Does a betta fish have to be separated from other fishes?

Question

I have a betta fish(fighting fish)....I was planning to buy more fishes. The betta fish is semi-aggressive and I was wondering if it could be put in the same aquarium with the other fishes.

Answer 1

NO just from other bettas.  They do very well with other fish of similar size but they will pick on fish smaller than them.  I much prefer seeing them swim around in a large tank rather than see them sit in one place in those little bowls.  I worked in a pet store and we would put the bettas in a a tank all by themselves.  Just make sure the other fish are bigger to similar size.

Answer 2

....some of the responses about 'Bettas' seem almost as aggressive as some cichlid fish contending for territory

....realizing that many questions are asked in good faith, hoping to receive genuinely sound responses, delivered in a logical sense

....to the point, male Bettas and male Gouramis will fight

....male and female Bettas will also fight

.....one male Betta can easily live in a peaceful, shoaling community

...a Bettas can peacefully coexist with Moons, Mollies, Platies, Sword-tails, and many of the tetras, such as head-n-tail lights, red-eyes, and diamonds

....given that Betas tend to reside in the top level, you may also consider a group of catfish (Corys, not plecos) as well as, or possibly, one 'red-tail shark', which tend to reside in mid-to-bottom zones

....live plants also add serenity to the Betta's existence, providing 'breaks in the line-of-sight' with other fish, as well as, a nice place to rest (see java moss)

Answer 3

no you can never put them with other fish they will slowly eat the tail off the fish and then eat them they are mean and cannibals.

Answer 4

You can put it in with other fish just make sure that they aren't aggressive!  I had some kissing fish (ugly little pink fish) and they killed my betta!  I know it was them because the other fish I had were sharks and they were mellow.  The pink fish chased him around the tank all the time.  So did the silver dollar fish but they died before I Jack so I knew it wasn't them.  He liked to hide from the other fish so I would go days without seeing him.  Then I noticed after a couple of days that I couldn't find him.  Betta's are jumpers so I thought that he jumped out of the tank.  Oh no, I found him dead on the bottom of the tank with his fins tore off.  Jack was the sweetest fish ever.  He would swim up to the side of the tank and give me little kisses through the glass.  They can't be put in a tank with other betta or they'll kill each other.

Answer 5

depends the temper of your betta, i know i had it with other random fish and they were fine, but be warned they eat ghost shrimp!

Answer 6

yup or else it attacks and other fish are dead

Answer 7

No...you shouldn't put them in the same aquarium...they'll kill each other!  

Answer 8

You can't put other fish with betta fish because my brother has a 3 betta fish

two girls and one boy

and when my brother put the 3 betta together

the fight and they jump out of the tank

and when they are together the bite at other fish tail and the bite the front of the little girl face

and when you put your hand it the the tank they bite at your finger and it hurt im just kidding

but don't i said don't put other fish because they get mad and the try to kill the other fish no no no no no no no no no no don't but the fish in the tank will the betta fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Answer 9

I had a beta along with other fish once and the beta ate one of my other fish.  So I had to keep it separate.

Answer 10

NO you should keep the Betta in a 5G or bigger tank by its self. unless you use a divider so the betta can not see  the other fish in the tank.

Answer 11

if i were u i wouldn't take the chance of putting them together cause they might hurt/kill each other cause i had a beta and other fish and we bought a divider for them so they couldn't even see each other. i think we got it at a pet store.  hope this helps.

Answer 12

you need to have more than 1 fish (if you have a 10 gallon tank) so the betta will feel out numbered and won't attack any of them. i have a betta with a lot of guppies and the betta hasn't kill any guppies. if you want a male betta and planning on buying female bettas, the males are more likely to attack female bettas because when they breed, the male would beat up the female before they breed. if the fish have big tales,they can attack each other. some can be too territorial to be with other fishes.

Answer 13

I Had a betta in a tank with small guarmis but eventually had to seperate them becouse they picked at the bettas tail a lot

dont do it

Answer 14

actually bettas are peaceful to other fish unless they are other male bettas the only thing i would worry about is getting fish that are too big to fit in its mouth and then it cant eat them

Answer 15

first all do you have a male or female. i have a male in a tank with 4 other fish just not any thing like angel's because thy will eat there fines you can not put a male in with any other betta for thy will kill one another you can put females together in one tank

Answer 16

ya sure they gotta be apart, or they will kill each other...some people buy them just to see them fight, but thats sick. they call them chinese fighting fish.good luck man

Answer 17

yes ofcourse u have 2

(advice:put any other fishes together they wont mind but the fighter fish is the only fish that may mind!!!

Answer 18

Im surprised how many people are ignorant on the subjected asked...and are on here giving advice about something they do not know about!  WOW!  A lot of this also depends on the size tank you have.  With anything less than an 8 Gallon, I suggest mostly keep Betta to self, but with something bigger than an 8...ya should be ok with certain types.

Male Bettas and Female Bettas can be with many other fish. Tropical fish are preferred with the Betta. This means NO GOLDFISH.   Also beware of fish that are known to nip fins...like Barbs and such...Bettas are not very fast swimmers and have a hard time defending against nippers and faster fish.

If you get a Female Betta...look at Cory Cats, Tetras, Gourami, Dwarf Gourami, Danios...etc.

Male Bettas...stay away from the Gouramis and Dwarf Gouramis. They will fight and the Larger Gourami will win...Dwarf will have an advantage. Gourami and Bettas are in the same class of family and are territorial. Males will fight males.  Female Bettas are usually ok with Male Gourami.

With a Male Betta look at Corys, Tetras, etc. Stay away from long finned colorful fish...like guppies. The Betta would more than likely be the agressor. Also, beware of nippers for the Betta's sake...like Tiger Barbs, Black Skirt Tetra, etc.  And of course avoid other Male Bettas.

You have a lot of different varieties you can do...so have fun with it.

You could do a total female Betta Tank with about 5 Female Bettas...there will be a pecking order...the most dominate and then the rest will file in order down the line, but with a LOT of plant cover and hiding spaces they will be fine. Throw in some neon tetras, blacklight tetras, danios and cory cats and you got yourself a diverse tank.

5 Female Bettas

6 Neon Tetras

6 Black light Tetras

5 Zebra Danios (I prefer the short finned)

5 Albino Cory Cats (many different types...but stick to one type)

With the exception of the Bettas, all the others are schooling fish and are good in groups of 3-5 or more...but 5 is a great number. The neons are best in number of 6 or so...and the Albino Cories could be with just 3, but 5 is good. 5 is also a great number with the Danios.

Lots of plant cover and a log and some hiding spots for the Cories ( a log) and you are all set. I would be against a Male Betta mixed in with a lot of females...it can be done, but only with lots of plant cover and a watchful eye. To me its like watching a game of cat and mouse...and eventually the Male may get the best of the female(s).

BTW...though the female Betta is not as colorful as the male Betta...you can find some real pretty ones. I have an all white female Betta currently. I have had and have seen blue females that by far competed with any colors of a Male as well as some pink ones. So dont be turned off by some of the less colored ones...you can find an wide array if ya look.

Best of Luck!

Answer 19

They need to be alone! Bettas are very aggressive!

Answer 20

It only has to be separated from other male bettas or baby bettas.

I used to have one.