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So you're wondering if you can keep your better with dwarf puffer fish and I'm
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gonna answer the question straight away which is no it's a terrible idea but
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don't worry stick around because I've got some great suggestions for tank
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mates for both a better and your dwarf puffers. Howdy friends, welcome back to
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the channel if you're new here my name is Richard and I'm a fish and shrimp keeper based in the UK. So why is it such a terrible idea to keep a better and
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dwarf puffers or a single dwarf puffer together? Well for starters both fish are
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considered aggressive species of fish. Betters are famous for their their aggression and their desire to often fight any fish that comes along. In fact
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their common name used to be the Siamese fighting fish. Now although bettors are
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considered aggressive they're also surprisingly easily bullied. Now a dwarf Dwarf puffer is also an aggressive species of fish
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If you've ever kept dwarf puffers, you will know they could barely live with themselves. So nevermind with any other fish I currently keep three dwarf puffers in a seven gallon tank which is fairly small for three dwarf puffers but it heavily planted and each fish has carved out its own
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territory. But if one dwarf puffer strays into the territory of another, they're quick, they're
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snipe, they peck at each other. The bettas typically have long flowing fins, and if those
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fins are constantly, constantly being pecked up by the dwarf puffers, they will become susceptible
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to bacterial infections such as fin rot and the stress of constantly being pecked at can quickly
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cause the betta to get into a downward spiral and become susceptible to pests and diseases
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and bettas which are bullied frequently succumb to a pest or disease and they may well die
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in a very short space of time. I think I can say with quite some confidence if you keep a betta and
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even a single dwarf puffer together the dwarf puffer will quickly come out on top. The betta will
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be dominated and the aggression shown by the dwarf puffers will quickly lead to the demise of your
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better So with that said let take the better first What fish do make good tank mates for bettas Well fortunately that list is fairly long You can keep bettas in many many community tanks
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really providing you avoid fin nippers, such as perhaps tiger bubs or the aforementioned dwarf puffers
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and you avoid fish with long flowing fins, especially the same colour as the betta
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The betta may well confuse them for another male, causing him to be aggressive to them
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but you can keep Corydoras, catfish, bristlenose, neon tetras, cardinal tetras, harlequin rasboras, danios. There are many many different fish you can keep with your better
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and as we all know when it comes to keeping a better the larger tank the better and mixing in
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tank mates with the better does seem to bring out the best in the better in my experience
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Just make sure you don't choose a fish that will out-compete the better for food. Some fish are so
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quick to eat, the better won't stand a chance. So what about tank makes for your dwarf puffer
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Well common wisdom says you either keep a single dwarf puffer or you keep three or more in a tank together If you keeping three ideally 10 or 11 gallons as a minimum However people have successfully kept them in community
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tanks with other fish. And some fish you might try include bristlenose plecos. You might try some
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Corydora species. You might try some fast swung fish such as the zebra or lepidaneo, something
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that can get out of the way of the dwarf puffer. But whatever fish you try, I would always suggest
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you have a backup plan. If your dwarf puffer is especially aggressive and absolutely adamant it's
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not going to live with any other fish, then have a plan B. Have another tank where you can pick him
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up, plop him in, and he will be safe and his former tank mates will no longer be attacked or dominated
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by him. Now I think dwarf puffers are possibly currently my favourite fish in my collection
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I can waste hours just watching these little characters swimming around, constantly looking
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for food, constantly finding something to eat, constantly pecking at one another. And
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if you're new to Dwarf Puffers or you just love learning about them, why don't you check
