The gouramis seem OK with them, and the ram is a bit freaked out at the moment, but he's only been in there a day. If he continues do be freaked, I'll probably have to remove him and stick him in something else.

[JanetB]

You guys are all so helpful! I think I'm going to check out the white clouds...and I'm printing all the suggestions to take to the store with me. I can't wait to get all new finned friends to introduce to Alphie. I really really hope nobody beats up on anybody else -- but hey, such is life! Thanks for all the input.

Janet

[mickey85]

WEll, I decided that the convicts had to go. I had had enough of them trying to kill each other, so I got rid of them, but the store would only work on store credit. So I bought a 5 gallon Aqua Clear fish tank and got 3 Agassizzii corys. I decided that, to make it easier, I might as well drop wolfgang in there as well. He flares at them every once in a while, but aside from that, they seem to be OK with each other. I had WANTED to get 6 dwarf cories for the tank (not the normal dwarfs, but the ones that only get 1" long) but they were under quarantine and I didn't have a ride back until march or so and they said that I needed to make the exchange within a week. o well

[Nina]

Are there any bottom dwellers I can put in with Bobby Betta to help keep the bottom of the tank clean? I just bought him a new Marineland Eclipse 3 with a Bio-Wheel which he just loves!

Nina