Can a betta live with cory catfish?
Cory cats and bettas are great tankmates. Panda cories are perfect for a 10 gallon. I would get 5-6 though since they are shoaling fish. I think a more accurate statement about bettas and tankmates would be that having IMPROPER tankmates can shorten your betta’s life. For example, bettas can become stressed by overly active fish, even if they are generally peaceful. This is why it is very important to offer a lot of dense planting and some hiding structures. As long as they have that security and are kept with the right species they should be fine. The problem is that people are too lenient in what they house with their bettas, in my opinion. For example, platies and mollies are common choices, yet these fish can become very “bossy” when breeding. Danios and neons are other popular choices, but these fish are very active and are known for fin nipping behavior, especially when kept in smaller groups. Obviously a constantly stressed betta will probably have a compromised lifespan.
