Although many believe that Bettas can only be housed by themselves because they'll
"kill" anything alive in the tank, Bettas CAN be housed with other fish/invertebrae. In
fact, there are quite a few species that can successfully coexist with a Betta. The general
rule is that a Betta can live with anything as long as it's
1. Not colorful or resembling a rival Betta's colors (Guppies)
2. Not a fin nipper (Tiger Barbs are a big NO)
3. The right size for the size of the tank (No common plecos in a 10 gallon tank since they
get to 2 feet in length)
4. Lives roughly in the same water conditions as a Betta (No Brackish fish)
If a possible tankmate qualifies for all 4 conditions, then they should make great roommates
with a Betta. Another important condition is the Betta's personality. Because every Betta has
his or her own unique characteristics, whether or not roommates will peacefully live with the
Betta varies widely. An overly aggressive Betta should be housed by itself while a shy/peaceful
Betta can possibly live with Guppies or other colorful fish. However, Bettas are solitary fish
meaning they do best by themselves. That's how they live in the wild. Additionally, adding fish
to a Betta tank may cause the Betta to become aggressive because it thinks that another
fish is swimming over his/her territory. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't get your Betta a
roommate. As long as your Betta doesn't show any signs of distress or become aggressive,
everything will be alright. It's up to the owner to decide whether or not to get a roommate.
Now, on to the common roommates!
Highly Compatible
African Dwarf Frogs
Snails (Apple, Mystery, etc)
Ghost/Red Cherry Shrimp
Cories (Corydoras Catfish)
Loaches
Otocinclus Catfish
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
Slight Compatible
Neon/Cardinal Tetras
Plecos (Not the Common Pleco)
Guppies
Rasboras
Highly Questionable
Common Pleco:
The only condition where keeping a Common Pleco with a Betta is even possible, let alone
recommended, is if the tank is 30 or more gallons, and that's before they're full grown.
Because Common Plecos can get up to 2 feet in length and produce plenty of waste, a tank
of that size is extremely necessary. Unless you really want to house a Pleco and Betta
together and are willing to get a tank 30 gallons or more, then I don't recommend getting
a Common Pleco. You can definitely get other types of Plecos that stay small, such as Clown
Plecos, Bristlenose, and Pit Bull Plecos. Or you can get other bottom feeders such as Otos
or Cories.
Fancy Guppies:
There are certain requirements you must consider before thinking about housing Guppies
with a Betta.
1. The Betta has to have a peaceful personality
2. The Guppies cannot resemble a Betta (female Guppies are a better choice than males)
3. You must be prepared for the worst
4. The tank must have plenty of hiding places for injured or stressed fish
Although housing fancy Guppies with Bettas has been successfully done many times, it doesn't
necessarily mean that this combination will work for everyone. Housing Guppies with Bettas
is done at the fish owner's risk. Don't expect that they will all get along just fine.
Platies:
Again, Platies have the same requirements as fancy Guppies. However, Platies enjoy water
conditions with a high pH and high alklinity (hard water). Additionally, Platies may become
aggressive and nip the fins of the Betta.
Mollies:
Mollies, as with all livebearers like Guppies and Platies, enjoy hard water with a high pH, the
opposite of what a Betta prefers. Additionally some Mollies may become very aggressive if
the tank is not big enough since Mollies can get up to 3 inches so a 5 gallon tank with 1 Betta
and 1 Molly is pushing it. Mollies with shorter tails make better roommates than the lyretail
Mollies since the fancy tails may cause the Betta to mistake a Molly as a rival.
Swordtails:
Swordtails have the same cons as the other three livebearers, plus other characteristics that
make them unappealing as roommates. Swordtails live in fast moving waters while Bettas live
in slow moving rice paddies. Additionally, Swordtail colors and tails may cause aggression from
the Betta.
Don't even think about it!
Cichlids:
Not only are Cichlids highly aggressive, but they live best in water conditions that are opposite than those of a Betta. They enjoy high pH and hard water while Bettas enjoy soft water with low pH. Additionally, most Cichlids get way too big for tanks under 10 gallons. Most Cichlids need aquariums that are 20 or more gallons and that's when they aren't fully grown.
Goldfish:
Many people think that putting a Goldfish and a Betta together is a great idea since both are believed to be able to live in a bowl. Putting a Goldfish and a Betta together is a horrible idea for many reasons.
1. Goldfish are coldwater fish (enjoy the low 60's) and Bettas are warmwater fish (enjoy the low 80's). That's a 20 degree difference. Try swimming in a heated pool at 80 degrees and then jumping into the ocean that's 60 degrees and you'll see how big a difference that is: quite a shock for both fishes.
2. Goldfish are extremely messy so the minimal size tank necessary is 20 gallons for one Goldfish. Since the average fishkeeper doesn't follow this rule and keeps their Betta and Goldfish(es) in a 10 gallon, nitrates go through the roof within a few days.
3. Since Goldfish are so messy, they require much stronger filtration than a regular fish. With a stronger filtration system, the stronger the current, and the more stressed the Betta. A filter that strong would create a current that a Betta cannot swim through.
Tiger Barbs:
Tiger Barbs, or as I call them, fin shredders, are also an extremely bad choice for a tankmate. If you put a Tiger Barb with a Betta, you are most likely to see your Betta's fins ripped into confetti by the next day. And because Tiger Barbs are so fast, the Betta doesn't stand a chance to defend itself. Tiger Barbs are basically a bad choice for a peaceful community tank. They are better off living with Cichlids who can fight back.
Gouramis (all species!):
Gourami's make a bad choice for a roommate because they are in the same family as Bettas. In-laws never get along, so don't expect them to be best buddies. Because they are in the same family, Bettas and Gouramis are more likely to fight each other. Additionally, both are very aggressive fish, which adds to the danger of housing them together.
Chinese Algae Eaters:
Another bad choice overall for all types of community tanks. Not only do they suck on the sides of fish, but they don't even eat algae. As they get older, they become more aggressive and seem to enjoy the taste of the slime coat on the fish. Without this slime coat, all fish become more susceptible to disease. I do not recommend getting this fish at all!
Other Bettas:
Unless you're trying to make a female sorority tank (which needs at least 5 females), or having a divided tank, don't even think about trying to house Bettas together. There's a reason why they are called Siamese Fighting Fish; they fight with each other! Usually, in the wild where they live in thousands of gallons of water, fights are not to the death. In their homeland, whoever wins takes the territory and the loser swims away to live another day. In an aquarium, the loser tries to swim away but the tank is too small. The loser is unable to escape and the winner continues the beating until the loser finally dies. Even a divided tank is dangerous since Bettas are super athletic and can jump over a divider that is 1 inch above the surface.
"kill" anything alive in the tank, Bettas CAN be housed with other fish/invertebrae. In
fact, there are quite a few species that can successfully coexist with a Betta. The general
rule is that a Betta can live with anything as long as it's
1. Not colorful or resembling a rival Betta's colors (Guppies)
2. Not a fin nipper (Tiger Barbs are a big NO)
3. The right size for the size of the tank (No common plecos in a 10 gallon tank since they
get to 2 feet in length)
4. Lives roughly in the same water conditions as a Betta (No Brackish fish)
If a possible tankmate qualifies for all 4 conditions, then they should make great roommates
with a Betta. Another important condition is the Betta's personality. Because every Betta has
his or her own unique characteristics, whether or not roommates will peacefully live with the
Betta varies widely. An overly aggressive Betta should be housed by itself while a shy/peaceful
Betta can possibly live with Guppies or other colorful fish. However, Bettas are solitary fish
meaning they do best by themselves. That's how they live in the wild. Additionally, adding fish
to a Betta tank may cause the Betta to become aggressive because it thinks that another
fish is swimming over his/her territory. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't get your Betta a
roommate. As long as your Betta doesn't show any signs of distress or become aggressive,
everything will be alright. It's up to the owner to decide whether or not to get a roommate.
Now, on to the common roommates!
Highly Compatible
African Dwarf Frogs
Snails (Apple, Mystery, etc)
Ghost/Red Cherry Shrimp
Cories (Corydoras Catfish)
Loaches
Otocinclus Catfish
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
Slight Compatible
Neon/Cardinal Tetras
Plecos (Not the Common Pleco)
Guppies
Rasboras
Highly Questionable
Common Pleco:
The only condition where keeping a Common Pleco with a Betta is even possible, let alone
recommended, is if the tank is 30 or more gallons, and that's before they're full grown.
Because Common Plecos can get up to 2 feet in length and produce plenty of waste, a tank
of that size is extremely necessary. Unless you really want to house a Pleco and Betta
together and are willing to get a tank 30 gallons or more, then I don't recommend getting
a Common Pleco. You can definitely get other types of Plecos that stay small, such as Clown
Plecos, Bristlenose, and Pit Bull Plecos. Or you can get other bottom feeders such as Otos
or Cories.
Fancy Guppies:
There are certain requirements you must consider before thinking about housing Guppies
with a Betta.
1. The Betta has to have a peaceful personality
2. The Guppies cannot resemble a Betta (female Guppies are a better choice than males)
3. You must be prepared for the worst
4. The tank must have plenty of hiding places for injured or stressed fish
Although housing fancy Guppies with Bettas has been successfully done many times, it doesn't
necessarily mean that this combination will work for everyone. Housing Guppies with Bettas
is done at the fish owner's risk. Don't expect that they will all get along just fine.
Platies:
Again, Platies have the same requirements as fancy Guppies. However, Platies enjoy water
conditions with a high pH and high alklinity (hard water). Additionally, Platies may become
aggressive and nip the fins of the Betta.
Mollies:
Mollies, as with all livebearers like Guppies and Platies, enjoy hard water with a high pH, the
opposite of what a Betta prefers. Additionally some Mollies may become very aggressive if
the tank is not big enough since Mollies can get up to 3 inches so a 5 gallon tank with 1 Betta
and 1 Molly is pushing it. Mollies with shorter tails make better roommates than the lyretail
Mollies since the fancy tails may cause the Betta to mistake a Molly as a rival.
Swordtails:
Swordtails have the same cons as the other three livebearers, plus other characteristics that
make them unappealing as roommates. Swordtails live in fast moving waters while Bettas live
in slow moving rice paddies. Additionally, Swordtail colors and tails may cause aggression from
the Betta.
Don't even think about it!
Cichlids:
Not only are Cichlids highly aggressive, but they live best in water conditions that are opposite than those of a Betta. They enjoy high pH and hard water while Bettas enjoy soft water with low pH. Additionally, most Cichlids get way too big for tanks under 10 gallons. Most Cichlids need aquariums that are 20 or more gallons and that's when they aren't fully grown.
Goldfish:
Many people think that putting a Goldfish and a Betta together is a great idea since both are believed to be able to live in a bowl. Putting a Goldfish and a Betta together is a horrible idea for many reasons.
1. Goldfish are coldwater fish (enjoy the low 60's) and Bettas are warmwater fish (enjoy the low 80's). That's a 20 degree difference. Try swimming in a heated pool at 80 degrees and then jumping into the ocean that's 60 degrees and you'll see how big a difference that is: quite a shock for both fishes.
2. Goldfish are extremely messy so the minimal size tank necessary is 20 gallons for one Goldfish. Since the average fishkeeper doesn't follow this rule and keeps their Betta and Goldfish(es) in a 10 gallon, nitrates go through the roof within a few days.
3. Since Goldfish are so messy, they require much stronger filtration than a regular fish. With a stronger filtration system, the stronger the current, and the more stressed the Betta. A filter that strong would create a current that a Betta cannot swim through.
Tiger Barbs:
Tiger Barbs, or as I call them, fin shredders, are also an extremely bad choice for a tankmate. If you put a Tiger Barb with a Betta, you are most likely to see your Betta's fins ripped into confetti by the next day. And because Tiger Barbs are so fast, the Betta doesn't stand a chance to defend itself. Tiger Barbs are basically a bad choice for a peaceful community tank. They are better off living with Cichlids who can fight back.
Gouramis (all species!):
Gourami's make a bad choice for a roommate because they are in the same family as Bettas. In-laws never get along, so don't expect them to be best buddies. Because they are in the same family, Bettas and Gouramis are more likely to fight each other. Additionally, both are very aggressive fish, which adds to the danger of housing them together.
Chinese Algae Eaters:
Another bad choice overall for all types of community tanks. Not only do they suck on the sides of fish, but they don't even eat algae. As they get older, they become more aggressive and seem to enjoy the taste of the slime coat on the fish. Without this slime coat, all fish become more susceptible to disease. I do not recommend getting this fish at all!
Other Bettas:
Unless you're trying to make a female sorority tank (which needs at least 5 females), or having a divided tank, don't even think about trying to house Bettas together. There's a reason why they are called Siamese Fighting Fish; they fight with each other! Usually, in the wild where they live in thousands of gallons of water, fights are not to the death. In their homeland, whoever wins takes the territory and the loser swims away to live another day. In an aquarium, the loser tries to swim away but the tank is too small. The loser is unable to escape and the winner continues the beating until the loser finally dies. Even a divided tank is dangerous since Bettas are super athletic and can jump over a divider that is 1 inch above the surface.