Betta and a Goldfish?

[ndgoflo]

Hi all, I just joined so I guess I'm the new guy on the block. I am looking for a little advice.

I have a 2 1/2 gallon tank with a betta in it, and a 29 gallon with a fantail goldfish in it. The goldfish is the sole survivor of a bad experience of not quarantining a new purchase, so I am wanting to free up the smaller tank for a quarantine. Doing a little research I have read that male bettas do not neccesarily have to be kept isolated so I thought I would try putting him with the goldfish in the 29 gallon. Both tanks have the same water parameters.

It has been about 5 or 6 hours now, and the goldfish seems scared of the betta even though there has been no physical attacks, just gesturing.

I guess my question is, should I leave the betta with the goldfish to see if they can eventually get used to one another, or will that cause me more problems down the road?

I am kinda new to caring for an aquarium so any advice is greatly appreciated.

[musho3210]

NO whatever you do dont. Please i beg you do not do it. First of all the goldfish is a fantail which means it has long fins which means the betta might attack it if it is around the same size.

But thats not my main worry, bettas thrive in 80 degrees farenheit, goldfish thrive in 65 degrees, completly different, you can try to find a mid-point at around maybe 74 degrees but still that is no good.

Bettas dont have to live by themselves but they are better off that way.

[ndgoflo]

Thanks for the reply.

The goldfish is about 3x the size of the betta, and the water temp is about 76 degrees. I realize that goldfish are coldwater, but when my tank became infected with ich, I purchased a heater and the goldfish seems much more active at the higher temp.

I have been watching the fish, and other than about 10 minutes of gesturing, the betta doesn't seem to care that the goldfish is even there, but the goldfish has just been cowering in the corner afraid to come out and play like he did when he was by himself.

[musho3210]

yeah i would deffinatly separate them, there no good together

[FDStation152]

I would note that while 65 degrees may be an ideal temperature very few goldfish are actually kept at such a low temp. Few people operate chillers on a tank and as such the temperature of your average goldfish tank will be in the low 70s without a heater in most cases. Also my neighbors keep goldfish in their outdoor pond which reaches the 80 degree mark in the summer and the fish continue to thrive. Bettas will also do just fine in the low 70s which is well known. Thus an unheated tank kept in a warm room would be fine or even better kept in a tank with the heat held steady around 74-75. I believe the goldfish will grow accustomed to the presence of the betta and will resume normal activity. Unless actual aggression is observed I see no reason to seperate them.

[ndgoflo]

Well, it's been 24 hours.

The goldfish is still hanging out in the corner and the betta just browses around like usual.

They get along fine during feeding time, then the goldfish is back to the corner. Since there hasn't been any physical aggression I would like to "ride it out" to see if the goldfish can braven up.

My next question: How long should I allow before I just give up and separate them? I don't want the goldfish to have a complex and hide forever.

[musho3210]

I stand by what i say and separate them now, please also not that bettas dont like a strong water current and they dont like tanks that are too deep. In the wild they live in small puddles of water in the rice paddies where the water isnt deep and doesnt have that much flow

[FDStation152]

The betta isn't what is having the problem here as far as I can tell. I'd give it a few more days and see what happens. As long as both fish are eating and there is no direct aggression I fail to see how any permanent harm will come to either of them from remaining in the same tank. If the betta continues to display to the goldfish or the goldfish continues to hide then I would seperate them. Give it a few days and see what happens.

[scottysgirl]

I agree FD. I'd also like to note that bettas do not live in puddles as many people think. This is only during the dry season and is a rare occurance, this is the reason some people assume bettas will be fine in a little vase. In my experience, the bigger the betta tank, the happier the betta. :D

[basicloser]

Even during he dry season their ‘puddles’ aren’t small rain ones they are massive…this however kills a lot of wild betas from stress alone.

I’m going to have to say no to the betta and the goldfish. They bother prefer separate temperatures. They just aren’t compatible honestly. The betas heat should be higher than that and that’s what you should put it at. I see no reason why they should each have to suffer. Find a cooler place and much bigger tank for your goldfish. I will need it as goldfish get big and need room to swim. Leave the betta in the 29 gallon tank and buy a ten gallon tank for a quarantine. They aren’t that expensive if you look around the newspaper or something. With your 2 ½ gallon tank … get brine shrimp and breed them so your betta can have some nice tasty treats


I beg you to separate them.