# Betta splendens Compatibility



## Mo

i just decided to make a little sheet that had, commonly sold, easy to care for and cheap compatible fish for bettas
if anyone has any corrections on this, please comment and ill edit it 

Some Betta fish will NOT tolerate tank mates and will go on a killing frenzy when introduced to other fish, so if you do decide to keep your Betta with other fish. Make sure that you have a backup plan incase It doesn't work. And make sure that you add the Betta last, because this will prevent some aggresion. If you add it first then the Betta will claim its territory and then when you introduce the new fish the Betta will think that the new fish are in his territory and kill the fish

*generally compatible fish for bettas* 

*----Name of fish-------minimum tank size------minimum group number*
Ember tetras--------10 gallons----------six
Habrosus cories--------10 gallons----------six
hastatus cories------10 gallons-------------six
Von-rio tetras-------------15 gallons---------ideally 7 or more
Pristilla tetras------------10 gallons-----------six
Head and light tetras----10-------------------six
Cherry barbs----------15 gallons----------------six
Neon tetras-------------10 gallons------------ Six
Neons tetras can be a bit nippy when kept in small numbers so you would need atleast 6 to house them properly with a Betta 
galaxy rasboras------------10 gallons-----------Six
panda and pygmy cories------10 gallons-----------Six
most other cories-----------15-20 gallons -----Six 
harlequin rasbora -----------10 gallons---------Six
non fancy female guppies------10 gallons ------- Three
endlers livebearers------------10gallons---------Three
zebra danios-----------------3.5 foot tank-------Six
Bristle nose plecos------------2.5 foot tank-------One
Bushy nose plecos-------------2.5 foot tank------One
non colorful platies------------10 gallons---------Three
glo fish----------------------3.5 foot tank--------Six
rummy nose tetras------------15 gallons-----------Six
glo light tetras----------------10 gallons----------Six
cardinal tetras----------------15 gallons----------Six
X ray tetras-------------------10 gallons----------Six
"feeder guppies"---------------10 gallons-----------Three
Khuli loaches------------------2 foot tank--------Six
Scissor tail rasboras-------------10 gallons----------Six
Otos---------------------------10 gallons---------3 - 4
Bloodfin tetras-------------------15 gallons-------- Six
Rasbora Brigittae-----------------5 gallons----------Six
Black neon tetras------------------15 gallons-------six
Yoyo loaches

*Shrimp that are compatible with bettas*

Ghost shrimp---------------------2.5 gallons --------one
Amano shrimp-------------------2.5 gallons----------one
Cherry shrimp-------------------2.5 gallons---------one
and a little note about shrimp, they are a hit and miss, some bettas are fine with shrimp and some aren't but all of my bettas have been fine with shrimp that are over 1 inch. I would suggest that a well planted tank with lots of cover should be used when having small ghost shrimp or cherry shrimp

*Snails that are compatible with bettas*

Apple snails------------------10 gallons-----------one 
Ramshorn snails------------5 gallons---------one
Malaysian trumpet snails---2.5 gallons--------one
Pond snails--------------------2.5 gallons---------one
Nerite snails------------------5 gallons----------one
Snails are a hit and miss too with bettas some will tolerate them but some will chop their feelers off


*sometimes compatible fish with bettas*

*---Name of fish------------Minimum tank size------minimum group number* 

male, and female Fancy guppies----------10 gallons-----------three 
Sparkling gouramis------------------------10 gallons----------one
bright and colorful platies----------------10 gallons-----------three
Black widow tetras----------------------20 gallons------------Eight to not be as nippy
sword tails----------------------------2 ft. Tank------------Three 
Mollies-------------------------------25 gallons ----------3
Lyre tail guppies-----------------------10 gallons-------------Three

*Fish that are rarely compatible with bettas*

Including information regarding minimum group and tank size for this part of the list would most likely encourage people to further on and try the compatibilities which I wouldn't recommend. 

Serpae tetras
other bettas
SA cichlids
NW cichlids
Dwarf gouramis
Tiger barbs
Honey gouramis
Angel fish
Honey gouramis
Boesemani rainbows
Red tailed sharks
Any type of crayfish with claws over half an inch


Hope this helped!


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## Olympia

You have endlers on this list twice.
I swear I saw this exact list last year on this forum,.


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## Olympia

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=89553&highlight=list
Yea... why did you copy some else's list? You changed/added a few things.. but you should still give some credit for the base.


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## MrVampire181

Can we get this stickied? It'll *hopefully* avoid cluttering of the forum with the same questions over and over.


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## Mo

I have made this thread with m information, time and experience. This is a previous thread that I have posted within another forum community.


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## Olympia

Alright. Not going to blame you then. Kinda awkward that one of you copied the other.. I was just going with what I saw on this forum first.


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## Mo

well..... I'll be honest here.

I have previously owned that acount but with password, and email loss I have rarely been able to acess it. the only way is with my sisters computer due to it being remembered on there. 

I made this account for easier use


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## Olympia

Why do you bother using the other one then?


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## Mo

Dont know... lol. just made a few edits. lol. thanks for understanding olympia. your great!


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## Olympia

Yea no prob.
I agree this should be stickied. Last time it got last hahaahah.


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## thekoimaiden

This is a pretty great list! I agree; it should be stickied. I would just like to point out a few things. You recommend both endler's and feeder guppies in a 5 gal tank. Generally, it's better to try betta with tankmates in a 10 gal or larger. Even though these fish can be peaceful in the event of a squabble a 5 gal tank doesn't provide enough room to get away. My other problem is with the "gold gourami" recommendation. Gold gourami are actually a color morph of the blue gourami (_Trichopodus trichopterus_), sometimes called three-spot gourami. These fish aren't recommended in anything under 36" (90cm) as they commonly grow to 5" (12.5cm) and would not be suitable for even a 20 gal long tank. I have also seen multiple sites recommend against keeping these with betta as they will grow large enough to see a betta as food. Three-spot Gourami - Seriously Fish


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## Mandy Pandy

Do you think a betta could get along with a dwarf orange crayfish in a 20 gallon tank?


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## Olympia

Crayfish can and will grab a fish and eat it if they get the chance.. :s my crayfish ate each other lol, I kept them with big blue gourami and didn't have problems.


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## Mo

Dwarf orange crayfish should do well with a Betta given there temperament and size, they aren't aggresive and don't pinch at bettas such as others will take this chane to


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## Olympia

http://www.petshrimp.com/articles/cpatzcuarensis.php
Here it says they don't even touch guppy fry. Of course if you starved it it might try something, so that'd be a factor.
Could I keep them with Pygmy cories? I've seen them at my pet store but i would shy away from em. How much space do they need?


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## Mo

They should do okay with fully grown Pygmy cories as long as both are supplies with a well source of food. And sorry guys. I can't make any edits to the first post, you know..... That whole 20 minute thing


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## Mo

I will contact a moderator for future edits. Any more comments are welcome


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## duluoz

This is awesome. Thanks for writing!


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## Mo

Edits have been made


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## jaela

Awesome resource, thank you!


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## MaisyDawgThirteen

Good job, Mo!  Why isn't this stickied?


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## Mo

Thanks. Most likely because of the incorrect information when it was first made. but hopefully it will be stickied as there are still constant answers about betta compatibility with fish such as neons


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## Jessicatm137

Thanks Mo! I agree that this should be stickied.


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## Mo

Thanks! Hopefully it will get stickied!


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## Crowntailed

Also a nice fish i found that does good with bettas are dojo loaches http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/loaches/DojoLoach.php
Dojo loach-------30gal tank--- and atleast 2 but 3 or more is better
I realy like them with sorority tanks


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## thekoimaiden

Crowntailed said:


> Also a nice fish i found that does good with bettas are dojo loaches Dojo Loach, Weather Loach, Chinese Weatherfish, Oriental Weatherfish, Japanese Weatherfish, Dojo, Amur, Gold Dojo Loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
> Dojo loach-------30gal tank--- and atleast 2 but 3 or more is better
> I realy like them with sorority tanks


They are really neat, but dojo loach (also called weather loach) are actually a poor tankmate for betta. They will grow around a foot long, need 50+ gal tanks, and don't thrive in tropical tanks. Keeping them at temperatures above 75F will shorten their lifespan. Not to mention a fully-grown dojo could easily eat a betta. DojoLoach (_M._ _anguillicaudatus_) at Loachesonline.com and WeatherLoach (_M._ _anguillicaudatus_) at SeriouslyFish.com

If you want a serpentine loach to be kept with betta, try going for a loach of the_ Pangio _genus. Just make sure they are kept in groups of 6 or more and have lots of hiding spaces.


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## Crowntailed

I have owned dojo loaches for 5+ years and not one has ever got near a foot long, top i have seen is 6 inches and he has been liveing in a 35gal tank for about 4 and a half years, and never once tryed to eat anyfish. Some of the fish i have had them with were fry from guppies, swordtailes.


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## Mo

Hey won't get to a foot long due to the limited amount of room. There growth harmonies would build up in the water and at a certain level. They stop growing on the outside an become stunted while there internal organs keep growing resulting in long term deformation


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## Olympia

Dojo loaches are raised for food, I hear. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Crowntailed

Ya they are raised for food over in other countries, but they realy dont look very tasty lol. I would much rather watch them dig through the sand in my tank then to eat one.


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## thekoimaiden

Mo is right. The reason your dojos aren't growing as large as they should be is due to poor living conditions and bad diet. If you are going to keep a coldwater fish in tropical temperatures, you need to up their food intake or else they will starve to death. Fish metabolisms are regulated by the temperature. A coldwater fish living at tropical temperatures will need to eat more to maintain a healthy body weight. 



Olympia said:


> Dojo loaches are raised for food, I hear.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


They are a food fish in Asian because they get so big and taste like eels (mmmm unagi nigiri). They are also invasive in the cooler areas of the US and are illegal to keep in some states (not the southern states because they are not a tropical fish). I love the eely look, but the dojos I had with my goldfish took a liking to the goldfish's slime coats. I had to say good bye to them, but they went to another good aquarist.


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## Olympia

Omg I love eel meat. I'd be tempted to make sushi out of em if I ever got dojos. xD


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## Cinderwolf

So I will probably already know the answer to this question. But I have a 6 gal heavily planted Marineland Eclipse tank. It is cycling now, but when it is done, I would love to add a few tank mates. Would it be only shrimp or snails I can add? You have this fish ( Rasbora Brigittae) listed as 5 gal. Is that true?

I was planning on shrimp, bt the idea of fish is sooo inticing. I wish here was fish I could keep in the 6 gal.


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## Mo

I depends on the betta itself typically if your betta is very, vey passing then those fish could work in a 6 gallon long


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## Cinderwolf

not sure about him, for a whiel we was super passive, not evne flaring at himself in the mirror, but lately he has been flaring. Thoguh I dont think my tank is a long.


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## thekoimaiden

I don't think it is a good idea to keep a betta with other fish in anything less than a 10 gallon. In a regular 6 gallon tank there just isn't enough room for everyone to escape. The 6 gal long that Mo is referring to is the Petco Bookshelf aquarium. Length matters a lot for fish because they swim side to side more than up and down. 

Now about the Rasboras brigittae (sometimes called mosquito rasbora). It is indeed a micro species that has the potential to live in a 5 gallon tank, but they are a very sensitive fish. They are not a good choice for a beginner. Especially because the smaller the tank the more apt it is to have wild parameter fluctuations which kill sensitive species such as this.


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## Cinderwolf

Thats what I thought, just thought I should ask. i will stick to shrimp then. Maybe some day I will get a bigger tank with other fish in it.


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## starrlamia

bumping because this thread should be a sticky!


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## Olympia

No, it shouldn't. Many of these fish should never be kept with a betta.


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## starrlamia

like what? most of them seem reasonable to me


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## Unity

great starter guide! Thanks!


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## schell0385

Thank you for this list. I have had my Betta for a couple of months and he is thriving in his 10 gallon tank. I have live plants in it too and he likes those. Now that he is doing so well I want him to have some company. I love colorful fun fish. I would really like to add some shrimp - if I knew I he would not eat them....I know they are pricey and I would hate to have them eaten for food.
I really LOVE frogs.....would you know what kind of frogs I could add and how big they should be??
Would the tank need to be completely closed at the top - I am not sure if they are escape artists????
Again my tank is 10 gallons. If I were to add 2 shrimp and one frog would that be tooooo much for the environment? I would really like to have two of each, but I do not to overload my happy tank.

Thank you - the list is great!


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## yoitsjode

Does this compatibility thread go for male bettas or female bettas? I have a 55gal tank I would love to have a community in. I have a lot of plants and rocks and 1 male vt.


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## fishy314

Okay... one weird thing... one site i read said angelfish 'are the ideal tankmates for bettas'. >.<

dont want to act stupid here, but why serpae tetras on that list? i know theyre somewhat fin nippers but my friend has some and i've always seen them as docile fish.

and swordtails on the "sometimes"?they are one of the basic tankmates for bettas in almost every resource you'd find.


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## fishy314

and WHY was this bumped?


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## Olympia

Wow, looking back what an awful list. xD Even I agreed with it at one point but that's when I knew nothing about fish.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## yoitsjode

Who do you think are good tank mates for my male vt in a 55 or a 30 gal. depending on which tank I put him in


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## fishy314

cory cats, swordtails, platys, maybe a pleco


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## fishy314

Olympia said:


> Wow, looking back what an awful list. xD Even I agreed with it at one point but that's when I knew nothing about fish.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yeah. :/


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## thekoimaiden

yoitsjode said:


> Who do you think are good tank mates for my male vt in a 55 or a 30 gal. depending on which tank I put him in


It's going to depend on his personality, but harlequin rasbora are good. Some of the more thick-bodied and gentle tetra like X-ray teta, glowlight tetra, and head and tail light tetra are also pretty good. Just make sure you have large enough groups of these fish (10+) to keep any fighting within the group. They will also display their best colors in large numbers. Cory cats and otos are good. Kuhli loaches also work.


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## Mo

Olympia said:


> Wow, looking back what an awful list. xD Even I agreed with it at one point but that's when I knew nothing about fish.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Lol. Thanks! I didn't have much experience back then.


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## TropicalFlow3

Question: are endless just as nippy towards each other as guppies are?


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