What Are Compatible Tankmates for a Betta Fish in a 5 Gal Tank?
December 29, 2011 
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Category: Betta Fish Questions and Answers
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Betta’s “Siamese Fighting Fish” common tankmates include platies (moons), Corydoras catfish, and loaches. Females can share a tank with danios, tetras, barbs, and gouramis, but males should not be kept with these species as they tend to nip at their long fins. Shrimp are popular tank-mates because, provided with sufficient natural plant cover, they keep the tank clean without causing stress to the bettas.
It’s impossible to not crowd a 5 gallon tank. There are really no fish you could put in there that could really live with it in that small of a tank. At the pet store I work at, the fish are in 10 gallon tanks only because they won’t be there forever. Platies are infact good, but I would really suggest getting a 10 gallon. It’s suppose to be something like… 1 fish per. so many inches or gallons in a tank. Fish grow to the size of their tank, and if you put fish in that small of a tank with a beta, it will die quickly. Not only that, you’d need a filtering system for pretty much anything BUT a beta.
Well, in a five gallon, not much. You could get him a snail buddy, maybe some shrimp to help clean the floor. If you forgoe the male a few guppy would fit fine, or a couple tetra. But guppy and tetra are a bad mix with a male betta. The guppy’s long tails are targets for the male and the males long fins are target for the fin nipping tetra. This sort of limits the buddies you can add. Molly’s are not always great, they can get pretty big and occasionally nip fins. Platy are an option, perhaps two max. Just be aware they are live bearers, so a girl and boy and any girls will have babies. A female can store ***** for months after having been seperated from males, so if you don’t want that hassle stick with boys. Gourami are a no, they’re too closelly related to the betta, they would definitlly fight.
If you don’t get a boy, you could try 3-4 females. They, depending on individual temperment, can live pretty well together in groups of 3-4 or more to create a successful heirarchy. Or one female with a few guppy or tetra.
Of course, remember to add whatever you choose slowlly so as to not over load the tank. Try cycling with the platy and then adding the male. Betta can be sensitive to the ammonia during cycling. This also means he wouldn’t have an established territory to protect when you add platy. Adding him last cuts down on any territory disputes. Remember some males just don’t tolerate other fish well, it depends on the individuals personanilty, so be prepared for him to possiblly react badlly at first.
Stear clear of algae eaters and pleco. In such a small tank you’d be quicklly over powered. Chinease algae eaters are sold small, but get big. And the larger they gat the meaner and more territorial they can become. Many placo get 18-24 inches long! Even a adwarf gets about 4-6 inches, too much for your little tank. Otto cats stay small, but need to be in groups of three or more, so you’d have them and the betta but nothing else. And unless you get shrimp you my want to stay away from floor cleaners as well. A couple cory usually get along just fine with a betta but that would mean no more fish.
Also be aware of what kind of snail you’re getting. Research the type! Most are A-sexual, meaning it only takes one to tango and you can become quicklly over run
So you could try a betta boy with 2 platy and a snail or a couple shrimp. Or maybe a betta boy with a couple cory cats.
Best of Luck!
I would not recommend putting any more fish in with a betta in a 5 gal. Bettas can be put with community fish but community fish will be shy and can be bullied if in groups less then 5 fish. The rule for a tank is one inch of fish to one gallon of water. You should get either just the betta or you can get 5 or six community fish. Some of theses include tetras, fancy guppies, and Platies. I would not recommend mollies because they will quickly reproduce to outgrow your tank.
Maybe a couple of dwarf frogs?