I've heard it both ways - other than other bettas is there any community fish that a betta will just not get along with? I'm considering getting one with a bottom feeder and some tetras in a 50 gallon tank, but I don't want the tetras dead.
Most male bettas will tolerate tetras well--maybe a bit of chasing, but nothing serious. More of a concern--many tetras are very nippy and will injure the flowing fins of a betta. Choose carefully.
Otherwise--betta tend to fight with other anabatoids, like gouramies, paradise fish, and other betta species. Fish that are nippy are bad and should be avoided. Bottom dwellers are typically inspected, poked at and then ignored.
i have heard guppies are not a very good match although
i have them in with a betta along with neon tetras and corydora catfish
basically i looked at the tank mates in the store as mine was in with guppies i grabbed him and he is lovely
also had platys in with him
the lfs said it is trial and error whether they will tolerate guppies
some will some wont
Bettas are teritorial fish meaning they will not tolerate others of the same species. They usually do fine with other species of fish though mainly in that they dont generally see other species as threats. This isn always the case but generally bettas are fine with most fish. But some Bettas are more aggresive than others
I used to have a betta in with
2 clown loaches
1 pygmy puffer
2 large angel fish
3 ottos
1 clown knife
misc. feeder guppies for the clown knife
The Angels were slightly aggressive towards the betta and the the puffer I had to move to a different tank due to the fin nipping and the clown knife constantly trying to eat him, but the Betta was always fine.
Actually, just go through and watch the betta. If he can see other fish, and is constantly flaring at them, chasing them, he's one that's pretty aggressive.
What im trying to say is your taking your chance's.
Im not gonna tell you "oh yeah there fine! Mine lives in a community tank"!
Then you get yours home and it slaughters everything in your tank.
Some Tetra's Whould Be fine. Other's like say a Splashing Tetra. Whould probably meet a untimely end. Stay away from ones with flowing fins and you should be fine. But no matter what you must accept the fact that you may buy one and it will go after everything that moves. A very slim chance on that but ive heard of it.