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Betta Tank Mates | Learn which fish get along with Betta fish


Betta Tank Mates

Wait, can you put both male and female Betta fish in the same tank?


Yes and no is the answer to this question. Most importantly, you can't keep male Betta fish together. Everyone knows this because they will fight constantly until one of them leaves the area safely or dies because it can't leave and has to fight until the end. Using a divided Betta tank, you can keep male Betta fish in the same aquarium without worrying about them hurting each other. To see how, click here. By using the divider, you can keep the fish safe and watch the males show off their fins and fight with each other. Basically, you can either buy a tank with a divider already built in or buy dividers separately and add them later. You can put more than two male Bettas in a single tank. Just choose how many partitions you want to make and make sure to leave enough space on each side.

Can Betta fish of the same gender live in the same tank?


The answer is "yes," but keep reading. If you want to keep more than one female Betta fish together, it is best to do so. Six or more women is a good number. They will get along, and they might peck at each other, but if you keep more than one female, they will fight less and be more fun to watch. It has been said that when women are kept together in groups, they will form a hierarchy of who is in charge. When two female Betta fish are kept together, the females do act like males do when they are with another female. So you shouldn't keep two female Betta fish together, but you can keep several female Betta fish in small to medium-sized harems. Check out the video called Females in the Betta Sorority Tank to see how two females interact with each other. Watch the other video, "Female Betta Sorority Video," to see how several females live together in a group tank.

Can a Betta fish be kept with other tropical fish?


Yes, you can keep Betta fish and other tropical fish in the same aquarium, but you have to be careful to avoid problems. People have different ideas about what to keep with Betta fish, but if you read enough, you'll find that most people like to keep Neon tetras with their Bettas. Interesting fact: Neon tetras, also called Paracheirodon innesi, are not from Asia, like Bettas. Instead, they are from Columbia, Peru, and Brazil. Anyway, Neon tetras live in groups, so it's best to keep at least six of them. They're also cheap and look great. You might want to stay away from Guppies because they can be just as colorful as Bettas and the Betta fish might attack them because they think they are a dangerous Betta because of their fins and bright colors.

What kinds of fish do well in Betta fish tanks?


Now that you know you can keep male and female Betta fish together and that Paracheirodon innesi or Neon tetras get along well with them, are there any other species? Yes, there really is. Fish from the scavenger family are another good choice for a Betta fish's tank mate. We call catfish "scavengers," and there are a few really good suggestions. First, cory catfish from the genus Corydoras are always a good choice. These are the small armored catfish that stay around two to three inches long and can be very colorful and active. The best way to care for these small cats is in groups of at least three. It's fun to watch them pick through the gravel for bits of food. Plecos is the name of another scavenger that comes in many sizes and colors. Plecos is short for Plecostomus, which is the genus name for these catfish. You could order a Zebra Pleco or an Imperial Pleco, which are both smaller plecos. Check out this link for a short list of pleco species that stay under six inches. Remember that the cory catfish will always be moving around and being active. Plecos can get stuck in the mud for a while, but corys can't. There is one more fish that does well with Betta fish. It is called a "dwarf suckermouth" or a "otos." People call them algae eaters because they are in the genus Otocinclus. Like with the Corydoras cats, you should keep your dwarf suckers in small groups. Otos will also need algae pellets or wafers to eat, because they will eat all the algae in your tank very quickly.