Betta tank companions...

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shw104

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We have a 5 gallon Betta tank set up in my son's bedroom... it is his first tank. I have a larger 30 gallon community tank downstairs.

The Betta tank has been up and running for 2-3 months and the fish is doing fine. We have a single Betta in the tank. He's asking to put some other fish in the tank but I'm not sure what else will do well with the betta. Any suggestions of what we can add that would go well and is fairly hardy?

Thanks!
 
Jemi39

Jemi39

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African dwarf frogs, pretty much any tetra (research them first), otos (my favorite algae eater! :p), shrimp do really well with bettas especially in a tank that small... And maybe rasboras. But I wouldn't recommend the rasboras unless your betta is super laid back and isn't extremely territorial.
 
FishFanMan

FishFanMan

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I think it really depends on the temperament of your betta. Mine in my 5 gallon doesn't like anyone. It tried to eat a tetra and I think it ate the last RCS last night...
 
Fat Homer

Fat Homer

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A 5 gallon on paper sounds a bit small to add too many tank mates in with a beta...

So maybe some amano shrimp or Cherry Red shrimp could make good tank mates as long as said beta isnt aggressive?


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ZorroNet

ZorroNet

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I have a community tank with a betta that does fine. There are neon, glofish, glowlight, and black skirt tetras as well as SAE and CAE (both of the latter mentioned are too big for 5 gals). Otocinclus would be a great companion, and they stay small. An Apple Snail (Mystery Snail) would be a decent addition that's interesting to watch.

If you want to avoid territory disputes when you add fish to a tank with a territorial fish, there are two things you can try to ease the tension. With a betta, re-home him for a week in a separate container and add fish to the tank you removed him from while he's on vacation. You can also sometimes just rearrange the decor completely, and it's like a whole new world to them. They will then have to establish new territory keeping in mind the new neighbors.
 
Byron Amazonas

Byron Amazonas

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None of the fish so far mentioned in this thread will work in a 5g regardless of the Betta. Tetra, rasbora, etc are shoaling fish that require a group, and the more the better, and there is not sufficient space in a 5g for this [except the "dwarf" species like those in Boraras, but not these with a Betta anyway].

I know some have luck with a Betta [I am assuming this is a male...] in community tanks, but this is not a good idea. In the majority of cases, the Betta is best alone. It works both ways. Some Betta will readily eat small fish [I had one that easily devoured tetra]. But many small fish also find the flowing fins of a Betta too much of a temptation, and even if no physical damage occurs, the stress to the Betta from "bullies" in so small a space is not good.

Byron.
 
FishFanMan

FishFanMan

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I agree with Byron about a Betta will eat a tetra. Soon after taking this video, I rehomed the poor tetra into my main tank.

http://youtu.be/6lJ3D0CEeKU
 
ZorroNet

ZorroNet

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My male betta being in my community tank was experimental, and I've had a customer get crazy on me about it, but like others have said... it all depends on the fish. That's PLURAL! Some fish, both large and small, can be aggressive.

Example: I had a few GloFish (tm) in my community tank that did fine and never showed aggression toward any other fish, but the shoal got smaller and smaller as they died natural deaths, and I was left with one. When he was the only one of his kind left, I saw him start taking shots at other fish in the tank. I quickly bought him some new friends to school with and the aggressive behavior stopped. That said, as pet owners we are responsible for maintaining the balance for our pets because they have no choice or means to do it themselves.

Fish are like people to some degree. They act differently when they are alone than they do when there is a group around them of like kind or when their environment changes. Logic would tell us that bettas in the wild can't always be alone, or they wouldn't have survived as a species. In the wild they have plants and hardscape around them naturally to house and protect them. Plastic and glass are not natural! We can't really eliminate the glass, but we can eliminate the plastic and provide them with real plants and hardscape to comfort them and help make their glass houses a home. We took them out of nature, so the best we can do for them is to provide a home that is as natural as it can be within our capabilities. I get a lot of flack for that opinion, but I'm not sure why.
 
psyche

psyche

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I have a betta that harasses and ultimately eats every moving object in the tank. So be cautious and have rehoming option available.
 
ktrom13

ktrom13

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ZorroNet said:
My male betta being in my community tank was experimental, and I've had a customer get crazy on me about it, but like others have said... it all depends on the fish. That's PLURAL! Some fish, both large and small, can be aggressive.

Example: I had a few GloFish (tm) in my community tank that did fine and never showed aggression toward any other fish, but the shoal got smaller and smaller as they died natural deaths, and I was left with one. When he was the only one of his kind left, I saw him start taking shots at other fish in the tank. I quickly bought him some new friends to school with and the aggressive behavior stopped. That said, as pet owners we are responsible for maintaining the balance for our pets because they have no choice or means to do it themselves.

Fish are like people to some degree. They act differently when they are alone than they do when there is a group around them of like kind or when their environment changes. Logic would tell us that bettas in the wild can't always be alone, or they wouldn't have survived as a species. In the wild they have plants and hardscape around them naturally to house and protect them. Plastic and glass are not natural! We can't really eliminate the glass, but we can eliminate the plastic and provide them with real plants and hardscape to comfort them and help make their glass houses a home. We took them out of nature, so the best we can do for them is to provide a home that is as natural as it can be within our capabilities. I get a lot of flack for that opinion, but I'm not sure why.
Click to expand...
Just to add to your example ill put in my own experience. I had a school of 6 harlequin rasboras that slowly decreased until i was left with one. That lone survivor soon turned into my males bettas worst nightmare... A serial fin nipper. By the time i noticed( i was still fairly new to the hobby so please forgive me) my betta had damaged fins that wouldnt grow back no matter how good the water was and even after rehoming the rasbora. Needless to say every fish can be agressive if not kept properly which is our duty as pet owners.

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