A betta does not need other fish for company. A solo, planted tank is the simplest starting point. If you want companions, choose for the individual betta’s behaviour as well as shared water needs and enough space.
Read the betta care guide →Keep a separate, suitable home available before trying a community. A betta that chases, corners or prevents another animal from feeding needs separation; passing a compatibility calculator cannot predict that individual response.
The comparisons below use a 20-gallon long tank, one betta and one companion group at a time. They are not recommendations to add several groups to a 10-gallon betta tank. Provide sight breaks, surface access and feeding areas where quieter fish can eat.
Each card is one separate example. The model’s result and the editorial guidance answer different parts of the decision.
A conditional bottom-dwelling option
A full cory group occupies a different level, but the tank must have enough floor space. Feed them sinking food directly and choose a temperature suitable for both; they do not live on leftovers.
Example: 1 betta + 6 Panda cory in a 20-gallon long.
No blockers or warnings in this example’s current checks. Individual behaviour and breeding still need your judgment.
Possible, with a backup plan
Use a complete school with open swimming space. Watch for chasing or damaged fins after introduction, and do not compress this example into a smaller tank just because both species are small.
Example: 1 betta + 8 Neon tetra in a 20-gallon long.
No blockers or warnings in this example’s current checks. Individual behaviour and breeding still need your judgment.
Not our first choice
Conspicuous tails and active guppies may be a poor match for an individual betta. The model may show no warning for this pair; that is not evidence that tail shape or individual aggression has been ruled out.
Example: 1 betta + 6 Guppy in a 20-gallon long.
No blockers or warnings in this example’s current checks. Individual behaviour and breeding still need your judgment.
Predation risk
A betta may eat shrimp, especially their young. Plants and hiding places do not guarantee survival. Use a separate shrimp tank if keeping the colony matters to you.
Example: 1 betta + 6 Cherry shrimp in a 20-gallon long.
Blocker: Betta may eat Cherry shrimp and their youngBetta may eat Cherry shrimp and their young
Betta may eat Cherry shrimp and their young.Betta may eat Cherry shrimp and their young.
Do not assume bright colours or long fins are harmless because the water ranges overlap. The engine does not model every strain or individual’s response. Male bettas must not be combined, and a community is not a solution for a betta that is already aggressive.
Compare complete communities by tank size →There is no universally safe companion. A solo betta avoids interspecies conflict. In a sufficiently large tank, a properly sized peaceful group may be possible, but observe the individual betta and be prepared to separate.
We do not make guppies a default recommendation. Shared water ranges are only part of the decision; ornate tails, activity and the betta’s individual response can still create problems.
No. Each row is a separate worked example. Combining the rows changes stocking, territory and waste, so check the entire proposed community again.
Original companion-selection guidance: curated-v0 (needs expert review), medium confidence. Model comparisons use data 0.3.0. Care values retain their field-level sources in the linked species profiles. These pages are not expert-reviewed compatibility guarantees.
Further reading from the betta care guide
How we handle sources and corrections →
