# betta fish and another kind of fish



## bettyjoe7997 (Apr 28, 2008)

Is it ok to have a betta fish in the same tank as another fish? Such as a gold fish or a guppy or even sword fish?


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## Neo (Apr 5, 2008)

i wouldnt do a goldfish, i think they require totally diffiferent enviroments as far as temp and space and i dont really think they get along, try other tropical fish, just nothing with the habit of fin nipping, due to the betta fish's long fins this will not be good, and go by the 1 inch to 1 gallon rule, being is that if a fish is 3 inches it needs 3 gallons at least, when u go to your lfs ask them fish that they have that are compatible with your betta, in my community tank i have 1 betta, 1 platy, 3 zebra danios and a red tailed black shark and they all get along, sometimes my betta even plays follow the leader with the danios


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## It'sJames (Nov 15, 2007)

I'd have to disagree with Neo on the 1 inch per gallon rule - it only works with a few different fish. For example, a dwarf puffer is only 1", but you'd need a 15-20 gallon tank to keep 5 of them, becuase they produce a lot of waste. Compare that to Dwarf livebearers, which are also around an inch. You could keep a dozen or so in a 10 gallon. It really just depends on the fish. 

I do agree with Neo on the goldfish - they need cold water, while bettas need 78-80 degree water.

How big is your tank? That will really be a deciding factor on what fish you can keep with your betta. I've kept my bettas with platies, angels, cories, African dwarf frogs and otos. The angel could only be kept with my female betta though, because he would nip my males fins. Livebearers, some tetras, cories, or danios would also be nice. 

Let us know how many gallons your tank is, and we might be able to give you a better idea of what would work.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Goldies=No.

Tank size? Heated or not? Filtered?


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## bettyjoe7997 (Apr 28, 2008)

*10 gallon tank*

I have a 10 gallon tank with a charcoal filter. I still have to pick up a heater and thermometer. I'm just getting started with this so i'm not to sure as what to have. I know in some tanks people have cat fish in the tank. Do I need catfish also? 
So I can have a shark in the tank then. 
What ever help you can give would be appreciated.
Thank you for your help


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## Neo (Apr 5, 2008)

I have a red tailed black shark in mine, im not sure what other sharks you could put in, nothing like my friends, he has to feed his other fish, so you dont want one of those.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

I wouldn't put any Shark in a 10G. They get too large and aggresive.

You need the heater, as you mentioned to house any fish with the betta, none the less the betta himself.

I would get a few bottom-dwellers so they dont interfere with the betta. You can add a few Pgymy Cories...6-8 or so. Very fun.


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## Piranha Joe (Apr 10, 2008)

*bettas and other fish*

I set Finnyus up with a 10 gallon recently, we (carefully) added a female crowntail and 2 Mickey Mouse platys...all seems good. But I want some more "interest"...can I put in neons or will Finnyus eat them? As for bottom feeders, I'd like to use kuhli loaches; or what other algae eating bottom feeder should I use? Some of those catfish get rather big, so I'm not sure which would be the best for Finnyus....after all, it's all about HIM!


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## It'sJames (Nov 15, 2007)

What kind of fish is Finnyus? Maybe you told us somewhere, but I'm not seeing it...


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## Piranha Joe (Apr 10, 2008)

*betta compatible*

sorry, thought it was "assumed"...Finnyus is a Crowntail Betta.


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## stephenmontero (Mar 15, 2008)

well the Pgymy Cories are cat fish but they stay really small


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