Female bettas can live with other freshwater fish like the Bristlenose Plecos, Clown Plecos, Cory Catfish, Guppies, Harlequin Rasboras, Ember Tetras, Neon Tetras, and Kuhli Loaches. Providing adequate space and hideouts will help them create territories so that conflicts are prevented.
8 Fish that Can You Keep with Female Bettas
Females bettas can live in a group of 4 to 5 fish.
However, they need ample space to create territories and lots of hiding places to feel comfortable.
Some aquarists try to keep female bettas with other fish species.
Although female bettas are aggressive, they can live with other fish.
Given below are freshwater fish that are compatible with bettas.
1. Bristlenose Plecos
Bristlenose plecos are an excellent addition to a tank with female bettas because they’re peaceful and won’t bother the bettas.
Bristlenose plecos grow up to 5 inches in length. They are peaceful and will not try to nip bettas’ fins.
These bottom dwellers spend most of their time living near the bottom of the tank, which limits their interactions with the bettas that occupy the top portion of the tank.
Besides, bristlenose plecos eat algae as their primary food.
Therefore, it’s unlikely that the betta and pleco will compete over food.
2. Clown Plecos
Check out what these fish look like over here.
Clown plecos are a good choice because these algae eaters are compatible tankmates for female bettas.
These small-sized fish are known to grow up to 4 inches in length. They are also hardy and easy to handle.
Clown plecos tend to live at the bottom of the aquarium.
On the other hand, bettas spend their time swimming at the top or middle of the aquarium.
Clown plecos will also not compete with bettas over food, as they are happy to eat the leftover or graze on algae.
So both the female betta and the clown pleco can coexist happily.
3. Cory Catfish
Cory catfish are excellent tankmates for female bettas. These schooling fish are docile and prefer community tanks.
They are small fish that grow up to 4.7 inches in length.
They are also easy to handle and need water conditions that are similar to bettas.
These fish occupy the bottom of the aquarium, which minimizes their interactions with the top swimming bettas.
4. Guppies
Guppies are peaceful, docile fish and are compatible tankmates for female bettas since both these fish have similar water requirements.
Guppies are popular amongst aquarists as they make the aquarium look more colorful and vibrant.
They are also affordable and readily available in most pet stores.
These fish are easy to handle and known to mind their own business. So they won’t bother your bettas.
However, bettas are known to attack fish that are bright in color.
So try to keep guppy species that aren’t vibrant or brightly colored to avoid bettas’ aggression.
5. Ember Tetras
Ember tetras are another fish that are compatible with female bettas.
Ember tetras can grow up to 0.6 to 0.8 inches in length. They are named after their color; they tend to look like a fire or an ember.
They have grown in popularity since they are easy to handle, and aquarists don’t need much experience to keep them.
These fish occupy the middle level of the tank, whereas bettas prefer to swim near the top of the tank.
However, both bettas and ember tetras are surface feeders.
6. Harlequin Rasboras
Harlequin rasboras are ideal tankmates for the female bettas as long as both of them get adequate tank space.
These fish can grow up to 1.5 to 2 inches in length. These shoaling fish can vary in size depending on their natural habitat.
Try to plant different types of live vegetation in the aquarium. It will help in creating a natural habitat for both fish.
It will also create different territories and plenty of hideouts inside the tank.
Both female bettas and harlequin rasboras can coexist in harmony.
However, keep the rasboras in decent-sized shoals to make them feel comfortable and prevent them from getting aggressive.
7. Kuhli Loaches
Kuhli loaches are peaceful fish that are compatible with female bettas and an excellent choice for community aquariums.
These fish can grow up to 3 to 4 inches in length. They aren’t schooling fish but are social and often become part of a group.
These fish are docile and tend to mind their own business, and will stay away from bettas.
These nocturnal fish like to disappear into tiny crevices.
So make sure that you create these hideouts to make them feel secure and comfortable.
8. Neon Tetras
Neon tetras are bright-colored fish that can be kept with female bettas.
Bettas are known to display aggression toward brightly colored fish. However, neon tetras’ agility can help them avoid attacks.
These small fish can grow up to 1.3 inches in length but are fin nippers.
So keeping them in school will help curb their fin-nipping behavior.
Female bettas also have comparatively smaller fins than males, so the chances of neon tetras nipping their fins will reduce.
However, bettas often get stressed when placed with schooling fish.
So it’s essential to provide them with plenty of hiding spots to avoid stress.
How to Increase Compatibility of Your Female Bettas with Other Fish?
Female bettas are more tolerant than male bettas.
So, many aquarists try to keep other fish species with female bettas to make their aquarium look vibrant.
However, it’s essential to understand whether the other fish species in consideration are compatible with female bettas or not.
Given below are a few tips to increase the compatibility of your female bettas with other fish.
1. Avoid Fish that Occupy the Same Water Level
If you plan to keep other fish species with your female bettas, then make sure that they don’t prefer to occupy the same water level inside the tank as the bettas.
The objective is to select species that occupy different levels in the tank.
It will help reduce interactions, conflicts, and territorial aggression in female bettas.
2. Avoid Energetic Fish
Energetic fish can stress the female bettas by constantly swimming around the tank.
This can trigger aggressive behavior in your female bettas.
So it’s best to avoid fish that are boisterous or have high energy levels.
3. Avoid Fish with Bright Colors
It’s essential to avoid fish that have bright colors since they can trigger aggressive behavior in female bettas.
Try keeping tankmates with dull coloration because female bettas will not consider them a threat and will mostly ignore them.
4. Avoid Fish with Flowing Tails
Fish with long flowing tails will immediately catch the attention of female bettas, and they will get chased and attacked.
So it’s best to avoid keeping fish species with flowing tails to keep the aggression of bettas under control.
5. Avoid Fin Nippers
You must avoid keeping fish in your betta tank that are known to nip the fins of other fish.
It’s most likely that the bettas will start attacking other tankmates if they are being nipped.
It can also stress the female bettas, impact their immune system, and make them vulnerable to infections.
6. Introduce Bettas with Other Fish at A Young Age
Young bettas aren’t aggressive like adult bettas.
So you can try introducing female bettas to other fish at a young age.
It’s the best way to make them compatible with other fish species.
7. Provide Dense Vegetation and Hideouts
Adding lots of plants, decorations, and other things will allow bettas to relax.
During conflicts or stressful situations, bettas can take shelter behind dense vegetation.
It will help them relax and reduce the likelihood of them attacking their tankmates.
Can 2 Female Bettas Live with Each Other?
Yes, two female bettas can live together.
However, female bettas can become territorial and engage in mild fights to assert themselves in the social hierarchy.
So provide enough room for all the inhabitants by creating spaces using rocks, stones, or aquatic vegetation.
A group of female bettas kept together in an aquarium is known as a betta sorority.
Usually, the sorority should have at least four to five female bettas.
Bettas aren’t naturally schooling fish, so ensure that there are plenty of dense plants and hiding spots inside their tank.
It will give the bettas security, help them form their territory, and keep them away from the other tank inhabitants.
It’s also important to note that some people warn against keeping two bettas together if they aren’t going to be used for breeding.
So keeping two or more female bettas in a sorority involves preparation and research before you can successfully keep them together.
Can Female Koi Bettas Live with Other Fish?
Female Koi bettas can live with other fish species.
The most compatible fish for them are peaceful, dull-colored, and short-finned tropical fish like the Cory Catfish, Bristlenose Plecos, and Kuhli Loaches.
Can Female Crowntail Bettas Live with Other Fish?
Female crowntail bettas can live with other freshwater fish.
Guppies, neon tetras, and bottom-dwelling fish can harmoniously live with crowntail bettas.
Can Female Halfmoon Bettas Live with Other Fish?
Yes, female halfmoon bettas can live with other fish.
Cory Catfish, Guppies, and Kuhli Loaches are some small freshwater fish that are compatible with female halfmoon bettas.
