Tank mates
Give your betta some friends — safely
Bettas can share a tank, but only with calm, non-nippy companions and enough space and cover. Here's what we keep alongside our own bettas, and what we'd never put in with one.
Safe companions
Amano & cherry shrimp
Great clean-up crew in a planted tank. Add plenty of moss and hiding spots so shrimplets aren't picked off.
Corydoras
Peaceful bottom dwellers that stay out of a betta's way. Keep them in groups of six or more in a 60 litre tank or larger.
Nerite & mystery snails
Algae eaters that ignore your betta completely. Nerites won't breed in freshwater, so no population explosion.
Otocinclus
Tiny, gentle algae grazers for an established, planted tank.
Small schooling tetras & rasboras
Fine in 75 litres and up with dense planting — choose calm species and never fin-nippers.
Species to avoid
- Pufferfish
- Aggressive and relentless fin nippers — they will injure or kill a betta.
- Guppies & other flashy long-finned fish
- Bright flowing fins read as a rival betta and trigger attacks.
- Tiger barbs and other nippers
- They shred long betta fins, which quickly leads to infection.
- A second male betta
- Never house two males together, in any tank size.
Before you add anyone
- Community tanks need 60 litres or more — 19 litres is a solo betta tank.
- Plant heavily and add caves so everyone has a line of sight break.
- Add tank mates first where you can, then the betta, so it doesn't defend established territory.
- Watch for a week and have a backup tank ready — every betta has its own temperament.
Shop tank mates
Shrimp, corys and snails appear in our live stock list alongside the bettas.