Can Neon Tetra Live with Bettas?

Do you want an aesthetic for your fish tank, and you wonder what combination of aquarium fish can you put in your fish tank, “can neon tetras live with bettas?”

Can neon tetra live with bettas? Well, yes, both fish can coexist but you need to get the fish tank setup right. They would actually get along very fine if you get your tank suitable for them.

Now, you wonder what is the right tank setup for these fish. Both fish will need a tank that is 20 gallons in size with lots of mid-height aquarium plants and floating plants.

Fish need to always have that sense of safety, to give this to neon tetras and bettas in your fish tank, you need to perfect the amount of hiding space and open space for them.

How many Neon Tetras can live with betta?

If you plan to put neon tetra live with one betta, you need to add at least 6 neon tetras. The ideal amount is around 10 – 12.

Because neon tetras are schooling fish. Keeping them in groups not only relieve their stress, but also help them avoid being chased by betta fish.

Would Betta Fish Kill Neon Tetras?

Without the right knowledge of owning a fish tank, you could go-ahead to have the wrong combination of fish in your tank. This would only cause disaster in your fish tank, harm to the weaker fish and loss for yourself.

An aggressive betta can kill a neon tetra if not properly introduced in the fish tank. Bettas are territorial and this could cause stress for neon tetras that so much loves to swim around.

Once bettas secures a tank to themselves, they do not welcome guests. Therefore, it is totally advisable that you introduce neon tetras first in the tank then the betta can just claim a portion of the tank.

Another shot at successfully placing neon tetras and bettas in your tank without the aggressive betta getting to bully the neon tetras is to first place the betta in a container into your tank so it gets familiar with the neon tetras.

By so doing, they get to accommodate each other before physical contact.

What Food Can Neon Tetra and Betta Eat?

This is where you have a major deviation in characteristics of Neon Tetra and Betta. Betta fish are carnivores while Neon tetras are omnivores.

As such, your neon tetra can eat the live food that you give to bettas. This is not the same for bettas as they cannot eat food specific for neon tetras. For example, quality flakes which is considered best for your neon tetra.

This does not however mean that you should only feed them live food because they are in the same tank. Neon tetras would need their specific foods for a healthier growth.

The range of food you can give to these fish include bloodworms, daphnia, pellets, mosquito larvae, brine shrimps. Remember that excess bloodworm can lead to constipation in your pet fish. So, feed them bloodworms sparingly.

With this knowledge, you can create the most suitable feeding pattern for your Neon Tetra and Betta.

What Tank Condition is Best for Neon Tetra and Betta Fish?

Neon Tetras and Betta Fish do not have exactly the same tank preference for survival. But, you can find a common ground.

The most suitable temperature for the two fish species is somewhere around 76-78 deg. F. Your fish will do well within the temperature range.

For water pH setting, your neon tetra and betta will settle for a pH between 6 and 7.5.

Another important tank setting you must put into due consideration is lighting. Luckily, the two fish species love dimmer lights although for different reasons. Dimmer lighting make neon tetras feel as if in their natural habitat, while for bettas, it gives them room to hide.

Simply setup your aquarium for neon tetra and betta with the guideline and see your fish thrive happily.

Note that Neon Tetras are hardier species than Bettas in general, however, they will respond to dramatic changes in water temperature conditions quite easily.

Do You Need Heater for a Tank Containing Neon Tetra and Betta?

Before you’d consider getting an aquarium heater for your tank, you should first consider if the fish in your tank needs a heater. Do bettas need an aquarium heater? Yes, they do.

Bettas are tropical fish found in the amazon living in a temperature ranging from 76 to 81 (24 to 27). It is pertinent that their fish tank imitates the water condition as their natural habitat.

If your home doesn’t maintain that temperature all year long, then, you need an aquarium heater for your tank. You need a water filter too even though wild bettas live in murky puddles.

Heaters help your betta maintain body temperature else they get cold, lie on their side and you call them lazy.

For Neon Tetras,

Lastly, they could live in tanks or bowls without all these requirements. But, that doesn’t mean they are thriving rather they’d be easily exposed to diseases and fin rot.

Do Bettas even Need the Company of Neon Tetra?

Since bettas are aggressive and territorial, how about not putting them in a tank with other fish? Do they get lonely, do they get bored? Do you have those questions on your mind now; worry not about them, they do not get lonely one bit.

Bettas would prefer not being in a fish tank with any other fish, not even another betta else you get to see them fighting a lot which has earned them the name – Siamese fighting fish. Surprising how alone they want to be.

Bettas are more likely to feel bored than lonely. You can see them mostly in small fish bowls with small swimming spaces, which results in boredom.

Good water condition, enough tank space, feeding, and places for hiding then your betta is good to go. However, this doesn’t mean that bettas cannot live in a fish tank with certain species of fish or snails.

Last Thoughts

This page clears the air for those asking questions such as “Can neon tetra live with bettas?”, “Can guppies live with bettas?”, “Would betta kill neon tetras?”, “Do bettas get lonely?”, “Can barbs live with bettas?” and other related questions.

In the end, we got to know that neon tetras can live with bettas. But you would need to get the fish tank set up right else bettas would pick on neon tetras.

Other things we found out is that bettas although are territorial. They could live with other aquarium fish if you as the fish owner set up the fish tank correctly. This includes setting up hiding areas, enough space, right water temperature.

For emphasis, in most cases introduce bettas last into fish tanks so they don’t claim the whole tank.