Platyfish are peaceful fish, while bettas are known for their aggression. With such different temperaments, can you keep bettas and platies together?
Betta fish and platies can live together if the tank is large enough – at least 20 gallons – and is well set up with plenty of plants, hiding spots, and proper chemistry. To reduce aggression, keep female bettas with your platies because they are fairly docile compared to their males.
As a rule of thumb, do not overstock the aquarium to allow bettas enough space to create their territory.
Do bettas and platies eat the same food?
Bettas and platies may eat the same food but have different feeding habits. Platies are omnivorous and therefore feed on both plants and meat, while betta fish are carnivorous and primarily feed on meat.
Platies will eat all types of food you throw in the aquarium, which can easily create a problem as the fish compete to eat.
To ensure that both species coexist in the tank, provide meaty foods such as bloodworms and vegetables like broccoli and cucumber.
Differences in requirements
To ensure your bettas and platies thrive well in the same tank, you must understand their different requirements.
Here’s a comparison of the care requirements for bettas and platies:
| Betta fish | Platy fish |
| Betta fish are carnivorous. | Platyfish are omnivorous. |
| Bettas require 2-4 pellets per day. | Platies need one meal per day. |
| Bettas prefer a water hardness of 5-20 dGH. | Platyfish require a water hardness of 4-12 dGH. |
| pH level: 6.5-7.5 | pH level: 6.8-8.3 |
| Temperature: 76-850F | Temperature: 70-820F |
Feeding needs
Ensure that the food you provide the fish contains both vegetables and meaty food. Though platies will eat all types of food, you can feed them with:
- nutritious pellets
- Worms such as tubifex worms and bloodworms.
- Flakes.
- Boiled vegetables such as zucchini and squash.
Since betta fish are carnivorous, they prefer meaty and live food. Bettas will hunt down aquatic insects such as brine shrimp, daphnia, and fruit flies. They also feed on mosquito larvae, fish eggs, and small-bodied fish like platy fry.
Bettas may also feed on some vegetables such as cucumbers which promote digestion, and peas which can help a constipated fish. You can feed the bettas with flakes, pellets, and frozen/freeze-dried worms.
Feeding frequency
Though bettas can go for two weeks without food, it is advisable to feed them frequently for optimum health. You should feed them 2-4 betta pellets per day.
You can place fresh or frozen foods once or twice weekly to substitute the pellets.
Platies eat faster than bettas and will overfeed if you put too much food in the tank. Therefore, feed the adult platies once per day. You should supply the younger platies with small portions of feeds 2-3 times a day.
Water conditions
Betta and platies can survive in the same water conditions but have slightly different requirements. Here’s a comparison of water conditions for bettas and platies:
| Betta fish | Platy fish |
| Water pH: 6.5-7.5 | Water pH: 6.8-8.3 |
| Temperature: 76F to 85F | Temperature: 70 to 82F |
| Water hardness: 5-20 dGH | Water hardness: 4-12 dGH |
Other profile differences
Though bettas and platies can live together peacefully, they vary in profile. These include their lifespan, aggression, reproduction, etc. Let’s look at how these two species differ.
Lifespan
Betta’s lifespan ranges from two to four years, with the average lifespan being three years. However, with the right water conditions and care, they can live up to 5 years. On the other hand, platies have a shorter lifespan of 1 – 4 years in tanks and 5 years in the wild.
On average, mature bettas are 2.25-inches but can grow up to 3-inches long, while mature platies may grow up to 3 inches, with the female platies being larger than males.
Reproduction
While platies are livebearers, bettas reproduce by laying eggs. If you have male and female platies, they usually end up mating. On average, the female platy will give birth to up to 40 fry.
Betta’s reproduction process involves the male forming a bubble nest and attracting the female for a mating process. The female lays her eggs, and the male fertilizes them. It only takes about 36-72 hours for the eggs to hatch.
Betta fish are aggressive and can easily flare gills or show signs of attack if they are kept with platies in a small tank.
Platies are generally active, peaceful, and not aggressive to other tank mates. However, the males may fight amongst each other if there are fewer females. Keeping one male and 2-3 females is advisable to prevent fighting.
Platies are also shy and can hide under rocks, plants, or tank corners, especially if they feel threatened.
Though bettas are aggressive, their temperament can vary from one individual species to another.
For instance, the Betta Imbellis is a peaceful betta that is friendly and less aggressive, while the Plakat bettas are very aggressive. If you pick the right betta species, they can live peacefully with platies without any fights.
Common problems when keeping bettas with platies
Although you can keep bettas and platies together, you will experience some challenges. Some of the common problems you might encounter include:
Fights
Bettas may turn aggressive and start attacking the platies, leading to serious injuries or death. If you notice that one specific betta is very aggressive, you can remove it from the aquarium.
You can reduce aggression by setting up a large-sized tank for your platies and bettas than the normal standard recommendations.
Reproduction
The bettas may attack pregnant platies leading them to hide and not eat enough food. When the platies give birth, the bettas, which are carnivorous, will attack and feed on the fry.
To ensure your platy fry grows healthy and peaceful, set aside a spawning tank and keep the platy fry there.
Feeding
Platies are fast swimmers and eaters; they may eat more food and leave bettas hungry.
Conclusion
Though betta fish are very aggressive, they can live in the same tank with platies if you provide for their different needs. To ensure they live peacefully, you must consider the tank setup/size, feeding requirements, and water parameters.
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References
- Betta Fish Care: https://home.adelphi.edu/~ve21375/Betta%20Fish%20Care.html
- Mirari Elcoro, Stephanie P Da Silva, and Kennon A Lattal: Visual Reinforcement in the Female Siamese Fighting Fish
