Can Betta Fish Be in the Same Tank Together?

Betta fish are among the most popular pet fish. They are sold at most pet stores, thrive well in a small fishbowl and do not require the typical freshwater aquarium filter setup. Bettas are very hardy fish, but you want to be careful who you house with betta fish. They are not always the most peaceful fish.

  1. Males with Males

    • It is not a good idea to house two male betta fish together. These fish are also known as Siamese fighting fish and two males will fight to the death, especially when housed in small aquariums.

    Males with Females

    • Generally speaking, it isn't a good idea to house male and female betta fish together either. Both genders can be quite aggressive, and males may be prone to harassing females, especially if they mate̵2;in the wild the male drives the female away after mating, but in the confines of a tank he may injure or even kill her. If you have an aquarium that is 20 gallons or larger, you may be able to successfully house a male with one female, but it all depends on the personality of your fish. Submissive and more relaxed fish are best paired together. If you decide to house a male and female betta together, you want to spend time observing your aquarium so that you can monitor any signs of stress, bullying or injury.

    Females with Females

    • This is the combination that's most likely to work. When housing two or more female bettas together, it's best to find individuals who have been acclimated to community tanks before introducing them. If you are not sure of your fish's background, you can always try housing two females together, but make sure to keep a close eye out for bullying, stress or injury. When housing two or more females together, you want to introduce the females to the aquarium at the same time so no one fish has "territorial rights." If you choose to house multiple females together, consider keeping odd numbers so they can develop a natural pecking order; two fish cannot develop a proper pecking order.

    Bettas with Other Fish

    • Betta fish are generally aggressive with other bettas, but may reside peacefully with other fish. Avoid housing them with other fish who have long fins or are brightly colored, as the betta may harass and nip at them because they look like others of his species. You also want to avoid putting betta fish with tiger barbs and other fish who are known nippers, as your betta's long fins can become targets themselves. If you choose to house a betta with other fish, add the betta last, so he is the newcomer and doesn't become territorial over the tank. Good tank mates for a male betta fish include corydoras, snails, African dwarf frogs, neon tetras, platies and white cloud mountain minnows.