You’ve probably heard countless stories of how you shouldn’t be pairing Betta Fish with other fish. They aren’t called the ¨Fighting Fish” for no reason, after all. However, this doesn’t mean that it is impossible to find a tank mate for your Bettas. It isn’t even impossible if your Bettas are in smaller tanks. We have a few suggestions for Best Betta Fish tank mates in 10-gallon tanks.
On this page, we’ll share ten awesome Betta Fish tank mate suggestions that we think you’ll love. Not all of them are fish since you are constrained by the 10-gallon tank. But, everything should live fairly peacefully with your Betta.
Well, that’s assuming your Betta is a calm fish. If your Betta loves a good fight, we probably wouldn’t pair them with anything. More on that soon, though!
Contents
Betta Fish Tank Mates (10 Gallon Tank) – What You Need to Know
Before we talk about finding Betta Fish tank mates, we’ll need to chat a little about the Betta requirements. This is because Bettas are incredibly tough to find tank mates for. Things get even tougher with that 10-gallon tank limit.
Temperament
Betta Fish are odd from a temperament perspective. While they are famed for being very aggressive fish, not all of them are. You can get Betta Fish that are much calmer who are inquisitive about their environment.
So, if you’re pairing a Betta up with other fish in a community tank, you’ll probably need to check the Betta’s personality first. We wouldn’t bother putting an aggressive Betta in a tank with other Bettas, let alone other fish where it will attack them.
Size
Betta Fish grow to 3″. A minimum of 6 gallons is needed for a Betta, although on this page we are purely focusing on Betta Fish in 10-gallon tanks. This is actually where the bulk of the issues are. While Betta Fish may thrive in 10-gallon tanks, most other fish won’t.
Competition
Betta Fish are carnivores, which means they only eat meat. This means they’ll be competing with both carnivores and omnivores in your tank. They’ll get pretty aggressive about things too.
Not only this, but Betta Fish will eat smaller fish, small crustaceans, and more. So, some fish are ruled out because they’ll be competing for their lives.
Parameters & Tank Set-Up
Because Bettas can be aggressive and territorial, it is wise to have a lot of dense vegetation in your tank. This will allow fish to hide from the Betta if need be.
You’ll also need the following tank conditions:
- Temperature: 72F to 82F
- pH: 6.5 to 7.5
Betta Fish Tank Mates 10 Gallon
So, let’s dive right into those Betta Fish tank mates for 10-gallon tanks. As we said, not all of these are fish. This is because most fish would be far happier in larger tanks, and you really don’t want to stick too many fish in a confined space with a Betta. It rarely ends well.
We do want to point out that this is just guidance. There are some Bettas that can never be paired with other fish. So, we recommend that you have a second tank handy, just in case your Betta gets overly aggressive and you need to move them out there.
You will also like these other top posts in this category:
1. Neon Tetras
- Scientific Name: Paracheirodon innesi
- Adult Size: 1.5″
- Compatible with: Corys, small catfish
- Care Level: Easy
- Origin: Amazon Rainforest
A lot of expert fishkeepers recommend Neon Tetras to beginners with Bettas. Normally, you’d need a minimum of 20 gallons for Neon Tetras if you want them to school properly, but if you limit yourself to just 6 Neon Tetras, then you should be fine.
Neon Tetras and Bettas have similar requirements for tank conditions, and they are both hardy animals. They rarely have any conflict either. A solo Betta probably isn’t going to pick on a school of Neon Tetras because it would have to catch them first. Neon Tetras are insanely fast.
The problem is that you will need to have ample vegetation in the tank to give a place for your Neon Tetras to hide if they’re feeling a bit stressed. This can be annoying when you only have 10 gallons of space to work with.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Rarely conflict with Betta.
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Need lots of vegetation
2. Cory Catfish
- Scientific Name: Corydoras
- Adult Size: 2.75″
- Compatible with: Tetras, other Corys, Swordtails
- Care Level: Very Easy
- Origin: South America
The Cory Catfish is perfectly content with milling at the bottom of the tank and feeding there. Since your Betta is going to be in the mid to top section, they probably won’t ever be pestering the Cory Catfish. Plus, if they do, the Catfish will just shake it off. The Catfish is just too ‘big’ for the Betta to scare it.
Honestly, most freshwater catfish should work in a tank with a Betta. However, if you are looking for Betta Fish tank mates in 10-gallon tanks, Corys are the best option because they are small. They don’t take up much space, which is just as well since you’ll need a couple of them. They don’t do well solo.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Too big to be bothered by Bettas
- Bottom-feeders
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Large, and you need a couple of them.
3. Amano Shrimp
- Scientific Name: Caridina multidentata
- Adult Size: 2-inches
- Compatible with: Ember Tetras, Pearl Gourami
- Care Level: Easy
- Origin: Japan and Taiwan
Bettas love to snack on the occasional shrimp. It is a key part of their diet. This means that you shouldn’t really be including small shrimp in your 10-gallon tank with them, but the Amano Shrimp is an exception. Growing to 2 inches, it is too big for the Betta Fish to munch on.
Amano Shrimp are small enough to be happy in a 10-gallon tank. However, if your shrimp start to breed, you should be aware that the Betta may eat the smaller babies. You may want a separate breeding tank and only move the Amano Shrimp in when they are adults.
Their diet is completely different from Bettas. The Amano Shrimp will eat plant matter, leaving the meat for the Betta Fish. No competition there.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- No competition for food
- Too large for the Betta to eat.
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Betta may eat babies
4. Nerite Snails
- Scientific Name: Nerita
- Adult Size: 1″
- Compatible with: cichlids, barbs, and tetras
- Care Level: Easy
- Origin: Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique
Snails also rarely do well with Bettas, but the Nerites are an exception. They are too big for the Bettas to eat. No competition for food either. The Nerites will only eat the algae and debris in the tank.
The Nerite Snails and Betta Fish are a great pairing. Smaller tanks, as you know, are much more prone to dealing with algae. Well, it is more obvious when it appears. Since the Nerite snail only feasts on algae, it can help to keep the tank nice and clean. This can be quite beneficial since Bettas can be quite messy.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- No competition for food
- Too large for the Betta to eat.
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Betta may eat babies
5. African Dwarf Frogs
- Scientific Name: Hymenochirus
- Adult Size: 2.5″
- Compatible with: Guppies, Corys, Tetras
- Care Level: Medium to hard
- Origin: Equatorial Africa
African Dwarf Frogs are fully aquatic frogs. They’ll need to rise to the surface every so often to breathe, but they don’t need any platform or anything to rest on. They can live almost all their life underwater.
African Dwarf Frogs are highly recommended as a Betta Fish tank mate in a 10-gallon tank because African Dwarf Frogs, just like Bettas, thrive in those more compact environments. In fact, you can get a couple of African Dwarf Frogs in a 10-gallon tank. This makes them a perfect pairing for your Betta Fish!
African Dwarf Frogs are generally passive creatures. They will eat the same food as the Betta, though. You’ll rarely see them fighting but you’ll need to make sure there is enough food to go around.
This may not be suitable for beginners either. African Dwarf Frogs are highly sensitive to tank conditions. They need well-filtered and regularly-inspected water.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Can thrive in smaller tanks
- Won’t fight with the Betta
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Will compete for food
6. Cherry Barbs
- Scientific Name: Puntius titteya
- Adult Size: Up to 2″
- Compatible with: Platy, Celestial Pearl, Tetras
- Care Level: Very Easy
- Origin: Sri Lanka
Cherry Barbs are easy to look after, but you will need to pair them with a more docile Betta. Some more aggressive Bettas have been known to attack Cherry Barbs. You’ll need a minimum of 6 Cherry Barbs in the tank, and space can be a bit tight in a 10-gallon tank (it is normally recommended you opt for 20 gallons for Cherry Barbs), but as long as the only things in there are your Cherry Barbs and Betta Fish, you’ll be fine.
Because Cherry Barbs school, the Betta Fish won’t try and attack them. If the Betta attempted to, the Cherry Barbs are fast enough to get out of the way. Although, it does cause them a great deal of stress, so move the Betta out of there if they do look like they are constantly attacking the Cherries.
Cherry Barbs can eat the same food as the Betta, but the diet of Cherry Barbs trends more toward plant matter (they need some meat), so there shouldn’t be that much competition for resources.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Bettas won’t attack schooling Cherry Barbs
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- 10-gallons is small for Cherry Barbs
7. Ghost Shrimp
- Scientific Name: Palaemonetes paludosus
- Adult Size: 1.5″
- Compatible with: Cherry Shrimp, Corys, Kuhli Loach
- Care Level: Easy
- Origin: North America (Appalachian Mountain area)
Ghost Shrimp are not picky eaters, and they’ll eat whatever the Betta leaves. They aren’t really going to fight for the food. As long as it hovers down to the bottom of the tank, they’ll munch on it.
Once again, you shouldn’t normally be pairing shrimp with Betta Fish, but it is fine with the Ghost Shrimp. They have two advantages. Firstly, they’re large- too big for most Bettas. Secondly, they are very hard to spot in a tank. They won’t catch the attention of the Bettas, so there won’t be any conflict.
Ghost Shrimp can work in small tanks, but you should breed baby Ghost Shrimp in a separate tank. Bettas will eat those.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Won’t compete for food
- Invisible to the Betta
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Betta will eat baby ghost shrimp
8. Mystery Snails
- Scientific Name: Pomacea bridgesii
- Adult Size: 2″
- Compatible with: Most shrimp, Tetras.
- Care Level: Easy
- Origin: South America
Mystery Snails eat just about everything you throw at them. They aren’t bottom-feeders either. If you drop food in the tank, they will rush toward it. You would think that this means they will be competing with the Betta, but nope!
They back off if another fish gets there first. They’ll be fine picking up the scraps. You don’t really need a special diet for your Mystery Snails. They’ll eat whatever the Betta is having, plus some algae, and maybe a dash of plant matter. You may consider feeding algae wafers that will sink to the bottom for your snails, especially in newer tanks where there is no algae present.
Mystery Snails are very docile, and they will keep out of the way of the Bettas. Once again, you’ll probably need to breed snails in a separate tank. Only introduce Mystery Snails to Bettas once the Mystery Snail is an adult. Too soon, and they could end up as a snack.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Eats whatever Betta eats.
- Won’t compete for food
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Betta will eat smaller snails.
9. Dwarf Crayfish
- Scientific Name: Cambarellus patzcuarensis
- Adult Size: 2″
- Compatible with: Guppies, Neon Tetra, Slender Danios
- Care Level: Very easy
- Origin: Mexico
A group of Dwarf Crayfish will thrive in a 10-gallon tank. Since they rarely leave the bottom of the tank, they probably won’t be having any issues with the Betta either. Although, remember that the Betta may end up eating the babies.
Dwarf Crayfish are not picky eaters, and they aren’t going to be competing for food with the Betta. They’re just happy with whatever falls down to the bottom. If they can’t find something, they’ll snack on the algae. This should help to keep the tank clean. Be aware that crayfish have claws though. While they’re unlikely to attack a healthy Betta, they may occasionally nip at their fins.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Bottom feeders
- Rarely leaves the bottom of the tank
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Betta will eat smaller crayfish
- May nip at Betta fins
10. Brigittae Rasbora
- Scientific Name: Boraras brigittae
- Adult Size: 3/4″
- Compatible with: Guppy, Barbs, Shrimps, Tetras
- Care Level: Medium to Easy
- Origin: Indonesia
Brigittae Rasbora are some of the smallest fish that you can buy. Coming in at 3/4″, you should be able to fit 10-15 of them in a tank with the Betta and there’ll still be plenty of space to spare. In fact, you’ll want a minimum of 10 of these.
Normally, the Betta will attack smaller fish. However, because the Brigittae Rasbora travels around in sizable groups, the Betta will rarely bother. Although, this will be down to the temperament of your Betta. If you have an aggressive Betta, we probably wouldn’t risk it.
Brigittae Rasbora and Betta do have an overlapping diet, but the small size of the Brigittae Rasbora means they don’t have to eat a ton. There will be no competition.
Pros of keeping with Betta Fish
- Larger groups will keep Betta at bay
Cons of keeping with Betta Fish
- Aggressive Betta may attack them anyway.
Final Thoughts on Best Betta Fish Tank Mates
You don’t have that many options for Betta Fish tank mates in 10-gallon tanks, mostly due to the lack of space. However, if you opt for certain snails and shrimp, you should be fine. Just make sure they aren’t too small or the Betta will eat them. If you insist on using fish, opt for smaller fish that school e.g. Brigittae Rasbora or Neon Tetras. The Betta will rarely attack larger groups of fish.
That being said, we do recommend that you upgrade to a 20-gallon tank, if you can. If gives you more options for tank mates, while also reducing aggression in the Betta.
FAQs
Can you keep more than one Betta in a 10-gallon tank?
Most of the time, no. They are very prone to fighting. We suggest only keeping Bettas together if you want them to mate.
Will Betta Fish eat snails?
If the snails are small, yes. However, if they are more than 1″ in size, they’ll probably be too big for Bettas to eat.
Are Bettas Aggressive Tank Mates?
It depends. Some Bettas are aggressive, but many can be docile. You’ll need to observe your Betta to find out what you have.
JJ has had a passion for learning about aquatic life since age 5. As an adult, he made his passion a career as a certified aquaculture dealer and aquarium content creator.