If you want to add some new life to your betta sorority, or you’re keeping your female betta alone, then you may be wondering what the best tank mates for female bettas are. In this article, not only will you find this out, you’ll also learn what makes tank mates good or bad, as well as what you should avoid!
So keep reading to find out everything you need to know!
What Makes a Tank Mate Good/Bad?
When you are looking for a tank mate for your female Betta fish, there are a few things that you need to consider, such as
1. Where In The Tank The Fish Will Live
Betta fish swim near the top of the tank because they can breathe from the surface of the water thanks to ther labyrinth organ. (Which is one of the reasons keeping a betta in a vase isn’t recommended.)
With that being said, when you’re looking for fish to add to the tank with females, it’s important to make sure they don’t encroach upon the females territories. So you should aim for bottom dwellers or fish that swim around the middle of the tank.
2. No Other Aggressive Fish
Aggressive fish paired together will never be a match made in heaven. While betta sororities will quickly establish a pecking order, female bettas with other fish, may end up trying to establish this hierarchy and end up constantly bullying the other fish.
3. Schooling
Fish that travel in groups tend to be a better fit for being inside a tank with a betta.
This is because fish in groups are less prone to being bullied. Despite being an aggressive fish and really not a fan of other fish, female bettas are still on the smaller side of things. A female betta wouldn’t be able to take down an entire group of fish, so they’ll tend to steer clear of them.
Which means fish in groups will be better protected. That is not to say that a particularly aggressive betta wouldn’t try, but the chances are much lower.
4. Coloring Of The Fish
You should also steer clear of any fish with bright coloring or other sorts of bright, eye-catching colors on them. Just like with male bettas, if your female sees bright colors, then she may end up becoming aggressive and attacking these fish.
5. Tank Conditions
Finally, you will want to ensure that whatever fish you add to your tank will have the same water parameter needs as your betta. In short you should make sure they enjoy water between 76-80F and that they like a pH as close to neutral as possible.
Top 12 Female Betta Tank Mates
Now that we know what factors you should be considering when looking for a tank mate for your female Bettas, let’s go through some of the best tank mates!
1.Pygmy Corydoras
The Pygmy Corydoras is one of the smallest catfish you can put in a tank. They tend to travel in groups, but fortunately they never take up much space which makes them great for a tank with female bettas.
Pygmy Corydoras love to swim around the bottom of the tank. And they’ll do especially well with live plants in the tank.
Pygmy Corydoras requires a temperature between 72F and 79°F and a pH between 6 and 8. You will also need to have a minimum of 2-gallons of water per fish, with a minimum of 6 fish in a group. So, that is 12-gallons of water on top of at least 3-5 gallons for each female betta you have.
Pygmy corydoras are omnivores and when you feed them, it’s best to give them sinking pellets, as they will be much easier for them to eat.
| Name | Pygmy Corydoras |
| pH | 6.0-8.0 |
| Temperature | 72-79°F |
| Size | 1″ |
| Lifespan | 2-3 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
2. Guppies
Guppies are smaller fish that also like to travel in groups. Ideally, you will have one per 2-gallons of water.
While you may think that keeping guppies with your female sorority isn’t a good idea, as long as you’re keeping females with females it has the potential to work.
On top of this, guppies are active fish, but they’ll tend not to bother your female bettas all that much as they each spend time in different parts of the water.
Temperament wise guppies are not aggressive at all which means that you do not have to worry about them starting fights. Even with other fish in the tank, Guppies tend to keep themselves to themselves.
One difference between guppies and bettas is that guppies are omnivores and bettas are carnivores, so you’ll need separate food for each species. And to ensure you give it the best chance of working, make sure you add plenty of hiding places.
Guppies require between 6.8 and 7.8 pH and between 74-82°F temperature wise. This of course, is extremely similar to what bettas need, so guppies can work well with a sorority when caution is taken.
| Name | Guppy |
| pH | 6.8-7.8 |
| Temperature | 74-82°F |
| Size | 2.5″ |
| Lifespan | 1-3 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
3. Chili/Mosquito Rasboras
One thing to note about chili rasboras is they like a lot of space, and they swim in big schools. Because of this, if you plan on keeping chili rasboras with your female bettas, make sure the tank is big enough. I wouldn’t recommend anything smaller than 20 gallons.
When it comes to school size 6 is great, but more is always better!
Just remember, that because of their small size it’s vital you add a lot of plant life to your tank to ensure they don’t get attacked by your betta sorority.
Chili Rasboras can live for 4-8 years and grow up to 0.8″ in length. They need to live in temperatures between 72-82°F and need a pH level between 5-7.
| Name | Chili Rasbora |
| pH | 5.0-7.0 |
| Temperature | 72-82°F |
| Size | 0.8″ |
| Lifespan | 4-8 Years |
| Difficulty | Easy |
(Find out about 10 great rasboras you can add to your aquarium!)
4. Ghost Shrimp
While there are a lot of shrimp that you can add to a Betta tank, ghost shrimp are going to be one of your best choices because they’re easy to obtain, and if you’re not sure how your females will react, they’re incredibly cheap.
Fortunately shrimp don’t need much space, and if you’re already keeping your sorority in a 10 gallon tank or bigger then you can just add a couple of ghost shrimp in!
Tank conditions should be the same as your bettas. Your only concern when raising shrimp is to ensure that there are plenty of plants at the bottom. They need to be able to hide when they molt at various times throughout the year, and the plant debris will also give them something to snack on.
| Name | Ghost Shrimp |
| pH | 7.0-8.0 |
| Temperature | 65-80°F |
| Size | 1.5″ |
| Lifespan | 1 Year |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
5. Malaysian Trumpet Snails
There are so many great snails for a Betta tank but I love Malaysian Trumpet Snails. They can cope in the same conditions a Betta fish can and fortunately they don’t take up much space, so once again, you can just drop them into a tank with your female bettas!
Malaysian trumpet snails are also great tank cleaners. This means that they will be eating any food that your betta may miss. As well as as also cleaning up any algae that may grow on the substrate.
One concern with Malaysian Trumpet Snails is that they can breed like crazy. As a result, you can add some Assassin Snails into the tank if the number of Malaysian Trumpet Snails gets out of hand. Assassin Snails will feast upon other snails, so they are great for population control.
(Find out about 10 more great aquarium snails for your fish tank!)
| Name | Malaysian Trumpet Snail |
| pH | 7.0-8.0 |
| Temperature | 70-79°F |
| Size | 1.5″ |
| Lifespan | 1 Year |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
6. Platies
Platies are active fish. However, they never tend to get in the way of your females. Bare in mind though, platies need a lot of space, so if you plan on keeping the two species together a 20 gallon tank is the minimum!
The best part is there are a variety of different Platies that you can choose to add.
Platies will need to have a lot of live plants that they can swim through and they also tend to hang around the middle of the tank, so the live plants should stretch up to at least that point. Platies also like a natural environment so try adding gravel substrate, which is perfect for your bettas too.
While the Platy is an omnivorous fish, the majority of their diet should be vegetation. This means that your typical fish flakes should be fine for them.
However, you can add some bloodworms into the water once a week to really allow them to feast.
Lastly, make sure that you’re giving your bettas their own food too, as they’re carnivores so they’ll need specific betta pellets.
| Name | Platy |
| pH | 6.8-8.5 |
| Temperature | 70-80°F |
| Size | 3″ |
| Lifespan | 3 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
7. Mollies
Another great choice of fish you can add with your female bettas is mollies. They’re a similar size, and big enough that your betta won’t want to harass them.
While it’s possible to keep them in a 10 gallon tank, 15 or 20 gallons will be much better when keeping these two species of fish together!
71-82°F is the ideal temperature for your mollies. And the tank will need a pH between 7.0 and 7.8, so closer to 7 is going to be great for your betta.
Mollies can also eat the algae in your tank as well! But just remember, they also need a diet that is rich in nutrients so you should also make sure you’re feeding them high quality flake food too.
| Name | Molly |
| pH | 7.5-8.5 |
| Temperature | 71-82°F |
| Size | 4.5″ |
| Lifespan | 5 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
8. Neon Tetras
With a lifespan of 8-years and the ease of raising them, Neon Tetras are among the most popular fish among tropical fishkeepers. Esepcially those new to the hobby. And they’ll make a great addition to a female betta’s tank.
Just remember you’ll need to buy a few Neon Tetras, and not just keep one. Six or more is a good way to start a school, and any less might begin to stress your tetras out. With this in mind, you should remember that this many neon tetras are going to need more space to swim, so you should only keep them in a 20 gallon tank or bigger in combination with female bettas
Neon tetra tanks also need to have a heavy amount of vegetation in them as they love to hide. Some people like to also add small amounts of driftwood so that their Neon Tetras can hide there if anything stresses them out.
The minimum temperature for a Neon Tetras is 70°F and a maximum of 81°F. Their pH should be around 6.8-7.8.
Neon Tetras are also omnivores so you need to make sure you’re buying food specifically for them and specifically for your betta too.
| Name | Neon Tetra |
| pH | 4.0-7.5 |
| Temperature | 72-78°F |
| Size | 1.5″ |
| Lifespan | 5-8 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
9. Glass Catfish
Glass catfish are some of the most unique fish that you can add to your tank because of their completely translucent bodies! So as you can guess, they certainly won’t be catching the attention of your bettas!
They are going to need to have a larger tank size, though. So keep them in a tank that’s at least 30-gallons for around 6 fish. You’ll need a minimum of 6 fish as they like to school together.
You should also make sure you’re keeping plants in the tank with your Glass Catfish as well as other hiding places, to help them feel safe.
The water temperature should be between 75-80°F for these fish. pH levels should be between 6.5 and 7.0.
| Name | Glass Catfish |
| pH | 6.5-7.0 |
| Temperature | 75-80°F |
| Size | 4-6″ |
| Lifespan | 8 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Moderate |
10. African Dwarf Frogs
African Dwarf Frogs are fully aquatic animals, so, unlike other frogs, you do not need to worry about them having land that they can hop onto.
You will need to have at least a 20-gallon tank for four of these frogs. And they will spend the majority of their time at the bottom of the tank, swimming to the surface to grab air when they need it before heading back down.
It is worth noting that you will need to have a shallower but wider tank for your African Dwarf Frogs. If you don’t, they’ll struggle to swim to the surface where they need to breathe from.
Like all tank mates you should provide them with plenty of live plants that they can swim around in. It’s also important that you have a proper lighting system in the tank too as they’re circadian rhythm requires a night and day cycle, like ours!
African dwarf frogs are omnivores so make sure they’re getting a healthy balance of plant matter and animal proteins. This can either come from specific pellets or live animals such as brine shrimp or bloodworms
The temperature of the tank should be between 70-80°F. pH should be between 6.5-7.5.
| Name | African Dwarf Frog |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Temperature | 70-80°F |
| Size | 2.5″ |
| Lifespan | 8 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
11. Zebra Danios
While Zebra Danios can live in 10 gallon tanks, the more space they have, the better. In addition to keeping them with female bettas, a 15-20 gallon tank may be the best choice.
It is important to note that while Zebra Danios can be good community fish, they can have an aggressive streak about them if they are paired with slow-swimming fish… and they’re stressed. They’ll often fin nip, so pay attention to what’s going on in your tank to make sure the female bettas aren’t being bullied.
One thing to note is that Zebra danios can cope with colder water than bettas. While they normally live in temperatures between 64-75°F, when you add them to a tank that’s 78°F, it will simulate breeding season for them.
pH wise you should keep your zebra danios pH between 6.5-7.5.
Zebra Danios will mostly eat fish flakes, as they’re omnivores but you can supplement their diet with vegetation and live food too!
(Find out about 7 more great danios.)
| Name | Zebra Danios |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Temperature | 64-78°F |
| Size | 2″ |
| Lifespan | 3-5 Years |
| Difficulty | Easy |
12. Dwarf Loach
A group of 5-6 Dwarf Loaches will be a great choice for a 30-gallon tank. They may be smaller fish, but without enough space, aggression may begin to occur within them
Water temperature should be between 75-82°F. And the pH should be as close to neutral as possible to both your females and dwarf loaches are happy!
Rocks, hollowed-out wood, and plants are vital for any dwarf loach as they enjoy hiding in various parts of your tank.
Most of the time, the Dwarf loach will eat standard fish flakes, but they also enjoy the odd bloodworm and brine shrimp, just like bettas!
| Name | Dwarf Chain Loach |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| Temperature | 75-82°F |
| Size | 2.5″ |
| Lifespan | 8-12 Years |
| Difficulty Keeping | Easy |
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions that people have about female betta tank mates.
Are Female Bettas Good Community Fish?
Female bettas are great community fish as long as you ensure that the tank mates you add don’t trigger aggression. Bright colors, long flowing tails and inhabitants that occupy there space are all tank mates you should try to avoid.
Are Female Bettas Aggressive?
Female betta fish do have an aggressive streak about them. However, they are nowhere near as aggressive as their male counterparts. If a female does get aggressive, it tends to be towards other Betta fish.
Can I Have Two Female Bettas Together?
Keeping two female bettas together is a bad idea, as one may end bullying the other. To reduce the chance of bullying occurring you should be keeping a minimum of 4 female bettas together in a sorority.
Do Female Bettas Need Companions?
While female bettas can live alone, they also like to live in sororities. By keeping them in a sorority, you’re going to reduce the amount of stress they are likely to feel and keep them happy and healthy.
Recap
While female Betta fish are not as aggressive as their male counterparts, you probably need to think long and hard about the other animals you pair them up with. Not only should you be thinking about the ideal tank conditions for the tank mate, but also the behavior of the said tank mate.
If you stick to the twelve examples above, you will have a happy, thriving tank. Just make sure that you keep an eye on your fish’s behavior during the first few days. As you may end up with an overly aggressive fish.
If you liked this article, make sure you check out the rest of the website! Otherwise, have a great day!
Sources
- https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/female-betta-fish/#:~:text=Female%20Bettas%20can%20work%20well,to%20be%20picked%20on%20repeatedly.
- https://bettasource.com/tankmates-for-betta/
- https://modestfish.com/best-betta-tank-mates/