My boyfriend keeps begging me to find out about putting a beta into my 35 gallon community tank. Will this work out, or cause too many problems for the beta and the other fish?
beta compatibility
- Thread starter caseopia
- Start date
Bettas are not recommended for community aquariums. But some people do keep them with other fish. Bettas are slow moving and like to hover at the top. Provide some floating plants for hiding. Avoid aggressive tankmates that may nip the Bettas fins. These include tiger barbs, large gouramis, , black tetras, and avoid slow moving tankmates that the betta may nip. These include guppies, neons, small tetras, angelfish, goldfish. Some possible tank mates include Dwarf Gouramis, Head&Tail Lite Tetras, Moons, Mollies, Catfish, Small Red Tail Shark.
*information from http://www.elmersaquarium.com/nav/freshwater/index.html
*information from http://www.elmersaquarium.com/nav/freshwater/index.html
White Cloud Mountain Minnows work very well with Bettas, or at least it did with mine. I would recommend White Clouds unless your Betta has a bad temper. Even though White Clouds worked very well with mine, it may not with yours so be careful!! 
Good luck!
Good luck!
Depends. What kind of fish are in your community tank?
Btw, tel0004, just so you know, Dwarf Gouramis and Mollies are -not- good tank mates for a betta. Sadly, there are quite a few web sites out there that give misinformation about bettas, and compatible tank mates.
Btw, tel0004, just so you know, Dwarf Gouramis and Mollies are -not- good tank mates for a betta. Sadly, there are quite a few web sites out there that give misinformation about bettas, and compatible tank mates.
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Bettas are generally ok with any fish that won't nip them and that doesn't look anything like a betta (long fins, etc) so the betta doesn't fight with it. They are peaceful with most any other fish other than other bettas (or fish that they could mistake for a betta).
List what fish you currently have in the tank and I'm sure someone can tell you of any compatibility problems you may have with them.
List what fish you currently have in the tank and I'm sure someone can tell you of any compatibility problems you may have with them.
I once had a bad experience with bettas and white clouds. Guess who won?
However, I can tell you *IME* that platies, neon tetras. swordtails, african dwarf frogs, apple snails, and corydoras are wonderful tank mates for bettas. I think plecos and loaches would also work, but I have no experience with them.
One popular fish that hasn't been mentioned yet is the danio-- I would avoid mixing them with bettas. They are too fast and nippy. Also avoid any other type of labyrinth fish-- including gouramis, other bettas of either sex, and paradise fish.
However, I can tell you *IME* that platies, neon tetras. swordtails, african dwarf frogs, apple snails, and corydoras are wonderful tank mates for bettas. I think plecos and loaches would also work, but I have no experience with them.
One popular fish that hasn't been mentioned yet is the danio-- I would avoid mixing them with bettas. They are too fast and nippy. Also avoid any other type of labyrinth fish-- including gouramis, other bettas of either sex, and paradise fish.
My tank:
4 tetras- 2 zebra, 2?
some sort of small catfish
balloon molly
swordtail
black molly
bala shark (not my idea!)
gold dust molly
pleco
4 tetras- 2 zebra, 2?
some sort of small catfish
balloon molly
swordtail
black molly
bala shark (not my idea!)
gold dust molly
pleco
The majority of my bettas both male and female alike; I have put in community tanks that have included anything from barbs, guppies, angels and cories, and I have only had problems with one betta being aggressive. I have kept many bettas and many types of bettas.