Can I put a school of cardinal tetras with my betta?

[Hey.its.jayy]

I have a planted ten gallon with a betta fish, and I've heard that cardinal tetras could make good tank mates for bettas. I've never kept a betta with other fish and I'm, just not sure if I should risk it. I'm also not sure if ten gallons is enough room for a happy school. Should I just get another tank? Any oppinions?

[Maggie]

Cory has several betta videos on YouTube, and there is one of them on tankmates for 10 gallon betta tanks. There's another video on 20 gallon tankmates which makes me wish I'd gotten a 20 gallon aquarium for my betta. Here's the playlist. 

 

[Kirsten]

You could, but I agree that 10g is a little too close for comfort. Some bettas can get a little stressed with active schooling fish. I have a betta in a planted 10g with 6 pygmy cories and they've learned to live together with no injuries, only a little chasing at the beginning, but I can't help but think that the cories would be happier and more active in a larger tank.

If I could re-do my betta tank, I'd just do nerite and ramshorn snails with him, but I love snails.

[Fresh_Water_Fish_Eeez]

I think it depends on the general disposition of your beta. I keep 7 neon tetra with my beta. When I first introduced the neon tetra, I set aside a few hours where I could be right by the tank observing his reaction and ready to rescue the tetra if needed. At first, my beta followed them around the tank, he was curious about them. After a little time, the beta and the neons kind of went their separate ways in the tank. Now they seem to occupy different levels of the tank primarily. I feed the beta first at feeding time, and that gets the neons all excited to eat, therefore less of their slow sinking pellets go to the bottom of the tank. Good luck with your fish keeping adventures! 

[Ben Ellison]

I think it's definitely doable. I would have a secondary tank to move fish to if it goes sideways though.

[Brandy]

I have done this with 2 different bettas in 2 different tanks. Generally it works out great. Most of my bettas have had long fins over the years, so they are very slow, and they can't single out a tetra in a school. They chase them for a few minutes and then give up.

[Sophie]

I don't know, but I think it will be ok. Just so you know, my betta Ariel ate one of my neon tetras.

[Guppysnail]

I’ve done betta with neons. They were happy but it was a 20. My neons were very active so I don’t think the betta (Bruno) would have been so chilled out with them in a 10. I guess it depends on your betta temperament 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I've read some advice that suggested to take the betta out, put the school of fish in, then in 30-60 minutes put the betta back in.  So there is no immediate territorial dispute.  You could also try, when adding the betta back in, to add him into a breeder box and see how he acts with the other fish there before releasing him.