Can upside down catfish live with bettas?

Depending on the size of the tank, the catfish and betta fish react differently. 

Can upside down catfish live with bettas? A small tank would not be a comfortable place for both the fish. It would develop unwanted stress in the fish, causing them to attack each other. Also, upside-down catfish become larger too quickly.

Can upside down catfish live with bettas?

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What to do if your betta is chasing upside down catfish?

Choose the large tank to offer more swimming space to the betta and upside-down catfish. Both the fish live in the group. Fish living in the school need a large area to survive.

Without this, they become aggressive. Chasing is one sign that the fish is uncomfortable with other fish. One of the fish might be entering the territory. Keep an eye on their activities to move them aside in a separate tank before killing each other.

Can betta fish eat upside down catfish food?

Upside-down, catfish will survive on the insects and mosquito larvae. They hunt for live food near the water surface. Also, they search for food under the rocks and behind the plants.

Upside down, catfish enjoy eating worms, microorganisms, and various types of insects. The body structure allows them to go under the rocks to find food. Moreover, the fish also prefer eating algae as a supplementary diet.

Betta, on the other hand, is carnivores species like upside-down catfish. They prefer eating live food such as insects, larvae, bloodworms, microorganisms.

The betta also survives in the aquarium’s wide range of food. Food that contains high protein is the primary source of betta food. Alternatively, you can serve them pallet food and flakes made of fish meat. 

Aquarist generally put them on a regulated diet to avoid them becoming obese. Frozen food is the best for the betta.

Bloodworms and brine shrimps are a protein-rich food that helps in improving the health of the betta fish. The protein-rich food is ideal during the breeding time.

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What Size Tank is best to betta with upside-down catfish?

The idea tank size is 30 gallons for housing betta with the upside-down catfish. Both the fish require sufficient space to build their territory. Also, the large swimming area keeps them calm. 

Some aquarists prefer using the larger tank than 30 gallons because the large room is covered in live plants and decoratives. It leads to less space for the fish to swim. 

Can betta kill upside down catfish?

Upside down, catfish may face the aggression of the betta fish on some occasions, but there are very few possibilities of getting killed by betta fish.

Upside down, catfish are quick swimmers. They find their way when any other fish attack them. The general rule to house the other fish with the betta is to use the large tank.

Can betta kill upside down catfish?

A tank size bigger than 30 gallons of water could offer sufficient swimming space for both groups. 

In most cases, betta lives peacefully with other fish. Still, when they find other fish entering their territory, they become more aggressive and start attacking whoever attempts to have a close encounter with their female. 

How many upside-down catfish can you keep with your betta?

Both the fish upside down catfish and betta live in the school. They should be housed in a group of 3 to 4 fish. When they are kept alone, the fish start developing anxiety.

Eventually, the growing stress level would result in various health issues. As the days pass, the appetite of the fish decreases, and the fish dies. 

Though you can have the minimum fish if you have a large tank, create suitable conditions to make the fish live happily together.

Therefore, keep the fish in the group. They will find the environment safe to live in and less concerned about the impact of the predator.

What temperature do betta and upside-down catfish need?

When you keep betta and upside-down catfish in the same tank, moderate the temperature between 72°F to 82°F. 

Also, consider the pH level. The pH level could affect the fish’s health. Therefore, the water pH level should be kept between 6.0 to 7.5.

There are many side effects of the changing water temperature on both species. The cold temperature makes them reduce their agility.

If your tank doesn’t have a heater to maintain the temperature, the fish will start hiding behind the leaves and find a warm place to live. Betta will climb to the surface and begin consuming the air from the surface. 

On the other hand, the warm water makes the fish develop anxiety. The first reaction of the warm temperature is the reduced appetite of the fish.

You will notice the fish is eating less food when the water gets warm. When their survival is at stake, the fish stop eating and focus on maintaining their calm. 

Betta would become aggressive and start attacking other fish in the tank. The upside-down catfish may have to face the growing aggression of the fish.

Hence, it would be best if you had the temperature measurement in the tank that alerts you about the water temperature.

Whenever you see the water turning warm, use the water change method and pour fresh water into the tank. Cold temperature can be managed using the heater.

Can upside down catfish live with female bettas?

Yes. The female betta fish could be the perfect companion for the upside-down catfish. Both share common characteristics. They are calm and do not bother other fish in the tank.

Can upside down catfish live with female bettas?

The only reason why the betta become aggressive is the changing water condition. Also, the small size tank could affect their living area, which may also stress the fish. It is vital to know why the fish change their characteristics before concluding. 

Upside down catfish are primarily easy-going fish. They do not bother other fish in the tank.

The fish is carnivorous so that they can survive on insects and algae, so there will be sufficient food for them in the tank. This quality makes the inside down catfish calm and relaxed species in the tank. 

Get the large tank to offer sufficient swimming space to female betta fish and upside-down catfish, and everything goes well with both the fish.

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https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1463-6395.1994.tb01118.x

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