What fishes can live with the Betta Fish?

The betta fish, also known as the Siamese fighting fish, is a freshwater fish from Southeast Asia. It can grow to 6 centimeters. If you take good care of it, its life expectancy increases up to three years.

Due to its spectacular fins and its striking colors, it is highly desired. However, many people adopt it without knowing which fish are compatible with the Betta fish and introduce any species into the aquarium. These are fish that are very sensitive to change. They do not just adapt to any companion, so it is important to know which ones you like and thus improve the lives of our friends.

Coexistence with the Bettas

As we have already discussed, Betta fish are also called Siamese fighting fish. This is not a coincidence, and it is a species that can be very aggressive. This quality is predominant in males, which are very territorial with other males of the same species. This implies that Bettas males can never coexist in the same aquarium (something that does not happen with females, which are capable of sharing the same space).

The water in the Bettas tank should be kept between 24-30º and it is preferable not to use tap water, as it is best kept in acid pH waters. Therefore, before adopting a companion for your Betta, the first thing you should know is whether it could adapt to this type of habitat.

The more fish you try to pool in the same aquarium, the bigger this should be. Due to their territoriality, Bettas need a lot of space to be able to coexist with others at ease. If you are going to have three or four fish together, a fish tank of 30 to 40 liters will suffice, however, if you want to create a larger community, you will need one of at least 100 liters and, thus, avoid possible confrontations. Vegetation and other places where fish can “hide” will be essential.

Species incompatible with Bettas

It is important to know what type of fish Bettas do not get along with to avoid them at all times. This species does not match under any circumstances:

• Striking goldfish and large fins.
• Nervous fish.
• Territorial and aggressive fish.
• With fish that occupy the upper part of the aquarium.
• Predatory fish like freshwater moray eels.
• Reptiles and amphibians.

Bettas compatible species

Once we know the basic rules of coexistence of this species and we know which ones it does not match, we can complete our aquarium with the fish compatible with the Betta fish :

• Bottom fish, such as Chupalgas or Ancistrus.
• Passive fish, such as Hemigrammus Rhodostomus.
• Invertebrate species, such as freshwater mussels or snails.
• Fish with a calm attitude, like the Corydoras or the Kuhlii.
• Live food colonies that Betta feeds on, such as Daphnia.
• The Betta females themselves. Several females can get along well with a male and, in addition, this will facilitate the breeding of Betta fish.

Remember that whatever your Betta’s new companions are, they should all be comfortable and adapt well to their new habitat, so you should make an effort to know the attitude of each species well before acquiring it and increasing your aquatic family.

If you have any questions regarding Betta fishes, they may be answered here.