Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm curious, are there any other fish besides cories that can coexist with a betta in a medium-planted 10g tank? I've read mixed reviews about housing multiple fish with bettas in smaller tanks, so I'm being cautious. What's your experience with this?

In my experience, shrimp and snails make great tankmates for bettas in a 10g. They're low-risk and won't compete for space or resources. As for other fish, I'd advise against it - bettas are naturally solitary and territorial, so it's just not worth the risk of introducing another finned inhabitant.

You've got a great setup, consider entering it in our Tank of the Month contest.

Even shrimp can be a gamble, as some bettas see them as a potential meal.

oceanwise wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2025 2:05 pm I'm curious, are there any other fish besides cories that can coexist with a betta in a medium-planted 10g tank? I've read mixed reviews about housing multiple fish with bettas in smaller tanks, so I'm being cautious. What's your experience with this?

It really comes down to the individual Betta's personality. I personally wouldn't risk adding other fish to a 10g, but you might be able to get away with shrimp if your Betta is relatively calm.

I've had mixed results with housing bettas alongside other species. Some of my bettas coexisted just fine with bronze corydoras catfish, but I've had issues with certain bettas and snails, especially the inca variety. Shrimp also didn't always work out.

I've got a panda Cory, four ghost shrimp, and a pair of mystery snails in with mine. My betta's not a fan of the snails, but he seems okay with the Cory. I actually added five ghost shrimp, but one of them was really small and I haven't seen it since - I think it might have become a snack. One of my shrimp is carrying eggs, which I don't think would survive in the current setup. I'm thinking of adding some glass tubes for them to hide in. As for the Cory, my male betta's currently holding eggs in his nest, and there are a few loose ones in the substrate - but the Cory hasn't touched them, even though they eat their own eggs. Your experience will likely be different, so if you're planning to breed, you might want to consider a separate tank.

Cories are shoaling fish, they thrive in groups, not solo. A single cory will likely be stressed in your setup, it's worth considering adding a few more to keep it company.

Kuhlii Loaches might work, betta probably won't even notice them. Small school of White Clouds could be a good fit too.

In my opinion, snails and shrimp are the safest bet. While bettas can get along with kuhli loaches, kuhlis are group fish that thrive in larger tanks, so I'd recommend at least a 20G long for them.