# Betta tank mates?



## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Gonna set up a tank soon with a big male fighter in and just wanted to know what people keep in with theirs with no problems?

Definitely gonna have some Khulis in there with it but other than that I don't really know what else, was thinkin tetras or guppies for some colour and food for the betta but prefer somethin different.


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

These really are fish best kept on their own. They are desperately shy and if you add even small guppies you will find them hiding away behind decor.

Marina


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## AshMashMash (Oct 28, 2007)

Marinam2 said:


> These really are fish best kept on their own. They are desperately shy and if you add even small guppies you will find them hiding away behind decor.
> 
> Marina


There are plenty of fish you can keep with bettas IMO... specially the ones he has mentioned (khulis, tetras, guppies) will be fine with them wont they? 

Corys and any other bottom dwellers would be good, as they'll keep out of the way. Cichlids and gouramis will hassle them, so they're a no-no. 

Other midwater placid (non fin-nipping) fish like the common livebearers, tetras and things would be good too 

Also try and provide some midwater-surface cover, with floating plants and things like that, which will make them happy


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Amano shrimp, otos, plecs, bumblebee gobies, apple snails, cories... :no1:

I wouldnt suggest live bearers, the bright colours on them often cause the betta to attack and kill them

Wouldnt suggest barbs, tetras or danios as these are often fin nippers.

oh, and smaller catfish like bumblebee catfish etc..


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## Ally (Mar 8, 2006)

I've had a shoal of white cloud mountain minnows with a fighter, that worked well.
Some of the smaller rasboras may work well too.


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## Catherine896 (Jul 27, 2007)

I wouldnt recommend guppies - Ive had bettas chase and nip them to the extent they have had to be removed.
Ive also had a betta kill a neon.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Catherine896 said:


> I wouldnt recommend guppies - Ive had bettas chase and nip them to the extent they have had to be removed.
> Ive also had a betta kill a neon.


I don't mind it eatin neons etc, just don't want anythin in there that will stress it out.


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## AshMashMash (Oct 28, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> I don't mind it eatin neons etc,


:lol2: your so mean! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Esfa said:


> Amano shrimp, otos, plecs, bumblebee gobies, apple snails, cories... :no1:
> 
> I wouldnt suggest live bearers, the bright colours on them often cause the betta to attack and kill them
> 
> ...


I had a couple of males in the past (not together obviously) and females, and they always ate/killed shrimps, I had a male that would constantly hassle plecs aswell :?

Snails have no place in any tank of mine, unless they are with cracked shells for clown food :whistling2:

I might just go for him on his own and the Kuhli's then, or change my mind totally and get a barb tank again or just go with a puffer.


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## AshMashMash (Oct 28, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> or just go with a puffer.


Yes  

What about a nice brackish tank? I've always wanted to do one, but never done it. That would be pretty awesome. Could have some land and some fidler crabs and some mudskippers... that'd be so cool


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## DaveM (Oct 18, 2006)

harlequin and zebra danios, kuhlis, and maybe some of the smaller species of rainbow fish


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## browner93 (Dec 17, 2007)

i think i go some thing like if you have a agresiv or some thing like a betta you should house it with fish that are willing to fight back if needed.

Josh


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

browner93 said:


> i think i go some thing like if you have a agresiv or some thing like a betta you should house it with fish that are willing to fight back if needed.
> 
> Josh


Or, I just keep it with fish that wont fight, or no fish at all 

I have found a betta I want and for £39 excluding delivery, I don't really fancy 5 for £5 type fish damaging it :lol2:


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## browner93 (Dec 17, 2007)

39:O i agree tho if you get some thing like 5 for £5 fish biteing it fins

Josh


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

browner93 said:


> 39:O i agree tho if you get some thing like 5 for £5 fish biteing it fins
> 
> Josh


I had a 5ft barb tank 3 years ago, nothin in there but barbs and Khulis and some clowns and corys.

That was fun when you stuck some livefoods in, shoals of barbs flyin about everywhere.
:lol2:


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## browner93 (Dec 17, 2007)

lol i like tiger barbs that are nice and clown loach

Josh


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

What tail type is he? 

My red/blue crowntail died yeaterday


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Esfa said:


> What tail type is he?
> 
> My red/blue crowntail died yeaterday


Fire Dragon Plakat. 

:mf_dribble:


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

Well i dont agree with no guppies in with beta's cos beta will kill them because i had a 7 and half gallon tank with a beta and 5 guppies and the guppies sexually harrased the betta then all killed it!!!!

So just letting u know


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Reptilover said:


> Well i dont agree with no guppies in with beta's cos beta will kill them because i had a 7 and half gallon tank with a beta and 5 guppies and the guppies sexually harrased the betta then all killed it!!!!
> 
> So just letting u know


Where the guppies male or female?

Minmum tank size will be 3ft more likely 4/4.5ft.


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> Where the guppies male or female?
> 
> Minmum tank size will be 3ft more likely 4/4.5ft.


oh well.... :mf_dribble:

I'd say the plakat (lucky sod) and then a breeding pair of bn plecs, and 8+ bbgs. and then i would have a shoal of cardinal tetras... about 8. and then like 8 cories. (whatever is your fav). wow just realised... alot of 8 :lol2:

planted with elosa densa, crypts, moss and anubias. woop. :lol2:


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> Where the guppies male or female?
> 
> Minmum tank size will be 3ft more likely 4/4.5ft.


The Guppies Were All Female getting ready to be bred with my other males in 20gallon tank.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

8+ bbgs?


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> 8+ bbgs?


bumblebee gobies. :blush:


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## pokerplayer (Jul 22, 2007)

ive had many bettas in the past and all hve there own personalities.
some react better with tank mates than others. on the whole. bottom dwellers are best. cories and kuhlis. even dwarf frogs have been great with bettas. as for fish, i find tetras the best, the bigger the group the beter then behave i found, and also minnows. defently not barbs, or danios. shrimps often work well. amano shrimps the best i think, with the dwarf shrimps usually being eaten. not always. lot fo plant cover i find helps.. floating plants adding a great benefit to the betta. apple snails gret tank mates, sometimes their eyes get nipped. but to be fair..a betta i think should not be with most community fish, many livebearers add tension and the fancy tails of gupies make the betta angry. 
in the end, each betta is different and some act differently to tank mates then others. its more a 'see how it goes' sort of thing. lol


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Ok cheers.

What I'll do is get the tank setup and sorted and cycle with neons, remove them and introduce the Kuhli's and Clowns and then order the Betta and put him in, then I will give him about 10-14 days to settle and try introducing some shrimp and some gobies.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

My betta is in with all my other fish and nothing bothers it and it doesn't bother anything.


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## Ruby Rue (Mar 21, 2008)

Aren't most bumble bee gobies on the market brackish?
I've had two shoals of 6 pentazona barbs with a pair of Sturisoma aureum (giant whiptail) these have a string like whip about 2.5 inches long and no nipping. great little fish.


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Ruby Rue said:


> Aren't most bumble bee gobies on the market brackish?
> I've had two shoals of 6 pentazona barbs with a pair of Sturisoma aureum (giant whiptail) these have a string like whip about 2.5 inches long and no nipping. great little fish.


Nah, there's about 6 species of bumblebee gobies, and the one that is named on most caresheets/fish books are truly a brackish species. But these are never for sale, as they are very rare. 

The other 5 are more tolertant of freshwater, and the most common one sold in lfs, does just as well in freshwater, if not better.


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Bettas are not cut out for community tanks usually, I think the setup you're planning sounds good though.

If you can get some ricca it forms mats at the surface of the water that bettas will love. Or just float some fine leaved bunch plants at teh surface for it.


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## Jase Boa (Oct 22, 2007)

Best thing, in my (ex breeder :whistling2 opinion, for a betta is a 12x6x6" without filtration or a very slow filter, and no other fish


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Oh yeah Roy, you head of Indian almond leaves? do a search then hit eBay.


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