Can You Put Different Bettas Together?

Betta fish are easy to keep thanks to their ease of care and simple water requirements. A single betta fish can be kept alone in a bowl or with various other fish. Bettas, however, are very aggressive fish; keeping two together in the same tank may lead to fighting.

  1. Male Bettas

    • Male betta fish are very territorial and should never be kept with other bettas. Two males kept together will inevitably fight, which could potentially result in the death of one of them. A female should not be kept with a male, as the male will aggressively pick at her until she is seriously injured or killed. Females may be kept with males temporarily when attempting to breed them, but should be removed after the eggs have been laid.

    Female Bettas

    • Female bettas may be kept with other female bettas on occasion. They will often establish a pecking order when originally introduced that could lead to aggression. However, this aggression may pass after a few days. Caution should be taken when keeping females together. Watch them diligently and separate them immediately if they begin to fight.

    Other Fish

    • Bettas can be successfully kept with other fish provided they are peaceful. They should not be kept with long-finned fish like angels, which they may see as a threat or another betta and attack. Nor should they be kept with small nipping fish like neon tetras that may damage the betta's delicate fins.

    Dividers

    • Some collectors may keep multiple bettas in the same tank via the use of plastic dividers. Plastic dividers are usually grated, which allows water to pass through. You may also use breeding boxes for temporarily keeping multiple bettas in the same tank. Breeding boxes hang on the side of the tank and are large enough to temporarily hold one betta.