Bettas can be a finicky fish when it comes to their tank mates, but they can be voracious eaters as well. For most bettas, the tank is their home, and you’d better make sure you give them the best tank possible. In addition to the usual requirements like filter, heater, and decorations, you should also consider what other fish you can put with your betta.
In most cases, the more fish you put in the tank, the harder it is for your betta to get enough food. In fact, too many fish in the tank will stress your betta out and cause them to refuse to eat. That said, there are some exceptions. Click here for more common fish that are safe to put with a betta.
Make sure the fish you add is the same size as your betta
Bettas are solitary fish, so they need to be the only ones in the tank. Because of this, you want to make sure that any other fish you add is the same size as your betta. That way, they won’t be bullied or picked on by other fish.
Only add peaceful fish
Bettas are territorial fish and can get aggressive when they don’t feel threatened. They will attack other fish in their tank to defend themselves, so choose fish that are not territorial or aggressive.
An easy way to do this is to only put peaceful fish in the tank with your betta. You can find lists of these types of fish online. Another option is to give your betta a larger tank so they have more space. This will allow you to put multiple peaceful fish in the tank without it stressing or upsetting your betta. You can also feed them live food like worms or grubs instead of pre-packaged food if you need to feed them more often and don’t want to add more fish into the mix.
Only add small fish
If you’re going to add fish to your betta’s tank, make sure they are small. Bettas are better able to compete for food with smaller fish faster than larger ones. This will help ensure that their appetite is not affected and they continue to eat well. Bettas usually do best when put with other small fish like neon tetras and guppies because these fish are less aggressive when it comes to finding food.
Don’t add too many small fish
One exception is to put small fish in the tank. The betta will be able to catch them, but you don’t want to put too many of these smaller fish in the tank or the betta will have trouble getting enough food. You should stick to two or three small fish that are similar to a betta’s size (1-2 inches) and can’t overwhelm your betta.
Don’t add aggressive fish
First and foremost, don’t add any aggressive fish to the tank with your betta. Bettas are small and weak compared to most other fish, so they can’t defend themselves. Aggressive fish will see them as an easy meal, which is not a good situation for your pet. Some types of fish that you should avoid include:
-Otocinclus catfish
-Corydoras
-Plecostomus
-Goldfish
Instead, consider adding:
-Zebra Danios
-Pearl Gouramis
-Clown Loaches
All three of these are safe to put in the tank with your betta. They won’t harass or attack them. All three also love live plants and will help keep the water clean and tidy! This is important because if the water isn’t clean, your betta will stop eating due to stress.
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