Its actually easier than most people think, as long as you meet the right tank conditions and reproduce their natural environment, as for any fish species. Rasboras are typically a more gentle fish in terms of peaceful living with a betta, and they dont tend to be fin nippers. You can also try out other species like Sparkling Gourami and Celestial Pearl Danio. Just like its name indicates, its shell looks like a zebra. Siamese fighting fish / Betta Paracheirodon sp. Zebra loach Dwarf chain loach Betta fish Cory catfish Yoyo loach You can feed the snail eggs directly to these fish or let them hatch first. WebZebra Loach; Albino Cory; Bristle Nose Pleco; Best Tank Mates For Betta Sororities. Theyre one of the smallest catfish for fish tanks, as they only grow to five inches, max. These stripes look deep blue or dark green with each band secured with a white line. 45 gallon in the He has kept freshwater tanks, ponds, and reef tanks for over 25 years. Zebra Loaches love to move in slow-moving streams with a good range of vegetation. Zebra Loach Scientific Name: Botia striata Adult Size: 3 to 4 inches Compatible with: Cherry Barbs, Celestial Pearl Danios, Neon Tetras Care Level: Easy Origin: India These colorful and attractively-patterned fish are both hardy and relaxed. Tetra Piaractus brachypomus: Pacu They are schooling fish, meaning that they should be kept in groups of at least five individuals in order to remain healthy and happy. [i] Zebra loaches have no special requirements on water conditions, they do however prefer a certain aquarium setup to be at their best. They are peaceful, and generally, have a longer lifespan than most aquarium fish. Otherwise, they can get aggressive and territorial. Theyre active during nighttime and rest during the daytime. I've been keeping fish for over 30 years and currently have 4 different aquariums it's an addiction. Theyre compatible with male Bettas because they dont have colorful tails. These male or female betta tank mates are guaranteed to liven up your tank, keep your Betta fish company, and create a beautiful aquarium. Zebra Loach (Botia Striata) zebra loach. Protein-rich diet and raised water temperatures might help with this. One of these snails is good to keep with your Betta, but you shouldnt keep more. Also in the catfish family, and would likewise do well with a betta, is the Otocinclus catfish. If you love fish-keeping, you're probably just as fascinated by the natural world as we are, so today we're going to dive into the weird and wonderful world of fish with big eyes! Plus, it could make your Bettas stressed, aggressive, and territorial. Aquarium Store Depot earns a commission if you make a purchase. Chinese algae eaters tend to be aggressive fish, and their mood seems to get worse as they grow in size. Theyre very small, no more than one inch, and they have stripes along their body. Zebra loach, aka candy stripe loach, are four-inch bottom-dwelling scavenger fish. Rummy-Nose or? But the main difference that is known between male Zebra Loaches and female Zebra Loaches is the rounded body of a female Zebra Loach. So, the two species have totally different needs regarding water parameters, and theyre simply incompatible. Get the loachlet him eat the snails find a home for him or return him. Like the fish species mentioned above, swordtails prefer water with high pH levels and on the alkaline side. It really just depends on your bettas individual temperament. Bushy nose plecos, aka Bristlenose Plecostomus, are beautiful and peaceful fish that make for great companions for your Betta fish in a large fish tank. The more Zebra Loaches there are, the better it gets for them to conduct social gatherings within their community tank. Fish that occupy a separate area to Bettas are also an excellent choice these bottom dwellers would be perfect as they will not invade the Bettas territory: Zebra loach Albino cory Bristle nose pleco Snowball pleco Candy striped pleco Adding plants to the aquarium will increase the habitats complexity which has been proven to reduce Ensuring that the tank mate shares the same water conditions and parameters as your betta fish. Botia Striata is a hardy fish with good defensive skills. They are schooling fish, meaning that they should be kept in groups of at least five individuals in order to remain healthy and happy. 14 That Can & 10 That Cant Theyre good companions for your Betta fish, and theyre also easy to care for. Betta fish and gouramis dont get along well in the same tank. How many hillstream loaches you should keep in your tank depends on the size and setup of your aquarium. Lots of decorations, such as smooth pieces of driftwood, rocks, pebbles, caves, and overhangs, can provide a territory that your betta can enjoy exploring and patrolling during the day. The Zebra loach (striata loache) is a beautiful Freshwater fish very peaceful and ideal for community aquariums although it needs good water conditions to stay The zebra loach is a small to medium fish with an elongated body, flattened laterally with vertical stripes on the body and fins. Otherwise, theyll be too big. You can go up with the size if there are going to be larger fish in the tank. Zebra loach. These freshwater fish can tolerate smaller tanks with some tank water fluctuations and are a peaceful species. While commercial foods are not that bad, opting out for cheaper brands would cost you your beloved pets life. You can even see the skeleton and organs of these scavenger fish! Theyre yellow with brown stripes and wont bother any fish or fry. So attempting to breed bettas simply by putting a female and male betta fish together is not recommended. In this part of our guide, we take a look at a range of different creatures that can make suitable tank mates for betta fish. Shrimp Species: Ghost Shrimp Bamboo Shrimp Cherry Shrimp 4. That can mean that a certain species of tank mate may get along fine with one betta and then terribly with another. The first step to try to breed them is to determine their sex. Food Betta fish are omnivorous and in the wild, they eat insects, larvae and algae. Otos, however, are sometimes quite difficult to acclimate to the aquarium. Frequent rubbing of the body against sharp objects, 13359 North Highway 183 Suite 406 WebYour betta and pleco will be happiest together in a large aquarium. Instead of going for expensive oxygen boosters, supplement their tank with live plants. As you can probably guess from the name, these snails have a shell that looks like the curled horn on a ram. The more you try to look away, the more you feel pulled in. Tiger barbs are serial fin nippers and will quickly shred your poor betta buddys beautiful finnage into ribbons. Bettas are carnivores. These are also a good addition to Betta tanks. They also clean any detritus at the bottom of your fish tank. As for body shape, they mold their bodies like a loach. To curtail disease, its always better to invest in high-quality filtration so your water stays clean. Some of these are more active at nighttime than daytime so that they wont bother your Betta fish. Fill one bucket with fresh replacement water, and leave the other empty. Zebra Loaches are extremely social and friendly. There should be no problems as long as you pick peaceful fish or invertebrates and get large enough tans. Theyre not harmful to Betta fish, and Betta fish arent harmful to them. These scavenger fish are good tank mates for Betta fish, as long as theyre kept in a group of three or more. Peppered loaches, aka Guntea loach, can grow up to 6 inches and look a bit like freshwater eels. They have a grey or brown body, with black stripes or even spots. They will eat sinking catfish pellets as well as tablets and flake foods. The short-finned Molly varieties are especially good tank mates for your Betta fish in a small tank. With the knowledge drops Ill offer today, you will be ready to embark on keeping these unique fish in your aquarium. As their name indicates, they are albino, and they dont grow more than two inches. This amazing freshwater fish enjoys well-oxygenated water. The type of tanks mates you then decide to get, and their amount depends on the size of the fish tank you have. You also should pair them with peaceful fish species so everything goes smoothly. Make sure the grains are not too refined or too large for the fish. Bettas that lose their slime coat are then susceptible to disease. This tank mate overview article is a generalized guide for selecting different species that could live with a betta. How to make a Bristle Worm Trap DIY Guide. I highly recommend that you experience Tiger barb ownership at least once in your life! Avoiding any brightly colored fish and those with flowing finnage that could be mistaken for another betta fish by your pet. Rasboras share similar characteristics with tetras and can do well sharing an aquarium with a betta fish. Goldfish are very messy fish that produce a lot of waste. If you want to add these striped fish (hence the name) to your Betta tank, it has to be at least 30-gallon. They do good in shoals of 5 or more and add much activity to any tank and loves to mingle with other Botia/Loach species! The following species missed the blue ribbon list above by a small margin. Clown Loach (clown loaches are not Botia BUT can be aggressive and can grow to a large size) These fish keep their distance from the betta fish and are relatively non-invasive overall. You should also always avoid freshwater species that threaten their harmony. Its not so much that the two species become friends; they just ignore each other. Inside the tank, you need to provide plenty of plants for your betta to rest on and hide amongst. In contrast, betta fish like their environmentrelatively motionless as far as currents are concerned. FishForums.net is one of the internet's oldest and premier Tropical Fish and Aquarium forums! A reasonable section of aquarium plants you can introduce to their tank will grow with the help of lighting. They are peaceful bottom-dwellers that will help clean up waste. One thing to watch out for is that shrimp tend to enjoy breeding. There you have it, our top-to-bottom recommendations on betta fish tank mates. Bettas are known to be aggressive and territorial, but as long as you set them up in a tank thats large enough and find the right tank mates, everything should go smoothly. Resisting frequent glances at the mazy, unusually beautiful, and sharply sticking out stripes and body coloration of Zebra Loaches is almost like an enterprise. In this case, bigger is better. The African Dwarf frogs tend to do their thing, and the betta fish does its separate thing. Below, well talk about the 50 best tank mates for Betta fish, both female, and male. This helps to prevent food waste and save you money in the long run. Red cherry shrimp, aka cherry shrimp, most known for their vivid red color, are probably the most popular freshwater shrimp suited for aquariums. Unlike betta fish, swordtails prefer fast-moving waters. You can keep up to five Albino cory cats in a Betta fish tank. Here is the quick list: 1. Any strong opinions on the ethics of long-fin varieties of fish? It is either that betta fish are fast swimmers or that these frogs are on the slow side of the kiddie pool, but either way, the betta will be more likely to finish its food before the frog even finds its own. Shrimp make for an interesting choice of tank mate for a betta. It has a long, cylindrical body with vertical black and white stripes running Otos are social among themselves and can be kept as a group of three in a 10-gallon Betta tank. Just like Bettas, they prefer planted tanks. Thank you for stopping by, and see you next time when we publish our next article. These fish just require smooth, fine, or sandy gravel not to injure their whiskers. Some people see this as a profitable problem to have as you can certainly sell the shrimp if you find you have a market for them. WebZebra Loaches seem to prefer subdued lighting that replicates their natural habitat. Glass Catfish. Zebra loaches are stunningly bright, super social, and an excellent fish to take into community aquariums. They like to hide under debris. The name; balloon Molly truly justifies the appearance of this fish as their bellies are round and swollen with arched backs and extended dorsal fins. Encouraging minor algae growth will also result in a good variation in their diet. Just so you know, Albino Cory Catfish should be kept in bigger tanks, at least 30-gallon ones. To help them stay active, get a high-quality canister filter. Plecos are great at keeping algae away, its their main job. For example, you might walk past a few times during the day, perhaps running your finger along the glass for your betta to follow. Theyre not good for smaller tanks as they keep growing. As their name implies, Ghost shrimp have translucent bodies. There are many types of freshwater aquatic snails that you can usually find for sale in a well-stocked pet shop. Theyre known to get on well with female Bettas. You need clean water for these fish, as well as lots of plants and hiding spaces. As you can imagine, the more tank mates you add, the larger your aquarium will need to be. They scientifically go with the name Botia Striata while commonly known as Zebra Loach or Crossbanded Loach. This is one of the reasons recommend tanks at least five gallons for a single betta fish. We are a family friendly community with an incredible resource of information for fish owners and enthusiast alike. If you are interested in starting a sorority of female betta fish, its not as easy as just grouping a bunch together. Betta fish need pretty much just the opposite of this. These fish suck on other fish, literally. These small and socially active fish are part of the Cobitidae family from the order Cypriniformes. Angelfish, gouramis, and bettas, for instance, have to be in water temperatures close to 80F. What happens when you put an aggressive fish in with another aggressive fish? What Fish can you put with a betta? Therefore in a home aquarium, the small size of Botia Striata helps you keep them in groups. Each year, he continues to help his readers and clients with knowledge, professional builds, and troubleshooting. You can change water up to 25% per week to do away with ammonia and nitrite. African Dwarf frogs can make fine friends with betta fish. A much better size at 3-5 inches than the flashier, large clowns in almost all medium/biggish sized tanks. If you have done your homework on betta fish, you will instantly see why this poses a problem. If you put a goldfish in a betta tank with very warm water, the goldfish will probably suffer from temperature shock that could kill it. There are over 100 different types of Cories that you can choose from, but they all share something in common. Make sure you dont compromise on their basic requirements though. Zebra Loaches are a bit expensive due to their rarity. That means these fish need a powerful filtration system and a large tank of at least 20 gallons. These scavenger fish are good tank mates for Betta fish, as long as theyre kept in a group of three or more. While this is mostly true, a Zebra Loach is known to snack on fish with flowing fins. Fish that get along with bettas? You do not want to heal your betta and harm your snail by proxy. You must be very observant of whatever situation you put your betta fish in. The Zebra loach is an omnivore and will eat pretty much anything you offer, including tropical flakes, frozen and live meaty foods, tablets, and sinking pellets. Bristlenose Plecos are great for Betta aquariums for a while. Additionally, it is Make sure you add a decent amount of it to the breeding tank. Balloon Molly fish is a unique freshwater fish that are bred extremely short and round. This ailment is pretty common among the Zebra Loach. Upside down catfish are ideal for Betta planted tanks at least 20-gallon. You can either get the couple a separate breeding tank or breed them in a tank devoid of other fish species. Fish of the Month, Pet of the Month. Aside from environmental differences between bettas and swordtails, an aggressive betta fish would most likely try to attack the swordtails very attractive, flowing fins. Theyre a good addition to Betta tanks, and theyre also useful as they can eat the algae in the fish tank. Dont do it! Over time, your betta fish will lose its (apparently flavorful) slime coating to these fish. These guys are highly entertaining fish, but not in the same tank as a betta fish. For a peaceful fish like Zebra Loach Botia, any similar-sized fish with a friendly attitude will do just fine as a tank mate. So, do these aggressive fish need a companion in a captive situation? A Zebra Loach Botia spends most of its time at the water bottom, making it prone to infections. Theyre also useful because they can eat the algae and debris in the fish tank. In worst cases, the last resort is always taking medication you can find at local fish stores and talking to an experienced hobbyist. For a couple of fish (up to five inches in total) and one Betta, 10-gallons should be fine. Zebra Loaches claim their origin in the Western Ghats mountain range located in Southern India. The bigger tank you get, the better. An external protozoan parasite causes this ailment. Overly aggressive bettas should be housed by themselves to prevent accidents. Best Female Betta Tank Mates For 25 Gallons Or More, Best Schooling Betta Tank Mates For 25 Gallons Or More, Best Male Betta Tank Mates For 5-Gallon Tanks, Best Male Betta Tank Mates For 10-Gallon Tanks, Best Male Betta Tank Mates For Larger Tanks (20 Gallons Or More). Betta fish dont care about whose food is whose and will tend to eat anything and everything edible. Required fields are marked *. However, shy bettas will probably get along better with another type of friend. Theyre a kind of schooling fish that enjoy planted tanks. Theyre only three and a half inches long and are good companions for your Betta fish. Glass catfish, aka ghost or even phantom cats, can take a while to adjust to a They are tropical aquarium fish species that live in water Also, it is recommended to avoid much larger fish that may go after the Kuhli Loach as food. They typically grow up to 4 inches and have an ee-like shape. On top of their peaceful behavior and compatibility with Bettas, one of their advantages is that they eat the algae that form in the tank and other debris. Shrimp Species: Ghost Shrimp Bamboo Shrimp Cherry Shrimp 4. Some betta fish seem aggressive, while others will be calmer in general. They were first sighted in 1926 by the Indian Zoologist Narayan Rao. The hardness of the water should be between 5 to 20 dH. Theyre good tank mates, ideal for big Betta tanks. Even if it doesnt feel the need to do so, a soft substrate is necessary to ensure theres no rough abrasion between its barbels and substrate. However, they are stunning, peaceful, active, and non-aggressive. Platies will need to have a lot of live plants that they can swim through. You are using an out of date browser. So theyre perfect tank mates for your Betta fish, and they wont bother them. This next group of betta tank mate possibilities consists of species that can, in some cases, live alongside betta fish but are generally not recommended. The Clown Loach is an omnivorous, scaleless loach, with vibrant body coloring. Its safe to keep up to three dwarf frogs in a 1gallon Betta tank. Apart from this, you can use frozen foods, too. So, your poor betta fish might not have glorious long finnage for long if you decide to go with platies as tank mates. Or you landed on here because you had no idea what they are? Peaceful species like tetras and loaches do well with Zebra Loach. They have white spots on a black or brown body. These are the only female fish that we advise you to add to a Betta tank. Siamese fighting fish / Betta Paracheirodon sp. Ideally, only keep one cory catfish in the tank with your Betta fish. Most aquarium fish originate from tropical regions and prefer to swim in temperatures around 24 to 27C (75 and 80F). Theyre good for planted tanks that are at least 25 gallons. Zebra Loaches are used to different types of environments in the wild, but you should know what they need to thrive. The fish are great eaters and acclimate well to their new environment. Also, due to their nature of attacking snails, you cant house these bottom feeders with any small snail or shrimp. I loved mine! These are very common and do well in several tank sizes. These are good tank mates as long as you keep them in a large group to prevent Bettas from attacking them. After this, all you can do is wait for the female to lay eggs. The biggest difference between these two fish is that hillstream loaches originate from Southeast Asia, while plecos are found throughout South America. Zebra Loach is one of the most irresistible aquarium fish you will ever come across. Also, you can use your tank equipment and decorations to minimize chances of territorial behavior and aggression. If you were to start with 10 shrimp, after about a month, you might have more shrimp than water in the betta tank! With no long fins, your Betta will have nothing to nip at. Ember tetras, aka fire tetras, are also another tank mate option for large Betta tanks. In addition to the fins, the zebra loachs tail is also partially transparent. Male bettas especially are very territorial and aggressive, which is why you'll find them isolated in tiny plastic containers when you purchase them at the pet store. As their name suggests, these are miniature frogs that can truly make your tank unique! This allows for ASD to promote items that are more effective to promote via Amazon versus selling on this site due to shipping costs, the vendor's choice to only carry through Amazon, or order minimums. So, putting two aggressive-natured fish together is simply asking for trouble. Mark is the founder of Aquarium Store Depot. Either way, problem solved. Austin, Texas 78750. In the following, we discuss the top 10 best tank mates for betta fish. Zebra Loaches are extremely social and friendly. Skunk loach. Betta fish are intelligent, curious fish that can become stressed and miserable if not provided with plenty of entertainment in their environment. WebMost aquarists recommend keeping a group of around 6 to 9 Gold Zebra Loaches in a single tank. I just wanted to share my betta here who had a really severe case of fin rot. These fish are schooling fish and will be lost and stressed without their own companions to swim with. Algae is the main course for the nerite snail, which works well for both the betta and the owner. Aside from genetics, the general life cycle of most Zebra Loaches is between 8 to 15 years. Tetra Piaractus brachypomus: Pacu They eat algae and are compatible with one Betta fish. WebZebra Sewellia. Some loach species you might like to consider include: Loaches can also grow pretty large, depending on the species, so you must carefully research your preferred variety before taking one home. How many loaches should be kept together? Some of the snail-loving fish above prefer to eat baby snails as these are easier to digest. They are small and dont require much work to establish a healthy lifestyle. So theyre great to clean your tank and maintain good water conditions! Betta fish are beautiful with their vivid colors and dream-like fins. Once youre done with separating the male and the female Zebra Loaches, start pre-conditioning them to breed. Your betta prefers still water or a very gentle flow. If given enough space and proper care, apple snails can reach softball-size proportions. White Cloud Mountain minnows are similar to the common Neon tetra in terms of appearance and overall size, but they are not quite as brightly colored and flashy and are not known as fin nippers. Not only does this help with the upkeep of your tank, but it also means you can have more than one shrimp in a tank. So, Chinese algae eaters and betta fish shouldnt be kept in the same tank. But before I chalk out a whole list of Zebra Loach tank mates, you should understand their behavior first. The zebra loach is a friendly, The Bristlenose pleco can tolerate water temperatures between 60 and 80 F and a PH range of 5.5-7.6. But you get the idea. Please any advice. For planted tanks, planted tank substrate works great and wont bother your Zebra Loachs barbels. They tend to hang around the middle of the tank, so the live plants should stretch up to at least that point. If your Pygmy cory cats swim at the top of your fish tank, its a sign that the tanks water quality is bad and that you should perform a water change. We recommend you get no more than three mollies for your Betta fish tank. 8. Its good to add these shrimps in trios, so they dont fight each other and just need the water to be kept clean for them to be happy and peaceful. They are very easy keepers and quite peaceful as well. In this article, Ill walk you through a detailed information sheet that includes their natural habitat conditions, a useful guide to setting up their tank, ideal tank mates, and common diseases you should always keep an eye out for. Ideally, a tank size of 30 gallons does well for a decent group of Zebra Loaches. It is possible to keep a Betta with a community of When betta fish get curious about something, they often act like toddlers and put whatever they discover into their mouths. These things can influence Zebra Loach lifespan. As the name suggests, they like to stay upside down. They also inhabit a few regions of Bangladesh in a relatively smaller number. That is not something you want your betta to experience! As with other fish, after the Zebra Loach fry gets hatched, feed them infusoria for a couple of days. Some bettas are pretty laid-back dudes that will happily accept the inclusion of a few small, peaceful fish or invertebrates in their home. Changes to the aquarium environment, such as overall water condition or temperature, might cause problems for Otocinclus catfish. We are starting here because these fish share the same characteristics as the White Cloud Mountain minnow. Those which appear around the tail look vertical in shape. However, it will have to live at the top of this section instead. And no matter how hardy people say this fish is, a Zebra Loach cant survive in unhealthy water parameters for a long time. The main issue with guppies is that males are brightly colored, which can attract the attention of a feisty betta fish. Canister filters are even more necessary in planted aquariums. In their wild habitat, the Zebra Loach Botia stay active and explore their surroundings at a subdued pace. In general, with Betta fish, they wont bother your other fish as long as theyre plenty of space and if you add large groups of the same fish species. You can add three to five Zebra loaches to your Betta tank, so your Betta fish cant pick on one of them. So, a 10-gallon betta aquarium could do fine with three or four Corys. They never thrive living alone or in smaller groups. Glowlight tetras seem to light up when the light is low, hence their name. Guppies sold as feeder fish tend to be less brightly colored than Fancy guppies. r/bettafish Hi! Fighting (or eating) between the two rarely, if ever, breaks out. Theyre also very entertaining and add color to your aquarium with their vivid yellow bodies and black stripes. On the other hand, nerite snails usually only reach about an inch in size. 13 Safe and Compatible Betta Fish Tank Mates. He started in the aquarium hobby at the age of 11 and along the way worked at local fish stores. WebApr 26, 2022 12:15 AM EDT. The frogs usually hide under rocks during the daytime, and they like to float at the top of the fish tank during nighttime. If you want to go outside of their preferred criteria of a happy home, make sure you dont add aggressive, larger, or territorial fish to your list. Corydoras catfish or Corys are yet another fine tank-mate possibility. However, you should remember that each species has unique care needs, and you will need to research this before making your final selection. Retreating to narrower regions due to environmental threats, their normal community growth has been sharply stunted. Golden Zebra Loaches often snack on small shrimp and snails. Snail Species: Zebra Snails Nerite Snail Mystery Snails 3. WebSelling size: 2.5'' Clown Loaches are very sociable fish and love to be kept with other clown loaches. Nerite snails work well as a housekeeping service for betta fish because they are scavengers. A well-running aquarium, some good community friends, perfectly set water parameters, and precautions to minimize the chances of falling prey to common fish diseases count as some of the most important things to their proper care.