20 Gallon Tank w/Betta

[ReclaimSoCal]

Hello everyone,

My fiancee and I have just set up a 20 gallon freshwater tank and we put the kids male Betta in it. We went down to the pet store and they told us we couldn't put anything in with it. I came home and decided to research it a bit, because I thought you could and I found this forum! My question now is what can I put in the tank with the Betta? My fiancee really wants a goldfish? I just want a nice variety that won't cause the Betta to attack them. I think its a non-aggressive Betta anyway, he doesn't react to his reflection in a mirror. I read that ghost shrimp will work, and I'll continue to surf the forum for other ideas, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Skal

:coffee:

[BobbyFishLooker]

I have one Male Batta In with so gold fish,And they are not killing them selfs yet.But if thay do, Do not say I told you to do it.Some are just bad. :dance2: :dive:

[pat123123]

Bettas are a WARM water fish. They MUST have tropical water temperatures in order to remain healthy.

Godlfish are a COLD water fish. They do best in water that is much cooler than the temperatures that are best for bettas.

Sure, bettas can sometimes live in cooler water and goldfish can live in warmer water. This is not healthy for them, though. You'll risk illness and shortened life spans.

You might consider getting a 5 gallon tank for your betta if you decide to get ONE goldfish for the other tank. You would only be able to put ONE goldfish in there, though.

[misscrosson]

some good tank mates could be...


- white cloud minnow
- tetras
- danios
- angelfish
- platies
- rasboras
- cories

but, at the same time.... some betta's like to just be alone... like my betta, he'll attack ANY other fish that's put in the tank with him.. if that's the case with your betta, then just buy him a 5gallon tank, and create a nice community tank with your 20 gallon :) ... or buy some dividers and put in afew betta into the 20gallon!

[UncaBret]

My betta eats ghost shrimp.
But yours might not, my first one wouldn't eat anything but Betta Bites.
Otocinclus might work, too.

[phises]

in some case bettas can live with goldfish but it is not recommended by any betta owner because like other members have stated tropical fish and cold water fish. Most would agree with you on tetras and danios in general but it all depend on your betta temperment but in general they can live in harmony. By no means no gouramis they are in the same family. For ghost shrimp they would be eaten by the betta but those that manage to survive (hiding places) can be very beneficial in your tank or you can go for the dwarf cory if you can find any

[TheZoo]

I tried my betta in a 20 gal with other fish and he was getting picked on by mollies (started to shred his fins) and annoyed by the danios (too quick and frenzied) and the blind cave fish (they bumped into him alot). FWIW, he did seem to get along with bottom feeders like panda cories and a cory cat as well as an upside down catfish. Now hes in a divided 10 gal (hes alone on his side) with a few other fish on the other side. This seems to be working. At one point he was in a 2.5 gal with a snail and a few cherry shrimp, which were expensive but very fun. They all got along swimmingly. (tee hee!)

[YoFishboy]

Some possibilities would be Harlequin rasboras, cherry barbs, and the cories, as mentioned above

[stingray4540]

bettas can be kept with a variety of different fish just as long as those other fish aren't bettas or fish with long flowing fins that the betta might see as compition or mistake as another betta. Also stay away from other anatobids (sp?) like gouramis and paradise fish. You have a lot of options so do your research. Although, the individual personality of your betta may dislike any other fish. My wife keeps a betta with other fish and has no problems at all.

[Roan Art]

A lot of it will also depend on:

1. How stocked is the tank? Don't over stock it. Crowded conditions bring out the worst in bettas. Keep it lightly stocked so that the betta can have his personal space and lots of room to move around without bumping into or having a fish in his direct line of sight.

2. Have LOTS of hiding places. Bettas like to hide in and under things. When there are other occupants in the tank, even more so. The other fish need places to hide as well. Try to have a LOT of live plants for everyone to hide in.

I have an "aggressive" betta in my planted 36g bowfront. Current occupants are:

Bottom Layer:
school of seven juvie bronze cories
one peppered cory
2 spotted cories
3 kuhlie loaches
whole lot of ghost shrimp

Middle:
School of six Glossolepis pseudoincisus, which is a rather small rainbowfish that are supposed to get no bigger than 3". Mine are, at max, 2.5" and will probably not grow much bigger than that.

The betta ignores the rainbowfish, and they ignore him. Don't put rainbowfish in with your betta. These particular rainbows aren't something you can just pick up at your LFS. Most get too big and active for a betta. It's just an example and I have many other tanks I can move the rainbows into if there is a problem :)

He likes to "chase" the bronze cories around, but he can't even get close to them as they are much faster than him. Sometimes it looks almost like a game to them and the betta :)

He has tons of places to hide. He spends most of his time swimming around the front of the tank and when he's not doing that, he likes to rest in the Amazon sword plant.

Roan

[thebluejackal]

I would advise against angelfish and bettas in the same tank.

Personal experience thing, aha ha ha.

[DeRo316]

Corys, Tetras, Danios

[ReclaimSoCal]

Thanks for all the advice.

I put 6 cherry barbs, 3 ghost shrimp, 2 albino cory catfish in with the Beta and so far so good.