Betta And Goldfish Food

So I have a ten gallon fish tank. It has a tetra whisper 10I filter, and a perfect sized air pump. It's a nice little tank for my nice little fish. It's 78 degrees, good temp for a betta and my goldies. I know it is overstocked and I apologize, it's not overstocked at the moment, but it will be once my fish reach full potential.

Anyways, I have two fantail goldfish (about an inch in size each), a Sarasa comet goldfish (about an inch and a half to two inches), a blue mystery snail, and my new femala betta fish that I just got today. (She's only about an inch as well.)

I have betta fish pellets (topfin color enhancing betta bits), and I have two types of goldfish food (wardley small floating pellet food) and (aqueon goldfish flakes). So, what I'm wondering is how do I keep the fish from eating each other's food? Does it matter if they eat the different foods or not? What should I do?

Any opinions and tips would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

Bettas and gold fish have way different requirements and should never be housed together. In fact, Bettas should never be housed with another fish. Bettas are tropical fish and goldfish are coldwater fish.

 

Yes, I'm beginning to see that now. :/
My fish are getting along beautifully, though. I got a female betta because a LFS said that they would go well in a community tank..
and now I don't have to heart to tank her back. She's so pretty!

 

Is there a way you could get a 5 gallon tank to put the betta in?

 

I actually have a 5 gallon tank that I use as a spare, but it doesn't have a filter or heater or anything at all for it. It's just an empty tank. And as far as I can tell all the fish are getting along well.

I did some research on other sites as well and several people said that they have put a betta in with goldfish and everything was great.

I think I'm just going to try it for now and if I see any stress for any of the fish I will definitely put the betta in the 5 gallon asap.

Thanks for your help, though!

 

I don't mean to sound rude but you really NEED to separate the Betta. Bettas are tropical, warm water fish. Goldfish are coldwater fish. The two can not survive in the same tank. They have two totally different requirements. Not to mention the fact that your tank is way overstocked to begin with. I strongly suggest buying a filter and heater for the 5 gallon and moving her into there.

 

hi

I have a 2 comets in my tropical 125g tank and they do fine, it is possible to keep them with tropical BUT your tank is way to small for the stock you have

goldies have a huge bioload and I can see you having water quality issues

could you return the goldies?

you will stunt their growth in a small tank and that's not really kind to the fish

 

Okay, I understand where you're coming from, it's just that I'm only 16 and I don't have a job so it's hard to just go out and buy a bunch of aquarium things at once. I'm trying to do it a little at a time. Next time I start a new aquarium, I will know to let it sit and cycle for a few weeks before adding fish, but until then I will try to save up and see what I can do asap!

 

I know it sounds a bit bad at the moment britney but you will find the people on here are really friendly and really helpful

we all make mistakes but the key is to learn from them and these guys will help you so much

how long has your tank been set up for?

 

Well before I got this tank, I had a 1.5 gallon for about a month, but my fish Pedro had swim bladder. So, I upgraded to the 10 gallon and transferred him on over. Now he's cleared up and all are healthy.
I've had this tank for almost 15 days now..

I've had goldfish in the past and a betta before, but they were all in bowls and I didn't keep them for very long...

This is the first time I've ever been serious about fish keeping and I really enjoy it.

My tank seems healthy and my fish are happy and lively.

So far everything is good. I'm just worried about once the fish get bigger.

I'm unable to upgrade to any larger tank, at this time, though because I'm not allowed to.

Any suggestions?

And if I still had my 1.5 gal (it was nice, it had a filter and light and everything) I would use it for my betta, but I gave it to my niece because she had a betta fish in a half gallon bowl so I gave her my small tank so that her betta would be happier. :x

 

If you're not allowed to upgrade to a bigger tank at any time I strongly suggest rehoming the goldfish. They need a bigger tank, I could see keeping them if them being in the 10 gallon was only a temporary thing until you got a bigger tank, But they will probably not survive in that small of a tank because they produce a LOT of waste.

 

did you transfer anything from 1.5g into your 10g?
gravel filter ect?

is your lfs close, could you take back the goldies?

do you use water conditioner?

how often do you do water changes?

could you get you water tested at the lfs, they usually don't charge for this

sorry for all the questions but it will give us a better idea of a plan of action

 

I transferred gravel and the fish, and some of the old water... That's all from the 1.5 gal.
The 10 gal came with a bigger filter and everything.

I use water conditioner.

I do 25 % water changes weekly.

And my lfs return policy is if the fish are dead...

And IDK if I can get the water tested there or not..

 

did you transfer anything from 1.5g into your 10g?
gravel filter ect?

is your lfs close, could you take back the goldies?

do you use water conditioner?

how often do you do water changes?

could you get you water tested at the lfs, they usually don't charge for this

sorry for all the questions but it will give us a better idea of a plan of action

whos pedro?

 

dont be sad

we all have to learn

at least you are seeking help and that shows you care

 

Pedro is one of my fantails, lol.

 

I know it sounds tough, but the betta isn't the problem. The goldfish might be small now, but even still they are a very dirty fish. I don't even know why they consider them a beginner fish--what they lack in need for a heater, they make up for with space issues, and poopy issues.

Its sad, but unlike other fish, they really will not survive in a small tank. I mean you can get away with it with tiny tropicals, but these guys really are a mess. I mean ive heard plenty of people using like double filters to handle the poops. Not to mention they really aren't tropical.

I'd honestly take them back. They really don't have a chance in that tank and you risk killing your betta too. I've experienced bettas are more likely to get fin rot/ick with too cold water, and can't imagine what happens to a Goldie in warm water.

But hey, there's good news--you can probably get some advice around here on a couple tank mates for the betta in the ten gallon. I don't recommend it as a beginner, but its not unheard of. Ive seen different opinions on doing it. You should ask around. That way you won't be spending money or worrying about space. But if you're not really willing to put out any more money for a betta tank set up (which I understand) you are kind of limited. If you have a warm room you'd only need a 5 gallon filter for the time being (but eventually get a heater) and the ten gallon could have plenty of fishies

Hope this helps.

 

Yeah, that sounds like my best option... I love my little fantails though. D;

 

your lfs should be able to test your water for you most are usually good that way

I would really try to return the goldies if the store told you they would be ok for your tank size then they are at fault so try that angle, who knows you might even get store credit for them

but it sounds as though you are doing things right its just your stock that's the problem so don't get to dishartened

keep us posted

 

Hello and welcome to fishlore. I understand how you are limited in what you can do. If your lfs won't take back the goldies maybe you could ask around to see if anyone would be willing to take them off your hands.


Do you know about cycling your tank. There is a lot.of good information on this site about that.
In the meantime I would put the betta in the 5 gallon tank for now. You can get a sponge or corner filter for around $8 or $9. And as long as you have a sunny spot where the water will stay warm, you should be good until you can get a heater. Use some of the water from your 10 gallon and a conditioner like Tetra SafeStart before you put him in there. As soon as feasible you should also get yourself a liquid test kit like the API master kit so you can check your water.

It all seems a bit overwhelming.g at first but if you do it a bit at a time, you will find it gets easier and this site is great for answering any questions.

 

I have a solution! (should you be allowed to do it). It would allow you to keep all your fish, and clear your ten gallon up to where it needs to be. I just got a 150 gallon pond set up on craigslist for $75. The get up I scored would cost over $300 or 400 new. If your fish are still a few inches long, you could easily keep them in the ten gallon with much larger and more frequent water changes for several weeks while you find a pond of 100 gallons or more. This is very well something that you need to talk with whoever you need to about right away, though, as been cooped up in that tank for much longer will stunt their growth. As a plan of "attack" I would google pics of each type of goldfish you have at full size and find care sheets in them that show how many gallons they need.

For food, I feed all my fish New Life Scectrum. Everyone loves it, and it's about the best food you can buy at the store. I buy it at petco, but I've also seen it at petland and some local stores.

The fact that you saw that you had a problem and addressed it is great. It just needs to be addressed a bit more, and sooner, than you thought

 

I think what's being left out is that everyone thinks it will take years or months for their fish to out grow a tank . Goldfish are growers when young, it may take them 3-4 months to get 3-5" but at that size they are TOO BIG for a 10gal. Id go out on a limb and say even now they are. They will do better with the cool water and the betta NEEDS the warm water. If you love them, you will fix it. Otherwise you will have funerals on your hands.

I'm about the same age as you, I have no job and my parents loath my hobby. I work with it. Do what must be done and so on. I had severely over stocked tanks when I started. NOT a fun ordeal.

 

I just wanted to agree with pretty much everything that has been said. Bettas prefer WARM water; not just 75 or so, but in the low 80s. Goldfish are temperate fish; people have shared storied of them surviving cold winters in ponds outside! They do not like it warm. This, combined with the fact that you need at least 40-50 gallons for the goldfish (as they are huge waste producers) definitely warrants new housing situations.

AkarI definitely knows about goldfish, and Craigslist definitely has some good deals, so I think that is your best option. I'm not sure where you're from (too lazy to click back a page ;D) but outdoor ponds are definitely feasible in many areas, and everyone involved would be much happier.

Unfortunately there is NO way that everyone will have the best quality of life in the current set-up. I can see how much you like your fantails, but you have to understand that they're not happy and things will only get progressively worse. It will be difficult, if not impossible to keep a cycle with that much bioload in such a small tank, and stunted fish is not a pretty thing. (Their insides grow faster than their outsides, and their eyes are disproportionately large to their bodies...just because you can't see the effects immediately doesn't mean the process isn't already underway. However I did miss how old/large they are.)

At any rate, I was 16 once and I definitely can empathize with not having the funds to do what you want, but hopefully you can work out something soon.

 

You are all so sweet!
I just wanted to update you on the current plan.

Currently, I am rehoming my fantail and sarasa comet. (Pedro, one of my fantails, has passed away due to swim bladder and the comet nipping off his fins.) I'm giving all of my goldies to my niece, who is very excited!

I'm going to start a tropical community tank, with my betta and my mystery snail. I just bought the heater and a new filter cartridge today. I will definitely let my tank cycle and I'm hoping to do everything right this time! I'm going to post a new thread in a different category on how I should set up my tank and what fish I should get. (As I want as many as possible, of course.)

Thank you all so much for your suggestions, and all my creatures should be much happier in the weeks to come!

 

Not to be rude but, you do know that cycling is not just letting the tank sit there and circulate water right? Nitrogen cycle. <-----

 

I know about it and I understand the concept..

How long does take, though? If I get water conditioner that starts a bacteria colony and everything?

 

I would, since it's already started that way, just let it finish itself out with water changes. Most bacterial additives do not work, and are made up of land based bacteria. Daily water changes and investing in a filter that does not require cartridges, such as an AquaClear, and a good water conditioner like Prime, are your best bets. Until you get a different filter, don't change your carts, but rather simply rinse them off in a bucket of siphoned tank water. This can take a few weeks to a few months, but I think that it shouldn't take long, considering your tanks past stock. Good luck

 

It wouldn't be a water conditioner that you would get, you would need a specific product called Tetra SafeStart. This is a bottle containing the beneficial bacteria you need. There are other products that claim to cycle your tank, but TSS is the only one that the majority of FishLore users can say works. (That is a pretty convoluted sentence, my apologies.) Other varieties often have the terrestrial form of the bacteria, but you obviously need the aquatic form.

I would definitely get a liquid test kit and test your water to see how far along in the cycle you are. You may be close, since there have been fish in there, but you may also be not close, because there was SO much waste production. Too much ammonia can actually harm the bacteria, and it is definitely possible for there to be a tank that CAN'T cycle because of how much waste is produced (there simply isn't enough surface area for enough bacteria to colonize to process the ammonia). That being said, you cannot tell if you're cycled, or close to it, without a test kit. (If you've already said you have one, forgive me, it's been awhile since I read the beginning of the thread.)

Additionally, you said "tropical community tank." I'm not sure if you've implied so by that phrase, but I would not advise keeping fish with your betta. As I'm sure has already been mentioned in this thread (perhaps by me, haha), bettas are solitary fish and often do not take kindly to others in their tank. Also, they may appear docile and tolerant now, but very often bettas become more aggressive as they age. 10 gallons is not a lot of space either, so if someone wanted some alone time, it would be hard for them to get away. Sometimes it's the betta who's the aggressor, sometimes they're the victI'm due to their long flowing fins.

Congrats on being able to rehome the goldies! Your betta with thank you for it.

 

I see nothing wrong with keeping bettas in communities, provided you do it "right." And each "right" way is up to the betta. The only constant variable in betta communities is not overcrowding the tank. A betta that feels squished up will react with aggression, which is where most people tend to think they need to be alone. Some bettas thrive on the interaction other fish provide, and become depressed without it, and I've delt with such a fish first hand. Some bettas do absolutely hate everything that moves, as well, which I've also delt with. It's up the fish, and there is (99% of the time) no harm in trying.

 

I agree, it entirely depends on the betta. Plenty of people have kept bettas in community tanks with no problem (you included I'm sure) but since so many people have had problems, I feel like the problem bettas outweigh the docile bettas. My last betta was fine with the pleco and I'm sure he would have been great in a community tank, but my current betta constantly tries to eat the MTS (silly betta, your teeth can't go through snail shells) so I'll never keep anything with him. (Shame, he'd look nice with some yellow shrimps..)

 

All of my bettas are or have been at some point in with other fish. Once you get the feel for it, it becomes easier to judge how each betta reacts to different types of fish when you learn about their personalities. Some aren't cut out for life with other fish (or living things lol), and some could care less. It's just something you have to learn to figure out on your own.