There comes the time when you decide to bring in a change to your tank. After having your betta pet alone in a tank, you think of changing something. You rearrange the tank, you change the decorations, you buy new plants and now there are no more ideas. Nothing crosses your mind except to introduce a new fish and enrich something that is already beautiful.
Introducing a new tank mate is very challenging if you take into account that bettas are aggressive by nature. But fortunately, there are many kinds of fish that can live along with bettas. One of them are ember tetras or more commonly called fire tetras, which joined with bettas do make a stunning picture.
We are about to help you find out as much as possible about these two kinds and things you need to provide so that you can put this idea, of joining these two, into work.
In this article:
Water Conditions for Ember Tetras and Bettas
These two species luckily share similar requirements when it comes to water. Ember tetras like almost the same water temperature as bettas and that is between 74 and 82 degrees. They also like softer water with a PH between 5.5 and 7 and bettas go with 6.5 to 7.5. If you keep the PH at 7,0 will suit both species. There is a slight difference when it comes to water hardness for bettas which is 3 to 4 dGH and for ember tetras it should be under 18 dGH. When it comes to this parameter you should go with bettas preferable tolerance.
Both species need space even though they are rather small in size. You should provide at least a 15-gallon tank for a betta and a shoal of six ember tetras. And also, the shape of a tank is important so it is better to go with a long tank rather than a tall one.
Ember Tetra With Betta: Do They Get Along?
These small fish do not grow big, in general up to 1 inch, where females are a bit fatter than males. They remind of fire due to the intense fiery red all over the body except for the caudal fin which has a shade of black or gray. They originate from waters covered in thick vegetation and full of driftwood which helps them hide successfully. That is why they occupy the middle of the tank among plants and decorations while bettas tend to be around the top. This is good because they do not bother each other and do not endanger bettas territory. They should be kept in shoals of five to six and more like ten to twelve if possible. That way they will feel more secure and won’t hide all the time. They are extremely active and fast swimmers. Their life span is from two to four years so you can enjoy their beauty for a long.
Ember tetras are fin nippers and bettas are territorial and aggressive by nature. So, you have to be careful when introducing these two kinds. To avoid their bad features coming to light, arrange the tank so that they have plenty of space and a lot of hiding places to occupy both kinds.
Ember tetras love to hide so arranging a tank is very important for them. Provide a lot of hiding places using plants and decorations. Use a gravel dark colored substrate if possible so that the color of both species comes to light. If you go with floating plants, you will provide dim lighting and a place for a betta to build a bubble nest.
Can Ember Tetras Eat Betta Food?
When it comes to food you need to keep in mind that they do not share the same diet and need to be fed on their own. Bettas are carnivores and ember tetras are omnivores. Bettas need a lot of proteins and meat and ember tetras should have more plant matter and less meat in their diet. A diet for an ember tetra should have vegetables, tropical flakes, shrimp pellets and bloodworms.
How to Choose an Ember Tetra?
Before you bring tetras to your tank you need to purchase the best possible specimens. Always look at the tank first and if you are pleased with the conditions where ember tetras live then check the other things.
Choose those that swim actively, not just laying at the bottom, floating at the surface or hiding behind the plants. Check for the color it has to be vibrant fire-red with no white spots on it. The fins should be intact, not torn or ragged. Since you are picking a shoal not every fish will be the way you imagined but try to choose the best you can.
How Many Ember Tetras Can I Keep With My Betta?
Ember tetras need space, as we already mentioned so if you have a tank that is 15 gallons you can keep a betta with a shoal of six Ember tetras. If your tank is bigger, you can increase the number of tetras. The more ember tetras you introduce the bigger tank you need, but surely you will enjoy it.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, a Betta and Ember tetras can live together in harmony. They are very compatible when it comes to tank parameters and set-up. There are some differences when it comes to food and diet but it is not too difficult to handle.
If you decide to keep them together pay attention to this:
- You need to provide a tank of at least 15 gallons if you want to start with a betta and a shoal of six Ember tetras (a shoal of six is the minimum you can keep)
- You need plenty of plants to provide hiding places for both kinds
- Carefully arranging the tank and introduce some decorations, driftwood and a dark colored gravel
- Bettas are carnivores and Ember tetras are omnivores keep that in mind and provide a balanced diet so that both fish needs are satisfied
- Keep the water parameters within the range so that it suits both kinds
- Introduce a healthy shoal of Ember tetras to your betta pet, be careful to choose the one with all the positive features we mentioned above.