Betta Fish Companions

Betta fish have a strong and well-deserved reputation for not getting along with other fish. This is because two male bettas will fight each other to the death if you put them in the same tank or bowl together. One may just harrass the other into poor health and eventual death, or they may attack each other outright.

This behavior will come out with other fish. Bettas are not particularly friendly fish, but if you give them enough room so they are not overcrowded, and put them in a tank with betta compatible fish, all will be well. In fact, there are some fish that need to be kept apart from bettas because those fish will harrass the betta fish. Also, some fish (typically fish that originated in rivers) like fairly strong currents, and that is hard on bettas... they like relatively still waters that are similar to the ditches and ponds and rice paddies they hang out in in their native Asia.

Remember that betta fish really benefit from at least a two gallon bowl. So if you want to keep things simple, just stick with one betta fish. If you really want to have just one more fish, get a cleaner fish (sometimes called a scavenger fish) like a catfish. A small catfish will help with keeping the tank clean, won't bother the betta, and will add a little interest to the tank. Just be sure to get a catfish or cleaner fish that is not going to outgrow the tank. Plecostomus are terrific cleaner fish, but over the course of a year they can double in size. Most plecostomus need at least a 20 gallon tank or larger, and some of the larger varieties need 70 gallons or more.

If you want a no worries scavenger fish, get a cory cat to live with your betta. Small ones are less than an inch long and probably won't grow to be much more than 1.5 inches. Do provide some hiding spots for the cory, because at first the betta may not welcome it. Cories generally prefer to be out of direct sunlight, like bettas. They also like to be in groups, but if you only have room for one, it will make do. The next step up from the catfish would be a little school of six or more rasboras. Harlequin rasboras are the most colorful. Rasboras school beautifully together and between the schooling action and their metallic orange/yellow and black colors they are really striking in an aquarium. Do give them enough room to move around... a long aquarium will suit them better than a tall one. Rasboras water temperature range just overlaps with a bettas, so you'll need to keep them just a bit warm around 78 or 79 degrees. Rasboras don't get to be much more than 2 inches long. By the way... pearl danios are considered rasboras, and will do for betta community tanks. LiveAquaria.com currently has celestial pearl danios that are quite beautiful. Danios, like rasboras, like to be in groups, so try to make for for six or more of them if you can.

Many people have had success with keeping dwarf gouramis and bettas together. The key is to have a betta fish that does not have an overly strong urge to fight, and giving everybody enough room to keep their personal space, and enough hiding places to go to if the betta starts to get cranky. Licorice gouramis are particularly nice, because their ideal water temperature is almost exactly that of a betta fish. They also look cool, and won't grow beyond an inch and a half in length.

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