It is very exciting when you get your first betta. But after some time you realize something is missing!
My Betta fish is lonely!
But what are the best tank mates for my betta fish and more importantly which other fish can live in 3, 5 or 10-gallon betta fish tank?
No worries!
I got you covered.
In this blog post, I’m going to show you what fish is compatible with your betta fish no matter what tank size you have.
So let’s get started.
Betta fish has a reputation of a very aggressive fish and it can’t tolerate any other fish (even other bettas) in its tank.
Keeping tank mates with Betta fish is not recommended for beginners because it could be very challenging.
Even if you keep Betta fish with compatible tank mates, it really depends on the behavior of your Betta fish if it can live with them.
Some Betta fish will tolerate other tank mates and others could be very territorial and attack them.
So you will have to test some tank mates listed in this blog post with your Betta fish and see what fish your Betta fish can tolerate.
When it comes to tank mates for Betta fish You should keep the tankmates which are small in size, peaceful and usually stay near the bottom or in the spectrum of the tank where Betta fish usually don’t hang out.
Also, you should avoid keeping fin nippers with your Betta fish.
Table of Contents
Do Betta fish really get lonely?
Betta fish really don’t need any other fish in their tank.
They don’t get bored because of the loneliness.
Betta fish may attack other fish but there are some species that you can keep with the betta fish.
But in the end, it all comes down to the behavior of your Betta fish towards other fish.
Other Betta fish as tank mates for your Betta fish?
You can keep other Betta fish as tank mates for your Betta fish.
But there is a caveat to that.
You may have heard that you cannot keep two male Betta fish in the same tank and that is completely true.
If you keep two male Betta fish in the same tank then they will fight with each other until only one remains.
They do so to protect their territory and eggs from the other male.
Can you put male and female Betta fish together?
You can keep male and female Betta fish together temporarily for breeding purposes.
But you cannot keep them together permanently.
If you keep them together permanently then the male will attack the female Betta fish.
While breeding Betta fish, breeders slowly introduce male and female Betta fish.
They put them into the same tank and keep a clear divider between them.
Then they watch their behavior for a few days.
When the male Betta fish builds a bubble nest for the eggs then the breeder removes the divider.
After the eggs are being released by the female Betta fish then the male Betta fish can attack her that’s why breeder keeps them separately after the eggs are laid by the female Betta fish.
Can two female Betta fish live in the same tank?
Female Betta fish usually tolerate each other.
They usually don’t fight with each other if there is a sufficient amount of space in the tank.
If you keep two female Betta fish in a relatively small tank then they will fight with each other.
3 gallons per female Betta fish is a good starting point and obviously the more space the better.
Can Betta fish live with other types of fish?
There is no single answer to this question.
Betta fish are very aggressive and it really depends on the behavior of your Betta fish.
Basically, you will have to introduce other fish into the Betta fish tank slowly and watch its behavior with the other fish for a couple of days.
Some Betta fish don’t tolerate any other fish in their tank and some will tolerate other tank mates.
There are some things you should keep in mind while selecting tank mates for your Betta fish.
Betta fish tankmates should be peaceful fish that don’t get very big.
Usually, bottom dwellers are good tank mates for Betta fish because Betta fish usually don’t stay at the bottom so there will be no conflict between the bottom dweller and your Betta fish.
You should avoid keeping fin nippers with your Betta fish.
Best tank mates for betta fish in 3 Gallon tank
1. Mystery Snail
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| SNAIL | Mystery snail |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Pomacea bridgesii |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 1 - 2 years |
| DIET | Herbivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 65°F - 80°F |
| WATER pH | 7 - 8 |
| WATER HARDNESS | On the hard side |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Mystery snails are a very good option if you have a small tank of about 2.5 to 5 gallons.
This snail can grow up to 2 inches and it is very easy to care.
Ideally, you should keep only one mystery snail if you have a small tank.
Primarily they will eat algae from your fish tank. You can also supplement them with some algae wafers.
If you have sand substrate then they will get lost into the substrate during the day and they will come out during the night.
Calcium is very important for the proper development of their shells so you may need to add some calcium supplements in your aquarium from time to time.
You should add calcium supplyments during water changes.
This snail breeds very easily so you should keep an eye on it or you will end up with a lot of snails.
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2. Nerite Snail
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| SNAIL | Nerite snail |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Neritina natalensis |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | Up to 1 inch |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 1-2 Years |
| DIET | Herbivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 72-78°F |
| WATER pH | 8.1-8.4 |
| WATER HARDNESS | NA |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Nerite snails are a very good addition for small Betta fish tanks of 2.5 to 5 gallons.
Nerite snails can grow up to 1 inch and they lived for 1 to 2 years.
They are very peaceful and they are very easy to care for which makes them ideal for the beginners.
Primarily they will feed on the algae in your fish tank but you can also feed them algae wafers and green vegetables.
They require brackish water for breeding so as you are keeping them in freshwater, you don’t have to worry about the booming population of this snail.
If you are planning to breed them then you should keep them into brackish water.
They are egg layers and they are very easy to breed.
Female produces the eggs and the main fertilizers it.
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3. Ghost Shrimp
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Ghost shrimp |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Palaemonetes sp. |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1 - 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 1 - 2 years |
| DIET | Omnivorous |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 65°F - 80°F |
| WATER pH | 6.5 - 8 |
| WATER HARDNESS | NA |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Ghost shrimp is a bottom dweller and aa very good cleaner for your tank.
Ghost shrimp are considered as a feeder so if you keep small ghost shrimp into your Betta tank then your Betta fish may eat them.
But ghost shrimp are very cheap so it will not cost you a lot of money.
If you have a planted tank then it will provide them hiding places and they make survive in your Betta fish tank.
Ghost shrimp only grow up to 1-1.5 inches and they live for about 1 year.
Because of their small size, you can keep them in a small 3-gallon tank with Betta fish.
Ghost shrimp sometimes eat algae but usually, they eat the leftover food so they will help to keep your aquarium clean.
Besides, you should also treat them with pallets from time to time.
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4. Cherry Shrimp
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Cherry shrimp |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Palaemonetes sp. |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1 - 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 1 - 2 years |
| DIET | Omnivorous |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 65°F - 80°F |
| WATER pH | 6.5 - 8 |
| WATER HARDNESS | NA |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Cherry shrimps are very popular invertebrates
They come in Vibrant color and they are very easy to care for which makes them ideal for the beginners
Micro maximum 1.5 inches and live for one to two years
They are algae eaters and they will help to keep algae in control in your tank.
Cherry shrimp extremely peaceful And they spend most of their time grazing in the aquarium.
Cherry shrimps are good tankmates for your small Betta fish tank of 3-5 gallons.
Cherry shrimp are omnivorous and they eat both vegetarian and nonvegetarian food.
They feed on algae in your aquarium.
You should supplement their diet with pallets and some vegetables.
Just be sure to boil vegetables before feeding them.
You can feed them spinach, zucchini, carrot, etc.
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Best Tank Mates for Betta Fish in 5 Gallon Tank
5. African Dwarf Frog
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FROG | African dwarf frog |
| CARE LEVEL | Intermediate |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 3 Inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 5 Years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 72-78°F |
| WATER pH | 4-15 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 6.5-7.8 |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
African dwarf frog is a very peaceful frog.
They can grow 3 inches and live for 5 years.
African dwarf frog has found nipping fins so you should be careful with it.
But many people have successfully kept it with their Betta fish.
So basically you have to test things and see how the frog behaves in the Betta fish tank.
Besides, you can also keep this frog with female Betta fish who have relatively small fin than the male Betta fish.
African dwarf frog can live with your Betta fish in at least a 5-gallon tank but a 10-gallon tank is better.
They are fully aquatic amphibians so they will spend most of their time inside the aquarium and will come on the surface very few times to breath.
African daw frogs can not be kept outside water for more than 10 to 15 minutes because they will get dehydrated.
African dwarf frogs are omnivorous but they usually prefer a meaty diet so you should feed them mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, krill, earthworms, fish fry, etc.
6. Kuhli Loach
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Kuhli Loach |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Pangio kuhlii |
| CARE LEVEL | Intermediate |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 4 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 10 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 75° –86° F |
| WATER pH | 6.0–6.5 |
| WATER HARDNESS | up to 10° dH |
| MINIMUM TANK CAPACITY | 20 gallons |
| BREEDING | Egg Layer |
Kuhli loach one of the best freshwater fish and it is a very good addition for a Betta fish tank.
It is an eel-shaped creature and usually hide behind things like plants, roots, substrate, etc.
They are very good tank cleaners so when you feed your Betta fish, kuhli loach will eat the leftover food.
This will help to keep the ammonia levels in control in your tank.
Kuhli loach stays active during the night and they are inactive during the day when the Betta fish is active.
So, you can easily keep kuhli loach with Betta fish successfully in at least a 5-gallon tank.
Still, Betta fish are very aggressive so you have to test it with your Betta fish.
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7. Malaysian Trumpet Snail
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Malaysian trumpet snails |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Melanoides tuberculata |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1 inch |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 1 year |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 70 – 78°F |
| WATER pH | 7.0 – 7.5 |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Malaysian trumpet snails are very good tank cleaners and they are very easy to care for.
They can grow up tp 1inch live for about a year.
It is the most compatible snail for almost all the Betta fish
They stay active during the night when Betta fish is not active so it is a lot easier to keep both of them together.
You should keep them in a tank of at least 5 gallons.
These snails spend most of their time eating leftover fish foods like flakes, pallets, etc.
Also like other snails Malaysian trumpet snail will eat algae, fish poop, debris, etc.
They eat algae from the glass which helps to keep the glass of your aquarium clean.
You should supplement their diet with algae wafers and bottom feeder tablets.
Malaysian trumpet snails can breed very quickly and in large numbers so to keep their population in control you should limit their feeding.
Basically, the more food is available for these snails the more the population will be.
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Best tank mates for Betta fish in 10-gallon tank
8. Neon Tetra
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Neon tetra |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Paracheirodon innesi |
| CARE LEVEL | Intermediate |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1.5 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 5 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 68 to 79 F |
| WATER pH | 7 |
| WATER HARDNESS | Up to 10 dGH |
| MINIMUM TANK CAPACITY | 10 gallon |
| BREEDING | Egg scatterer |
The neon tetra is a very peaceful fish so they can happily live with your Betta fish.
Neon tetra comes in many varieties like blue, red, translucent, etc.
Neon tetra can change its color according to the change in lighting conditions in its surroundings.
They are very hardy fish and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters which makes them ideal for the beginners.
As neon tetra is a schooling fish you should keep them in at least a group of 6 of the same species.
Another reason keeping neon tetra in a group is that when you keep a single neon tetra with Betta fish then the Betta fish may chase the neon tetra until it gets tired and then kill it.
You can easily avoid this when you keep neon tetra in a group.
When you keep Neon tetra with Betta fish, the tank size should be at least 10 gallons.
You can feed them most of the fish food to Neon tetra like frozen or dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, flakes, etc.
Neon tetras are egg-layer and they are a bit difficult to breed because you have to maintain strict water conditions to breed them successfully.
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9. Ember Tetra
image by Dawn Endico under CC BY-SA 2.0
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Ember Tetra |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Hyphessobrycon amandae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 0.6–0.8 inch |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | Up to 2 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 73–84°F |
| WATER pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| WATER HARDNESS | ＜18 dH |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Ember tetra is a small schooling fish that can grow up to 1 inch.
Ember tetras are very peaceful fish and they don’t show any aggression.
They are red in color so you should avoid keeping them with red Betta fish.
As they are schooling fish, you should keep them in a group of at least 6 of the same species.
The natural habitat of Ember Tetra is consists of brackish water and lots of vegetation so ideally, you should keep them in a planted aquarium.
They require a large tank of at least 10 gallons or more.
Ember Tetras are an avid feeder and you can feed them small pallets, crushed flakes, frozen food, and sometimes live food.
10. Harlequin Rasboras
Image by Stefan Maurer under CC BY-SA 2.0
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Harlequin Rasbora |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Trigonostigma heteromorpha |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 3 - 5 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 72°F - 80° F |
| WATER pH | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| WATER HARDNESS | Up to 12° dH |
| BREEDING | Egg layer |
Harlequin rasboras are very peaceful and interactive fish.
They get about 2 inches maximum and they are very hardy fish.
They come in orange color which we don’t find in Betta fish so they are compatible with most of the Betta fish.
They are schooling fish so you should keep them in a group of at least 6 of the same species.
Betta fish are aggressive so you should test your Betta fish with the Harlequin rasboras and see how it goes.
When you keep Harlequin rasboras in a group then even when your Betta fish chase them, hopefully, they will not be able to hurt them.
You can feed a variety of food to Harlequin rasboras like frozen or live bloodworms, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, and flakes.
11. Celestial Pearl Danio
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Celestial pearl danios |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Danio margaritatus |
| CARE LEVEL | Medium |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1 inch |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 3-4 years |
| DIET | Omnivorous |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 73-79 |
| WATER pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| WATER HARDNESS | soft to medium |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
This is a very peaceful fish and it only grows up to 1 inch.
This is a pretty hardy fish and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
The natural habitat of Celestial pearl danio is consists of lots of vegetation and plants so it’s a very good addition to your Betta fish tank if it’s heavily planted.
They are not truly schooling fish so you can keep them separately but in a Betta fish tank, you should keep them in a group of at least 6 so that the betta fish will not target a specific fish and harm it.
When you keep this fish in a group you will notice a difference in their color this is because of dimorphism.
When it comes to food for celestial for danios you should give it it a good variety.
You should not feed them with only one type of food.
Ideally, you should feed them the food that sinks into the bottom of the tank.
You can feed them a wide variety of food such as live or frozen brine shrimp, crushed flakes tabs, gel food, tiny pellets, daphnia, krill, etc.
Feeding krill to celestial pearl danio is very good for the red coloration of their fins.
Celestial pearl danios are egg layers and a female can lay up to 30 eggs at a time.
12. Corydoras
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Corydoras |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 0.75-4 Inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 5 Years |
| DIET | Omnivorous |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 72 – 78°F |
| WATER pH | 7.0 – 7.8 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 5-10 dH |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Corydoras is a very peaceful fish.
This is a very common fish to keep in a Betta fish tank.
Corydoras can grow anywhere from 1 inch to 2.5 inches and they live for about 5 years.
It is a bottom dweller so it will not bother your Betta fish because Betta fish usually like to swim in the middle or at the top level of the tank.
Corydoras can do aerial respiration through their posterior intestine. They can live without breathing for up to 9 days.
Cory catfish is a schooling fish so you should keep it in at least a group of 5 to keep them happy.
You should keep them in at least a 10-gallon tank.
You can feed them flakes, pellets, and bottom feeder tabs.
They are also very good tank cleaners and they will eat all the remaining food from the tank.
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13. Otocinclus
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Otocinclus |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Otocinclus sp. |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1-2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 3-5 years |
| DIET | Herbivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 74-80 Degree F. |
| WATER pH | 6-7.5 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 6° to 15° dH |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
Otocinclus is a very peaceful and hardy fish.
It can tolerate a wide range of water parameters which makes them beginner-friendly.
This fish is very cheap as well.
They are algae eaters so they will help to keep algae in control in your tank.
This fish can live for 3 to 5 years and it can grow about 1-2 inches.
This is a schooling fish so you should keep them in at least a group of 6 of the same species.
You should keep them in at least a 10-gallon tank.
Breeding this fish is a bit difficult because they require perfect water conditions for breeding.
14. White Cloud Minnows
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | White Cloud Minnow |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Tanichthys micagemmae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1.5 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 3 - 5 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 60 F |
| WATER pH | 6 - 8 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 5°–19° dH |
| BREEDING | Egg layer |
White cloud minnow is a very peaceful and hardy fish.
This fish is very easy to care for which makes it ideal for beginners.
This fish can grow a maximum of 1 inch and it lives for 3 to 5 years.
When it comes to keeping this fish with Betta fish you should test it with your Betta fish.
Many people keep it successfully with their Betta fish but it really comes down to the behavior of your Betta fish.
If your Betta fish is aggressive towards this fish then you should avoid keeping this fish with your Betta fish.
White cloud minnow is an omnivorous fish and it can eat a lot of different kinds of food like live for Frozen mosquito larvae, daphnia, brine shrimp as well as flake food.
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15. Platy
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Platy |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Xiphophorus maculatus |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 2 - 3 years |
| DIET | Omnivores |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 65°F - 77° F |
| WATER pH | 7 - 8 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 10° to 25° dH |
| MINIMUM TANK CAPACITY | 10 gallon |
| BREEDING | Livebearer |
Minimum tank capacity 10 gallon
Platies are very peaceful fish.
They are also very hardy fish which makes them ideal for the beginners.
Even though they are bright in color Betta fish usually ignore them completely.
So you can easily keep them with your Betta fish in at least a 10-gallon tank.
Platy fishes very easy to breed and they breed very often.
Platy fish are livebearers.
If you are going to put platy male and female together in the same tank then they will breed and then you will require a larger tank so just keep that in mind.
16. Feeder Guppies
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Feeder guppies are very hardy fish so they are very good for beginners
Feeder guppies are very peaceful fish which makes them ideal tankmates for your Betta fish.
They are schooling fish so you should keep them in a group of at least six to keep them happy.
Another reason to keep feeder guppies in a group is that if you keep a single guppy in the tank then the Betta fish may chase and eat it.
You should keep them in at least a 10-gallon tank.
The male puppies are more colorful than the females and females are bigger in size than the males.
Feeder guppies are livebearers and they can give birth to anywhere between 4 to 60 or even more at a time.
They are not good parents and they eat their own babies.
You can feed them most of the fish food such as frozen or live fish food, vitamin-rich flakes, etc.
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17. Rummy-nose Tetra
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Rummy nose Tetra |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Hemigrammus bleheri |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 6-8 years |
| DIET | Omnivorous |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 72°F - 80°F |
| WATER pH | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| BREEDING | egg layers |
Rummy nose Tetra is a very attractive and peaceful fish.
This fish grows a maximum of 2 inches and at live for 6 to 8 years.
It is a schooling fish so you should keep it in a group of at least 6 of the same species.
It is very easy to care for fish if you do just a little bit of research about it.
This fish is a good addition for your Betta fish tank because it is a very peaceful fish and when you get them in a group then your Betta fish will not be able to target anyone fish and kill it.
This fish is good especially for a planted aquarium because it will provide a lot of hiding place to it.
This is an omnivorous fish and you should feed it flakes, frozen and dried food as well as small live foods.
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18. Black Neon Tetra
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Black neon tetra |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1.5 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 3 - 5 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 72°F - 80°F |
| WATER pH | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
The black neon tetra is a very energetic and peaceful fish.
It is a great addition to a planted tank because it will provide a lot of hiding places to the fish.
Black neon tetra is smaller than other tetras like cardinal tetra and neon tetra.
It can grow a maximum of 1.5 inches and it lives for about 3 to 5 years.
It is not that difficult to take care of this fish if you do a little bit of research about it.
it is a schooling fish so you should keep it in a group of at least 6 of the same species.
This is a very good fish for your Betta fish because it is a very peaceful fish and as it is very energetic, it will not get bullied by your Betta fish if you keep them in a group.
You can feed them small fish food like flakes as well as frozen foods like brine shrimp, krill, etc.
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19. Guppies
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Guppies |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Poecilia reticulata |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 2-4 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 64–82° F |
| WATER pH | 5.5–8.0 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 10–30 |
| MINIMUM TANK CAPACITY | 5 gallons |
| BREEDING | Livebearers |
Guppies are very popular freshwater fish.
They are very hardy fish and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
They are very easy to care for which makes them ideal for the beginners
Guppies grow to about two inches and live for about 2 to 4 years.
You can keep guppies with your Betta fish because they are very peaceful.
Ideally, you should keep them in a group because they are a schooling fish and also when you keep them in a group then the Betta fish will not target anyone guppy fish and kill it.
You should avoid keeping guppies with long and bright tail because Betta fish may mistake it as other Betta fish and kill it.
You can feed live or Frozen food like brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc to guppies.
You can also feed them human food like cooked peas, zucchini, etc.
Remember these vegetables should not be their primary diet.
They are livebearers and very easy to breed.
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20. Yoyo Loach
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Yoyo Loach |
| CARE LEVEL | Intermediate |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | Up to 2.5 Inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 5-8 Years |
| DIET | Omnivorous |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 75.0-86.0°F |
| WATER pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 3-10 dGH |
| BREEDING | Egg-layer |
Yoyo loach is a very peaceful and active fish.
The common name “Yoyo” was given to this fish after “yo-yo toy”.
There are also YOYO markings on the sides of this fish.
Yoyo loach can go grow up to 2.5 inches and they live for about 5-8 years.
This loach is a bit tricky to keep and it is recommended for intermediate fish keepers.
The thing that differentiates yoyo loach from other loaches is that it is not nocturnal and it will stay active during the day.
Yoyo loach is a good tank mate for your Betta fish because it is a very peaceful fish and it will spend most of its time near the substrate so it will not bother your Betta fish.
Yoyo loach is omnivorous and you can feed them various types of food like brine shrimp, daphnia and some vegetable food like algae wafers.
You can also feed them flakes and pellets.
21. Panda cory
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Panda cory |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Corydoras panda |
| CARE LEVEL | Intermediate |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 10 years |
| DIET | Intermediate |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 68 to 77 degrees F |
| WATER pH | 6 to 7 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 2 to 12 dGH |
| BREEDING | Egg-layer |
Panda cory is a very peaceful and social bottom-dweller fish.
As this is a bottom dollar fish, you should keep a soft and fine substrate because hard and sharp substrate can hurt them.
This is can grow up to 2 inches and it lives for about 10 years.
You should keep them it in at least for a 10-gallon tank.
Panda cory are very good tank mates for your Betta fish because they are peaceful and as they are a bottom dweller they will not bother your Betta fish.
They spend most of their time looking for food in the substrate.
Ideally, you should feed sinking food like tablets for pallets to panda cory.
You can feed them live or frozen food like brine shrimp, blood worms, insects, daphnia, etc.
Maintaining a varying diet is the key to the proper growth of panda cory.
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22. Cardinal Tetra
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Cardinal Tetra |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Paracheirodon axelrodi |
| CARE LEVEL | Intermediate |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | Up to 2 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 2 - 5 years |
| DIET | Omnivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 73°F - 80°F |
| WATER pH | 5.5 - 7 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 2° to 6° dH |
| BREEDING | Egg layer |
Cardinal Tetra is a very attractive tropical fish.
People usually get confused between cardinal tetra and neon tetra because they look very similar.
The difference between the two is that the Cardinal Tetra has a red stripe from its tail to head whereas neon tetra has the red stripe only till the middle of its body.
Cardinal Tetra can grow up to 2 inches and they live for 2 to 5 years.
You should keep them in at least a fish tank of 10 gallons.
Cardinal Tetra is a schooling fish so you should keep it in a group of at least six of the same species to keep them happy.
Cardinal Tetra is a good tankmate for your Betta fish because it is a very peaceful fish and when you keep them in a group then the Betta fish will not be able to target anyone fish and kill it.
You can feed most of the tropical fish food to the Cardinal Tetra like flakes, frozen or dried food like bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc.
You can also feed them flakes and pellets.
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Other good tankmates for Betta fish
23. Glass catfish
Image by jacinta lluch valero under CC BY-SA 2.0
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Glass catfish |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Kryptopterus vitreolus |
| CARE LEVEL | Moderate |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 5 Inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 7 to 8 Years |
| DIET | Omnivorous |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 75-80°F |
| WATER pH | 6.5-7.0 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 8-12 KH |
| BREEDING | Egg layers |
The scientific name of Glass catfish is Kryptopterus bicirrhis or K. minor but a new study rename it to Teleostei: Siluridae.
Glass catfish are very cool looking fish and it really adds an element of surprise in your aquarium.
These fish have a transparent body and you can literally see their bones and organs.
They are very peaceful and calm fish.
This fish is difficult to care for because of the strict water parameters it requires to grow.
This fish can grow up to 5 inches and live for 7 to 8 years so you should keep it in a big tank of at least 30 gallons.
ideally, you should keep this fish in a heavily planted tank because it will provide it a lot of space for hiding.
When it comes to keeping this fish with your Betta fish you should test and see your Betta fish’s behavior with his fish.
You should keep this fish in a group of at least 6 with your Betta fish so that the Betta fish will not be able to target any single fish and kill it.
This fish is very timid so when you keep this fish with the betta fish you should keep it in a heavily planted tank so that when Betta fish fry to chase it, it will have a lot of space to hide.
This fish requires a bigger tank of at least 30 gallons for a group of 6.
You can feed frozen or live food like brine shrimp, daphnia, grindal worms, moina to glass catfish.
24. Bristlenose pleco
Image by Pia Helminen under CC BY-SA 3.0
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| FISH | Bristlenose Pleco |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Ancistrus Cirrhosus |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 5 inches |
| AVERAGE LIFESPAN | 5+ years |
| DIET | Herbivore |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 73° - 81° F |
| WATER pH | 5.8 to 7.8 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 2° to 30° dH |
| BREEDING | Egg layer |
Bristlenose pleco are very peaceful fish and they are very good tank cleaners.
Bristlenose plecos are better than other plecos because they are smaller than other plecos and grow a maximum of 6 inches.
They are bottom dwellers so they will not bother your Betta fish and you can easily keep them together in at least a 25 gallons tank.
Bristlenose pleco is herbivorous and it will feed on algae in your aquarium
Besides, you can also feed them sinking pellets and algae wafers.
You can also feed them boiled vegetables like lettuce, carrot, spinach, peas, etc.
Conclusion
So these are the best tank mates for your Betta fish.
Remember, Betta is a very aggressive fish and it really depends on the behavior of your Betta fish when it comes to keeping other fish with it.
Some betta fish will not mind other tank mates and some will, no matter how compatible they are with Betta fish.
So at the end of the day, you will have to test the tank mates mentioned above with your betta fish and see what works and what doesn’t.
Let me know which tank mate you are going to try in the comments section below?
Happy Fishkeeping!
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