Four great ‘roommates’ for a Betta fish

Bettas are some of the most ferocious fish you can own in your aquarium – especially towards their own species. But did you know that yes, they can live peacefully with other fish? You’ll need a 10-20 gallon tank to make it work – and plenty of cover, but yes – it can be done!

If you’re considering adding a beta to your tank or looking to build around your beta – here are some of the best ‘beta buddies’ you can find. Let’s jump right in!

Kuhli Loaches

Kuhli Loaches are an odd species that grow to be about 3.5 inches long when all is said and done. They’re great scavengers and are adept at picking up the scraps betas leave around the tank. They mostly stay dormant in the daytime and like to come out at night or when the lights are off – and live and travel in groups when they do.

Long story, short – they don’t like to share the same ‘shift’ with you betta, which dramatically reduces the risk of a confrontation. Bettas are also a lot less likely to confront groups of fishes, so the fact that these guys travel in packs gives them a little added security. Just make sure you use the kind of fish food that sinks, so there’s plenty for them to choose from.

Ember Tetras

Tetras are bright and like to school together, making it difficult for Betas to single them out. They like living in the middle of your tank and (generally speaking) eat the same food as your betta. In addition, their red/orange color contrast make them a highly aesthetically pleasing fish to add to your tank when contrasted with a bright blue or solid white betta fish.

So from a complimentary standpoint, they’ll add a lot to your tank – whether it’s looks, feeding, and being a practical choice as a roommate for your betta fish.

Cory Catfish

Corydoras are a lot like tetras in the sense that they like schooling together making it hard to bully, but also add the benefit of Kuhli Loaches in that they prefer to live more towards the bottom of the tank. 3-6 of these will work well and there’s a whole plethora of subspecies of this fish that you can choose from. That being said – just like Loaches – make sure you use food that sinks – as you’ll want to make sure they’re getting the nourishment they need.

All that aside, they’re a good ‘cleaning crew’ kind of fish in that they’ll help keep the bottom of the tank from accumulating too much waste. They’re an affable, cordial species that make a great, complimentary roommate for your Betta.

Harlequin Rasboras

These guys grow to be about 2 inches, love to swim together and be social and are extremely fast. They’re peaceful by nature and mostly unassuming – meaning that they’ll avoid your Betta for the most part. Bettas seemingly like to chase Rasboras around more than the others on this list, but they won’t have much in the way of success – so you don’t have anything to worry about.

Just like tetras, they’ll add a lot to your tank and make a versatile compliment to their Betta roommates – even if they stand to agitate Bettas more than the others. They’ll bring plenty of color, flash and fun to any tank.

All of these fish make great ‘roommates’ for your Betta. With enough space, your Betta will co-exist with all of them. Good luck researching which one will work best for you!