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I've been wanting to start up a tank for a little while now. I had originally had my heart set on a pair of Black Moors, but through the advice of members of this board I decided that since I cannot provide the recommended tank size for two Black Moors it would be best not to get them. Obviously I want what is best for the fish, first and foremost.

Therefore, I've turned my attention to possibly devoting either a 10 gallon tank or a 20 gallon tank to a betta and some friends - granted he could possible have some.

What are some fish that are known to live well with bettas? Obviously I do not want fish that my betta will attact, nor do I want any fish that might be agressive toward the betta.

I haven't yet decided on a 10 gallon or 20 gallon tank as of yet... I think my determing that will be based on what my options are for each and which turns out to be the best overall.

I'd like a tank with as many fish as safely possible and I am completely open to any suggestions/comments/opinions/etc. Thanks to everyone who contributes an opinion.

You should be careful with bettas as some fight (it is different with all bettas)

Bettas do indeed have many different personalities from the most mild mannered sweety to an outright monster so it's a little hard to say what will be totally safe with the betta you get but a school of cories is a nice addition and a pretty safe bet

Are you dead set on a longtail betta? because choosing a group of females or a shorttail male will give you a slightly wider range of companion fish to choose from

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

It really will depend on the betta. I have a 5gal that had one betta, one bronze cory, and a small pleco. Everybody was happy together. Then one day, the betta passed away. I got another one, and he is NOT tolerant of the other fish.

It was all for the best, as the pleco would have grown to big, and the cory was alone and now they are happy in a 46gal with other corys. But that new betta is a meanie!

So all I can say is good luck with your pick!

-Dennis

well heres an idea, get 2-3 males and put the one u realy want in the tank with some guppies if he flairs it is ok, just so long as he doesnt start nipping and hurting the other fish, thats what i have set up, i have my eldest betta (mr.fishy) in a 10 gallon with top filtration, but a net in the output to put current to a min, then i added some guppies from my 30 gallon, one female is heavely prego her name is submarine, but sub for short for obviouse reasons and i added a female betta too, because he is too old to breed and he knows it, so they never bother eachother, everyone gets along great and i have a large red male who gets along perfectly with guppies, i am about to do the test with a new male of mine too, but when mr.fishy was younger u couldent put him with anything, he was so aggressive he was banished to live in a vase but now he is over that so, if u get 3 and those few are aggressive, u can just get them a home of their own and then u are exposed to the disese called multiple betta syndrom enjoy

As others have said, some bettas will fight with other fish. Some that is. I have kept many bettas with many other fish. Right now I have a betta in with threadfin rainbows and a flame gourami.

I was cautious with the gourami as sometimes bettas will fight gouramis but not other fish because gouramis look like a flared betta.

Basically, most bettas can go with other fish as long as the other wish wont attack him or nip the his fins. There are many fish to choose from that you could put bettas with.

HTH

~Jorge

Last edited by Racso at 04-Feb-2005 10:59

Right now I have a betta in with threadfin rainbows and a flame gourami.

How many Threadfins do you have in with the Betta? What size tank? There are no problems between the two different fish?

but a school of cories is a nice addition and a pretty safe bet

So, would this include Panda Cories? I think they are so cute and I would love to have some of them in my tank. Would 5-6 Panda Cories + a Betta be too much for a 10 gallon tank?

There are many fish to choose from that you could put bettas with.

You seem to be the only one who honestly thinks that, Jorge. I would be very interested to hear of any other fish you think might work out with a Betta.

In a perfect world, I would love to have a tank with some Panda Cories, a Betta and a small school of smaller fish... Just to have some kind of action around the Betta. Are there any small schooling fish that have potential to do well with a Betta?

I understand that every Betta is different, but I have to ask if there is any way to determine any kind of personality traits while they are still in the pet store. (I know there probably isn't, but I thought I'd ask anyway, just incase.)


Last edited by neurotica1983 at 05-Feb-2005 00:35

Last edited by neurotica1983 at 05-Feb-2005 00:36

I had a Betta in with a Male Molly (Murray). They were inseparateable. When the Betta died, the Molly when he saw me removing his dead friend, went around after wards tail slapping the top of the water. Later on that night he settled down.

Hey Murray its lunchtime.

TigerAngel attached this image:

Good Lord Murray help me I'm stuck on the filter again

TigerAngel attached this image:

Those pictures are a hoot, especially the last one. I tried Gofish, my male betta, with three white skirt tetras (back before I knew better) Gofish got his tail ripped, but all three of the tetras were huddled in one corner of the tank as far from the betta they could get. I think he is happier in a tank by himself and the MTS snails that Heidi gave me.