There are many betta fish tank mates or companions that can live with male or female bettas under the right conditions. This is known as a community tank and can house more than two kinds of species.
Throughout history, the betta fish or Siamese fighting fish was continuously bred for its territorial aggression. This fighting instinct has never gone away, even for those bred in captivity.
For this reason, some betta fish are so territorial they may never be able to cohabit with other tank mates. At the other end of the spectrum, some bettas are so calm they could actually be picked on or stressed by other fish. Each betta fish has a unique personality and temperament.
If either of these is the case, it’s okay for your betta to live alone than under constant stress.
Betta Fish With Other Fish
Many betta keepers decide to explore other fish that can live with bettas because their fish appears bored, or because they want to liven up their tank. While companions aren’t required, they can add extra viewing pleasure and experience in the hobby.
Keeping betta fish with other kinds of fish can be tricky unless you know what you’re getting yourself into. During any new introductions, always have an exile tank ready in case you have to quickly remove your betta to safety. You should also monitor the introduction closely for at least 72-hours to assess compatibility.
Tank Size
In order to thrive, betta fish should have 5-gallons of water for their habitat. Adding certain tank mates starts to detract from the necessary environment. Some companions will need more than 5-gallons to thrive on their own, without the addition of a betta.
Increased cohabitants mean increased bioload or a number of inhabitants creating waste. As waste breaks down it turns into contaminants like ammonia which can increase the pH of your tank’s water. This can make your fish sick. Therefore, a filter is necessary for a community tank.
10 Best Betta Tank Mates
Listed below are each of the fish companions that can live with bettas along with some specific information about the species itself. Each recommended tankmate requires a similar water pH level of around 7.0-8.0 and tropical temperatures in the range of 72-81 degrees fahrenheit.
1. Mystery Snails
Scientific Name: Pomacea Bridgesii
Color: Golden, Blue or Dark Brownish
Level: Beginner
Tank Size: 5-Gallons or More
Snails don’t get enough credit for being as cool as they are! They are one of my favorite tank mates for male or female bettas alike. Mystery snails are a great addition because they feed on uneaten food and clean up algae, helping with aquarium cleanliness. Plus, they don’t reproduce asexually like some snails which can cause an invasion.
Mystery snails are plant-safe and do well with bettas because of their docile nature. Sometimes a betta will be curious or even nip at a mystery snail, but they have a hard shell they can retreat into if needed. Adults can grow to around 2 inches in size, with an average lifespan of one year. You’ll love watching them navigate around the tank, using their siphon for air at the surface, and watching their tentacles meander around.
2. Ghost Shrimp
Scientific Name: Thalassinidea
Color: Transparent
Level: Beginner
Tank Size: 10-Gallons or More
The ghost shrimp or glass shrimp is appropriately named for its see-through appearance and is an invertebre. Ghost shrimp are virtually invisible in tanks without close inspection by the naked eye. They make fantastic betta fish companions. Recommended introduction is in a group of 2-4, with 6 or more leading to potential breeding.
Ghost shrimp are easy to care for, inexpensive, and they are scavengers who will scour your tank looking for excess food to eat off the substrate. They can grow up to 1.5 inches in length and live for 1 to 1.5 years with proper care. These translucent critters are really fun to watch, love moss balls and other live plants and help keep your tank clean.
3. Feeder Guppies
Scientific Name: Poecilia Reticulata
Color: Females are grey, while males have spots and brighter hues of color
Level: Beginner
Tank Size: 8-gallons or More
Feeder guppies are bred for food for larger fish and don’t have the bright coloring or long fins like the fancy guppy. This makes them an ideal fish to live with a betta. Guppies are also content living on their own, so adding one as a tank mate is easier than schooling fish.
Enjoying the same pH and temperature range, feeder guppies are also very resilient fish. Their temperament is relatively docile, so you won’t have to worry about them nipping at your betta.
4. Cory Catfish
Scientific Name: Corydoras
Color: Bronze
Level: Beginner
Tank Size: 10-Gallons or More
Corydoras (cory/cories) catfish are good additions to a community betta tank. They are easy to care for and enjoy the same water conditions as bettas. Corydoras live on the bottom, feeding, and can live alone or in schools (4 or more recommended) depending on the size of your tank. They range from 1.0-2.5 inches in length.
The average lifespan for cory catfish in captivity is 2-3 years and their temperament is non-aggressive. This makes them a perfect companion for betta fish. For the most part, they are very active and can liven up a tank. If you want to be extra cautious, you may even look at the pygmy corydoras which are duller in color and only grow up to 1 inch.
5. Harlequin Rasbora
Scientific Name: Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Color: Orange to Pink Body, Distinct Black Triangle, and Red Hue Fins
Level: Beginner
Tank Size: 10-Gallons or More
The rasbora is a shoaling fish that prefers to live with a school of 5 to 6 in a tank. They’re great tank mates for a betta as long as your tank is 10-gallons or more. This will give them plenty of space for necessary activity. Rasboras also love tasty brine shrimp just like the betta.
If you decide to introduce your betta into a tank with the harlequin rasbora, you can expect rasbora’s to grow to around 1.5 inches in length and live on average 5 years. This species is also very peaceful, adding an additional quality to coexistence with the betta splenden.
6. African Dwarf Frog
Scientific Name: Hymenochirus Boettgeri
Color: Grey or Brown and Spotted
Level: Beginner
Tank Size: 10-Gallons or More
African dwarf frogs are excellent betta tank mates too because of their peaceful personalities. They are also relatively easy to care for. Dwarf frogs can grow up to 2.5 inches in length and live on average 5 years. Males tend to be slightly smaller than females and the species also enjoys at least 2 per tank.
They are very active and like to explore their surroundings. The frogs come to the surface to get air since they have lungs and not gills. If you’re lucky you’ll even witness them shed their skin, (every 1-2 weeks) which is a speedy process that ends with the frog eating it. As for eating, you’ll also love watching them stuff their mouths with food using their little webbed feet!
7. Neon Tetras
Scientific Name: Paracheirodon Innesi
Color: Neon Silver-Blue with a Red Neon Stripe
Level: Beginner-Advanced
Tank Size: 10-Gallons or More
Despite advising betta fish owners to avoid tank mates with bright colors, the neon tetra can do well with betta fish because of their speed. In your community tank you will need to add more than one, as neon tetras prefer to school in packs of 6 to 10. A long narrow tank is recommended for plenty of horizontal swimming space.
Typical lifespan is 5 years in captivity, and they can grow up to 4 centimeters in length. In prolonged periods of darkness, you may witness their red stripe fade or disappear completely. Neon tetras are fascinating to watch as they swim together and navigate about the tank looking for food or safety. Neon tetras also like heavily planted tanks with lots of places to hide, just like the betta.
8. Ember Tetras
Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon Amandae
Color: Orange-Red
Level: Beginner-Advanced
Tank Size: 10-Gallons or More
Embers are another species of the tetra and will even school with neon tetras. They grow to just under 1 inch and require groups of 4-6 tetras for adequate schooling. Much like the betta fish, they also prefer heavily planted tanks and tasty brine shrimp.
With average lifespans around 4 years, they will also bring years of joy to a community tank. They prefer the middle of a tank, whereas betta fish tend to prefer the top-half, helping with compatibility and territory issues. They are both, however, surface feeders.
9. Clown Plecos
Scientific Name: Panaque Maccus, Dwarf Loricariid
Color: Light Brown to Black Body with Orange to White Stripe Coloration
Level: Beginner-Advanced
Tank Size: 15-Gallons or More
Another algae eater that can be compatible with the betta is the clown pleco. Make sure to avoid the Common Pleco however, because it has the ability to grow up to two feet long! The Clown Pleco is the dwarf member of the species making it a suitable tank mate at a maximum length of around 4 inches.
It’s a hardy and easy to care for fish, enjoying an average lifespan around 10 years in captivity. They like to explore and have tough skin in the event a betta fish does get curious.
10. Kuhli Loach
Scientific Name: Pangio Kuhlii
Color: Pink to Yellow Body with Dark Stripes
Level: Beginner-Medium*
Tank Size: 20-Gallons or More
Another cool fish that can live with a betta is the Kuhli Loach because of their docile temperament. They are long, shaped like eels, and love to disappear into tiny crevices. Kuhli loaches mind their own business, love to eat brine shrimp and need at least 20-gallons to be happy.
Other loaches, such as the clown loach* can grow over a foot so make sure to avoid this variant! If you have sand as your substrate loaches may burrow deep into it.
11. (BONUS) Marimo Moss Ball
Scientific Name: Aegagropila Linnaei
Color: Green
Level: Beginner
Tank Size: 5-Gallons or More
The marimo moss ball is a really cool living plant, and living plants can make awesome tankmates for betta fish too. They’re almost indestructible (you don’t need a green-thumb), making them especially good for beginners. Marimo moss balls can also live for over 100 years, growing at only 5 millimeters in diameter per year. That’s wild!
A marimos key benefits include: low cost, longevity, little maintenance, algae eaters, nitrate eaters, and oxygen production. If you’re not quite ready for another fish species, the marimo moss ball is an excellent addition to any tank.
Female Betta Tank Mates – Sororities
Females can coexist together as tank companions in a sorority. A sorority is a community tank of female betta fish with 5 or more members. The minimum recommended tank size is 10-gallons (long horizontal tanks are better than tall vertical tanks).
Female bettas are also aggressive, territorial, and unpredictable at times so it’s important to monitor behavior and provide plenty of hiding spots. Younger females tend to react better than elders who are used to seclusion.
Recap
Despite common misconceptions that betta fish can only live alone, all of the species listed above can be suitable betta fish tank mates. Due diligence must be exercised, however, because of the varying temperaments across the betta splenden species in both males and females. Even if you do everything right, there’s no guarantee your betta won’t become an aggressor or a victim.
After adding a companion to the same tank, monitor for signs of stress in your betta and the other companions over several days. This may include lack of appetite, visible wounds (e.g. fin tearing), nonstop chases, and extended periods of quarreling.
Prolonged stress and fighting will only lead to sick or dead fish. Make sure you follow the checklist above, especially for ample hiding spots and tank size recommendations. In situations where the environment appears unsafe, be ready with a secondary tank or container to remove your betta.
If your betta fish doesn’t get along with a tank mate, don’t worry, they’re not a schooling fish and will be just fine on their own. Aquascaping with live plants and decor can be equally pleasing and fun.
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