Can Betta Fish Live With Corydoras?

Can Betta Fish Live With Corydoras?

You have got your new freshwater tank set up and ready to receive its first fish but when it comes to choosing the right species, you must think about which will live well together. There are so many different freshwater fish but corydoras and betta fish are among some of the most popular, but can they live together?

Betta fish and corydoras make really good tank mates. For the most part, they will inhabit different areas of the aquarium so won’t really bother with one another very often. However, you will need to make sure that the living conditions are favorable for both species, but mostly the corydora, and this means paying special attention to certain things.

But don’t let this put you off. Keeping corydoras and betta fish together is not difficult and we are here to help you get your water conditions spot on to make the best life for these two stunning species.

See Also:

Keeping Betta Fish With Corydoras

One of the biggest concerns about keeping corydoras and betta fish together is that the territorial betta may become very aggressive. It is worth watching your betta for a while before introducing a cory catfish to assess his individual temperament and if you think he is aggressive then it might be worth allowing him to live alone. ON the other hand, if he seems like a relatively peaceful fish, go ahead and give it a try.

An Introduction To Betta And Corydoras

The betta fish is a pretty resilient little animal and provided that the tank parameters are within boundaries, they will tolerate low-level changes far better than other species. So when it comes to keeping them with other fish, you will need to pay attention to the needs of the tank mates more closely than those of the betta.

So, if you have decided to house a corydora or two with your betta then it is important to get to know what these catfish needs. For starters, you should think about where the corydora comes from. These fish are found across the continent of South America and they are typically found in slow waters with a lot of plant life.

Finding their food within the substrate, these are peaceful fish that come in a variety of species. But none of these species is unsuitable for living with a betta fish so don’t spend too much time thinking about which you will choose.

Corydoras, which are sometimes called cory catfish, come in a huge range of patterns and colors. There are even albino species which are very unique and interesting to look at.

One of the most important factors to consider when adding corydoras into a tank with betta fish is that the water conditions are just right. They do need similar conditions to the betta which is one of the things that makes them great tank mates, but as we have discovered, the cory catfish may be more prone to the effects of any changes.

The pH of the water must remain between7.0 and 7.8 in order for the cory to thrive. What’s more, it is important to maintain a temperature between 70 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Staying towards the higher end of this scale is preferable. But in any case, stability is the most important factor for these catfish so try to avoid any unnecessary fluctuations.

Are Corydoras Aggressive?

If you have got a betta in your aquarium, then you will be familiar with the fact that these are not the most peaceful fish and they won’t think twice about defending their territory. However, while corydoras aren’t the most aggressive species, they probably won’t clash with your betta and this is because they inhabit a totally different area of the tank.

Cory catfish are bottom dwellers but your betta will spend most of its time in the middle or top of the water column. This means that they will rarely interact. However, there may be times when the cory comes up to find food and they will sometimes come out of the top of the water, so it is important to keep a lid on your tank to avoid them escaping.

You will also notice that your corydoras won’t ever attempt to fight a betta or any other fish, for that matter. But they are rather sociable fish so it is a good idea to keep them in groups to avoid them becoming bored or depressed; yes fish can get depressed!

Do Corydoras And Betta Fish Have Similar Diets?

One of the things that you should always consider when pairing fish is whether they have a similar diet. While it won’t do any harm to keep fish that don’t have similar diets in the same tank, it can save you the hassle of having to provide two separate meals every time you feed your pets.

Corydoras are foragers and will spend a lot of their time sniffing around in the substrate looking for particles of food. They are also excellent algae eaters so are great if you want a fish that will help towards the maintenance of your tank. What’s also great is that they will clear up any leftovers from the betta, further keeping the tank clean.

However, just because they spend a lot of time scavenging, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t provide them with a meal every day. These are omnivorous animals so you have some great options when it comes to what you feed them. Also, since the betta is a carnivore, many of the foods you will offer serve the needs of both fish.

That said, you may be better off providing sinking food for the corydora and floating pellets for the betta fish. This again plays to the specific areas of the tank that these creatures frequent.

You can feed both species at the same time but you must be mindful not to offer too much or there is a risk of overfeeding. Not to mention that the quality of the water may be affected. You can add in enough food for them to consume within two minutes and this should be done twice a day.

Do Corydoras Need Specific Water Conditions?

While the betta is a relatively hardy fish that can tolerate some fluctuations in the water conditions, the corydora is a lot more sensitive, even to subtle changes. If you are going to keep cory catfish with your betta then you will need to ensure that the water remains perfect otherwise there is a risk of the cory suffering seriously ill health.

Nitrate is one of the biggest problems for these fish so always be sure to keep these levels as low as possible. If not, the fish become stressed and this can make them more susceptible to disease. Once the disease is in the tank, this can spread to your bettas and wipe them all out. The best way to stay on top of this is to regularly test the water.

Since corydoras feed on the substrate, you should try to make sure that you don’t disturb it too much. That said, it’ll still need cleaning but when you do vacuum it, do this as gently as possible.

Setting Up Your Tank Correctly

One of the great things about keeping betta fish and corydoras together is that they thrive in very similar habitats. This allows fish keepers to set up their tank in a way that caters to the needs of both fish.

You don’t need a huge tank for these species and something around ten gallons should be more than enough. However, the more fish you put in, the bigger the tank will need to be.

These fish both also love a heavily planted tank so be sure to pack in as many live plants as you can. This better replicates the natural habitat of the fish as well as giving them lots of hiding places which is always important. If you want to, you can also add in things like driftwood and rocks.

You will need to make sure that your chosen substrate is suitable for your cory catfish to forage in but also don’t choose a substrate that is very coarse or sharp as this can snag the fins of the betta should they venture to the bottom of the tank.

Conclusion

Betta fish and corydoras are some of the most sought-after aquarium fish out there and they make really good tank mates. One of the most important factors is to make sure that the water conditions remain stable as while the betta is relatively hardy, the corydora will become stressed if there are any changes.