beta and guppys

Question
i have a beta can i put him in with the guppies in a 10 gallon tank i also have a 30 gal tank with guppies and neons and tetras can he go in there or is it better for him to be in his own bowl like he is now also can i put a bottom feeder that is small in the bowl with the beta to help keep it clean thank you  Eric

Answer
Hi Eric,
Keeping guppies with a betta is "iffy" because of the male guppies' big bright colorful fins. They may be seen as a rival to your male. Depending on his personality he may also regard any new fish added to be a threat to his territory if he has been living in the tank for some time. But again, it depends upon his personality.

Some other fish you might want to try are
*White cloud mountain minnows
*Glowlight tetras
*Neons
*Harlequin Rasboras
*Corydoras catfish (bottom dweller)
*Kuhli Loach (also a bottom dweller)
*Mystery Snails
*Ghost shrimp (not always safe)
*African dwarf frogs (be sure they have the appropriate foods)

You can certainly try your betta in the 30 gallon. Just watch him closely. Bettas don't always appreciate bigger tanks and the other fish might be too intimidating and the current can be too much for their weak swimming ability. Its a trial and error situation.

With bottom feeders in a bowl you'll have to be careful not to overstock it and create more pollution. I would only recommend perhaps 1 snail or a few ghost shrimp for a bowl. You don't really need a bottom feeder for a bowl because naturally you should be keeping it quite clean enough for your betta that bottom feeders aren't necessary.

I hope this helps and best wishes!
Karen~