# Betta with Tetras?



## najicta (Sep 5, 2012)

Hello! My family has had a male betta for about 8 months now and I recently inherited a 20 gallon set up with 4 tetras, a plecostomus, and a freshwater shrimp. If I introduced the betta in with these other guys, would he do alright? is there a good way of "testing the waters" before letting him be free? I've heard different stories on whether or not a betta will attack any fish or just other bettas. Thanks for the help!:betta::fish5:


----------



## Miss Vicky (Jul 6, 2012)

Bettas see shrimp as food. If you try it, he may or may not get along well with the other fish (depends on his individual personality) but most likely the shrimp will be doomed.


----------



## RyLuci1021 (Jul 8, 2011)

I have a male betta in a 10 gal setup with 6 neon tetras and they are doing just fine. No problems at all. I did test him first with only 2 tetras to see how he would react towards them. I didnt really want to buy a bunch of them and find out that they were all dead the next day.


----------



## najicta (Sep 5, 2012)

Miss Vicky said:


> Bettas see shrimp as food. If you try it, he may or may not get along well with the other fish (depends on his individual personality) but most likely the shrimp will be doomed.


even though he is a big shrimp? Will the betta hunt him down? The shrimp seems to hide in the plants a lot...


----------



## Miss Vicky (Jul 6, 2012)

najicta said:


> even though he is a big shrimp? Will the betta hunt him down? The shrimp seems to hide in the plants a lot...


The size of the shrimp is irrelevant, the betta will just bite it death. The betta probably won't actively hunt the shrimp, but it's only a matter of time before the betta spots the shrimp and attacks. I've even heard of bettas and shrimp living together for months and then all of a sudden the betta kills the shrimp.


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

You have to understand where the betta comes from. Their native habitat may be shallow but expansive. In these waters there are shrimp that the betta will snack upon if they get the chance to. They are insectivores but will not miss an opportunity to catch a tasty treat. Also not to mention most betta are raised as brine shrimp and frozen mysis shrimp as part of their staple diet. 

With plants, given how heavily it is planted the shrimp stand a chance but I can make no promises. On the tetras, its something you would have to try out. I would get a live bearer trap to house the betta in for a few days in the tank to see how he reacts with them in there. Then release him. Once he is out watch him to see what he does. Tetras are fast so theres a good chance, depending on the numbers they could be too swift for him to give chase or he sees them as too many to mess with.


----------



## najicta (Sep 5, 2012)

I found another thread with a similar question, strictly pertaining to shrimp and the consensus was that as long as the shrimp was a ghost shrimp (which mine is!) all should be fine! We added our betta in around 2pm (after a couple hours of acclimation) this afternoon and he has been happily exploring his new environment with no adverse reactions to the other occupants  knock on wood that it stays this way!! thanks for the responses everyone!
:animated_fish_swimm:betta::animated_fish_swimm

Edit: I should add that he is a very docile betta... we've had many bettas and he is certainly the most attentive to us but the most calm as well. I think he is going to be just fine


----------



## Tralyn (Dec 2, 2011)

What kind of tetras are they? Even though some tetras are non-aggressive, they still are nippy fish. I had a very docile betta in a 15g with platys, mollies, and a pleco. Everyone got along great. My dads 55g was having some algae problems and all he had left was 5 neon tetras, so we moved them to my tank so he could clean his. Everything was going great for a few weeks, then all of the sudden the neons started going after my betta. When this started happening, I realized the neons overstayed their welcome and had to go. Those neons are back in my dads 55g and are living happily. I wish I could say the same for my betta  he died of old age a few months ago. R.I.P Thundersnow. I miss you.


----------

