By Lorraine | 02 April 2020 | 0 Comments
Can Betta Fish Live Together with Goldfish?
When you keep a betta in your aquarium for the first time, you may wonder what fish can live with it. Goldfish is one of the most popular fish, so you might be thinking "Can betta fish live with goldfish?" Although they are very tenacious fish, keeping them together may not be a good idea. Continue to read to see why you don't want to keep betta and goldfish together!
Because bettas need higher temperatures than goldfish, they need clean water (and goldfish are very dirty), goldfish need larger fish tanks (more than 30 gallons), and also because goldfish eat very quickly, it is definitely not recommended to raise betta fish with goldfish. However, for short periods of time and in extreme circumstances cohabitation is possible between the two species, although this should only be in dire times.
Let's have a good look at reasons why Betta fish cannot live with Goldfish.
Betta fish is Aggressive
It's knowing that betta fish are very aggressive, but goldfish are about the same size as betta fish and will grow much larger than betta fish, so they are likely to stay away from each other.
Goldfish, on the other hand, like to nip at fins which would agitate the Betta who also likes to nip. It's just not a good combination.
Goldfish is Dirty
Another problem is that goldfish are very dirty fish. Keeping goldfish in the fish tank will greatly increase the chance of an ammonia surge. Betta fish are very hardy fish, but they are extremely vulnerable to ammonia poisoning and die quickly.
But this is not just a problem of ammonia poisoning. Keeping the tank itself clean often affects your betta. Because goldfish are dirty, they need frequent water changes. These frequent changes in water can put too much pressure on your betta and affect its immune system. So, as you can see, you will have to choose between keeping the tank clean (and putting pressure on betta) and not cleaning it frequently (at the risk of ammonia poisoning).
In addition to keeping the water tank clean, you also need a powerful filter to help reduce ammonia in your water tank. Although goldfishes don't mind stronger filters, your betta fish will have difficulty swimming and will be more stressing. Betta fish do prefer a gentle filter with high output. In addition, cheap fish tank filters are available on Senzeal.
The Temperature Difference
Betta fish are tropical fish that need warm water to survive and be happy. Goldfish, on the other hand, is a cold-water fish. Objectively speaking, betta can survive in water at 76-82 degrees Fahrenheit. However, goldfish like temperatures of 68-74 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, this is a big difference.
You may be thinking that you can just meet in the middle at 75°F, but this is definitely not recommended.
76 degrees Fahrenheit is already the bottom line for betta's survival. Ideally, you should keep them at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the temperature drops below 76 degrees Fahrenheit, it can cause great damage to your betta.
If he doesn't get into temperature shock (which is usually fatal), his metabolism will slow down. Slow metabolism means that he is more susceptible to constipation and swim bladder disease. It also increases stress, which can cause a wide range of illnesses. He'll also become much more lethargic and prone to fin rot. This is because blood will have trouble flowing to the outer areas of your betta.
On the other hand, if goldfish are kept at too hot temperatures, they may also suffer from temperature shock. If they do not succumb to the shock of temperature, then their increased metabolism will put a lot of stress on their bodies. It may also cause a certain disease. Finally, increased metabolism caused by high temperatures can greatly shorten the lifespan of goldfish.
The Habitat Difference
Although bettas are sold in pet stores online in small plastic containers, in fact, bettas should be placed in 5 to 10-gallon containers with a larger surface area.
As for goldfish, it is generally mistaken for them to live in a small bowl. Goldfish actually need a lot of space, and ideally, a goldfish needs 20 gallons of space to grow. They are meant to grow quite large--some can grow to a foot long--and require a lot of space to reach their full potential.
In short, there are a lot of reasons why these two fish cannot live in the same aquarium. Both are sometimes aggressive, and they are likely to bite each other's fins. In the end, goldfish will be much larger than bettas and will have the upper hand. Except for their incompatible personalities, they are basically the opposite of everything else.
Betta fish like warm water, and goldfish like cold water. The betta was clean and the goldfish was dirty. Betta fish like calm water and goldfish need a powerful filter. Betta fish like 5 to 10-gallon tanks with a large surface area and goldfish need at least 20 gallons of the tank.
It's not easy to find a partner for a betta fish. But there are some other species that are good for keeping with goldfish. By finding the best tank companion, every creature will be happy.
You might also be interested in these articles related to betta fish:
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Common Diseases of Betta splendens Regan
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