# Clown Killi and Betta and other community tank mates



## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

It would depend on the betta. Some are fine with other fish, some try to kill them. Do you have a secondary option for if the betta doesn't get along?


----------



## Dropped (Oct 14, 2014)

I would not try it, Betta will attack anything that has a lot of colour. Also other fish are known to nip and eat bettas tails.

Generally you would not put colourful fish with betta for this reason.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

What's your filtration and flow like? Do you have a baffle your outflow or have a cover over your intake? What is the venal decor like?
Bettas have VERY delicate fins and can easily shred them on the intake or misc. items in the tank. Get a cheap nylon stocking and rub it over everything in the tank: fake decor/plants, rocks, wood, parts of filter in the tank.
Bettas also cannot take strong flow in tanks, especially long finned bettas but even plakats (shirt find) get blown around a tank easy. It's easy enough to make baffles with cheap filed foam/sponge.
If these issues make you nix on betta option look into gourami's. True honey gouramis can be kept in small groups peacefully, dwarf gouramis and kissing gouramis tend to be more aggressive. If you aren't scared off by bettas you can get 1 male or try a sorority (6 or more females) need lot of line of sight break up for them though.


----------



## StrangeDejavu (Jun 23, 2014)

Betta splendens is a no-no, they will likely try to kill anything colorful as they believe it's another betta. You could try Betta imbellis, they may or may not be stressed by the killifish. Unlike B. splendens, an Imbellis dispute is usually resolved with some gill flaring and maybe some chasing.


----------



## Fishly (Jan 8, 2010)

I think the aggressive nature of bettas is often overstated. You'll notice that if you put two bettas in a divided tank where they can constantly see each other, they'll flare a ton for the first week and only occasionally thereafter. If you put a betta in with other fish, they might chase them a bit at first, but after a while they'll give up and keep to themselves. I usually put the betta in a breeder box in the tank and when the betta stops flaring at the other fish I let it out. That prevents a lot of issues.

I don't think bettas' instinct to flare is based on color, but on body shape and swimming pattern. Bettas seem more inclined to drive off rival mates than simple trespassers. A platy, for instance, is tolerated, but a gourami or female betta is not. So they're not territorial in the sense that anything that comes near them must die, but rather in the sense that they don't want any breeding competitors hanging around. As long as it's not another anabatid, they should be fine.

Of course, it depends on the particular betta and you should always have a back up plan in case it goes wrong, but if you look up "betta community" on YouTube you'll find it's not that uncommon for bettas to live peacefully with other fish.


----------



## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Totally depends on the betta. I've had some that were happy to tolerate shrimp and even a rescue guppy. I've had another that tried to kill everything, including heater, filter, gravel, plants, and himself. Use caution and have a backup tank.

Also, plakat type bettas have much shorter fins and tails, allowing them to swim freely and you won't have to worry about shredded fins from decor


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

I think bettas get a bad wrap in regards to compatibility. I've seen several community tanks with them. Granted they are like people; everyone has their own personality, some don't mind others, others prefer being solo. If you get a betta, just have a backup plan in case it is one of the anti social ones. Having a densely planted tank to let everyone easily break line of sight is a *big *help.
Granted its not colorful fish I've kept 2 male bettas (in separate tanks) with otos just fine. One actually bonded with them and ate their food with them including zucchini and algae wafers.. no really! I have photos to prove it (set to fast). He also ate snails in the tank and betta pellets + frozen foods. The otos seem to get some of the betta dare-delivery/fearlessness from that boy too. They liked to play 'dart under the siphon' when I did water changes x.x make it harder to clean with them hovering around the cleaning device. I named that betta Arist'oto' (from Aristotle + otocinclus) since he hung out with them so much.
The other betta and oto group got along fine, that boy is partly blind from scales covering a bit of his eyes. He'd flare at the otos when lights were out but never chased or pecked them, they wre eventually moved to other tanks though to fill out oto #s in there, get some nice loose schooling/shoaling from them now (otos).


----------



## zuc (Mar 29, 2012)

I have a weak Aqueon QuietFlow 30, but I'll make adjustments to make it weaker since I read Clown Killis also like their water on the calmer side. Also, I am looking at a plakat to buy, so I won't have to worry much about their delicate fins. 

I'm not sure what's the difference between Imbellis and Splendens... nothing on Google is showing up. 

I guess compatibility of the Betta just depends on the fish, from what I've gathered from your posts. Hopefully the Betta I plan to buy isn't aggressive. I do have a back up plan, so thanks for that suggestion. 

Thanks guys  I appreciate the help

PS AquaAurora: love the slideshow haha


----------



## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

I have a king betta (bigger than most bettas, short tail) in my community tank with glowlight tetras and pencilfish. He chases the pencils when he sees them doing their dominance-dance thing, but he quits when they calm down and stop acting dominant. Big guy chased the glowlights for the first day, but then he left them alone.


----------



## StrangeDejavu (Jun 23, 2014)

zuc said:


> I'm not sure what's the difference between Imbellis and Splendens... nothing on Google is showing up.


Imbellis are wild bettas. They look very much like a Plakat but are more mellow as far as temperament goes. You can even keep multiple males in the same tank as long as there's plenty of territory for everyone, hence the nickname "Peaceful Betta".


----------



## zuc (Mar 29, 2012)

Does that mean captive bred bettas are splendens? Or is it more complicated than that?

Bettas I have in mind:


----------



## StrangeDejavu (Jun 23, 2014)

zuc said:


> Does that mean captive bred bettas are splendens? Or is it more complicated than that?
> 
> Bettas I have in mind:


PetSmart, Petco and Wal-Mart bettas are Betta splendens, yes. "Splendens" only refers to the species of betta being bred and sold- it isn't a type of title if that's what you're wondering. The betta genus actually contains 65 different species, with Betta splendens being the one man chose to domesticate and selectively breed to have the flowing tails and flashy colors we see in stores.

Nice choice btw, I love plakats.  Check out Betta mahachaiensis sometime, love the tails on these guys too.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Betta splendids are the captive bred, they generally can adapt to different pH and hardness more readily than any of the wild types. I'm sure there's an exception for several-generations-bred wild types within aquariums, but usually wild types need low pH in the 6s range, and the common sold betta can take pretty much any pH as long as its acclimated properly. You betta choices are very lovely (like the second one more for the smoother tail)! Are they from ebay or aquabid? US seller or Taiwan? (if Taiwan make sure you get in contact with one of their listed transshipeprs before you buy, and for either check their reviews to make sure there not a "got dead betta" issues). If you found those locally and not online I hate you!! Never get those pretty types around here :c


----------



## zuc (Mar 29, 2012)

Oh I see now. Thanks for the heads up!

I picked the second one a few hours ago and I'm going to pick it up Saturday. Glad I made the right choice  And sorry, it's from a local breeder hehe. It's only fair though, because it's extremely difficult to order online and a lot of fauna (like CRS RCS and nerites) are illegal here.


----------



## Madsci (Dec 9, 2012)

I wouldn't do it - I put a betta fish in with my sjoestedti killis a couple years ago. They all got along for a few days until my killis decided to murder the betta when I was out of town for a couple days.

Clown killis are altogether a different fish though (different genus), so I'm sure my comment isn't much help. :hihi:


----------



## zuc (Mar 29, 2012)

If anyone happens to look at this, I got the betta and he's getting along with everyone- ghost shrimps, neons, and the clown killis. By that, I mean he rarely scares them away but does not chase/harass them.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

zuc said:


> If anyone happens to look at this, I got the betta and he's getting along with everyone- ghost shrimps, neons, and the clown killis. By that, I mean he rarely scares them away but does not chase/harass them.


Glad to hear! now post a tank journal with some fish photos (or here works too)!


----------



## zuc (Mar 29, 2012)

lol my tank is too simple for a journal. But I'll try to post pics when the clowns are grown up and when I fully stock it!


----------

