Betas & Goldfish

[Brian S.]

OK Fellas,

The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container, probably
less than one liter or even a half liter of water.

She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and they
get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got sit of
it tearing up my plants.

Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?

We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
stressed out too.

Brian S.

[Natt Serrasalmus]

"Brian S." > wrote in message
news:jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04...
> OK Fellas,
>
> The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
> little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
> probably
> less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
>
> She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and
> they
> get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got sit
> of
> it tearing up my plants.
>
> Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>
> We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
> beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
> stressed out too.
>
> Brian S.

First off, since you can't seem to spell Betta, it's a good bet you
mispronounce it too. Somewhere along the line there developed a
misconception that these fish were named for the Greek letter beta
(pronounced bay-ta). I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who sold it called
it a beta too. The fish is named for a Siamese tribe of natives called
Bettah (pronounced bet-ah). The fish is spelled Betta (capitalized because
it is a genus).

Bettas have an accessory breathing organ called a labyrinth, which allows
them to live comfortably in water that ordinarily wouldn't be ideal for
fish. This also allows them to live in small containers. The problem with
this is that they really do better in warmer temperatures than the room
temperature that they get in small containers. This is also why they are not
normally kept with goldfish, which do better in cooler water. I think the
Betta will do better in its small container than with the goldfish.

Why would a Betta "fluff its fins up" (which the Betta people refer to as
flare) for a goldfish? The answer is that it wouldn't. It can tell the
difference between a goldfish and another Betta. Try using a mirror and you
should see plenty of flare.

[.·°^°·.+Nick S+.·°^°·.]

...Also, the Goldfish are likely to nip at the bettas tail and fins. . Buy a
rose bowl or small goldfish bowl, it'll do fine. Feed your fish 3 Betta
pellets in the morning. That's all mine get and I've had them live as long
as 3 years.

[Brian S.]

Appreciate the sarcastic response.

Yes, I already new they were pronouced "bay-ta". I've had fish for over 10
years so I am familiar with the fact that they can live in smaller
containers. However, I'm sure you would like being kept in a small 10'x10'
shed and have to manage.

We put both together for a while and the "betta" stayed at the top and the
goldfish stayed at the bottom; almost like they were afraid of each other.

However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put the
betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it took more
than a gallon of water to fill.

Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.

Brian S.

"Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Brian S." > wrote in message
> news:jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04...
> > OK Fellas,
> >
> > The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
> > little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
> > probably
> > less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
> >
> > She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and
> > they
> > get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got
sit
> > of
> > it tearing up my plants.
> >
> > Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
> >
> > We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
> > beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
> > stressed out too.
> >
> > Brian S.
>
> First off, since you can't seem to spell Betta, it's a good bet you
> mispronounce it too. Somewhere along the line there developed a
> misconception that these fish were named for the Greek letter beta
> (pronounced bay-ta). I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who sold it called
> it a beta too. The fish is named for a Siamese tribe of natives called
> Bettah (pronounced bet-ah). The fish is spelled Betta (capitalized because
> it is a genus).
>
> Bettas have an accessory breathing organ called a labyrinth, which allows
> them to live comfortably in water that ordinarily wouldn't be ideal for
> fish. This also allows them to live in small containers. The problem with
> this is that they really do better in warmer temperatures than the room
> temperature that they get in small containers. This is also why they are
not
> normally kept with goldfish, which do better in cooler water. I think the
> Betta will do better in its small container than with the goldfish.
>
> Why would a Betta "fluff its fins up" (which the Betta people refer to as
> flare) for a goldfish? The answer is that it wouldn't. It can tell the
> difference between a goldfish and another Betta. Try using a mirror and
you
> should see plenty of flare.
>
>

[Natt Serrasalmus]

"Brian S." > wrote in message
news:ZDPld.96993$R05.12565@attbi_s53...
> Appreciate the sarcastic response.
>
> Yes, I already new they were pronouced "bay-ta".

Huh!?! You must have had trouble reading my post. They're NOT pronounced
bay-ta.

I've had fish for over 10
> years so I am familiar with the fact that they can live in smaller
> containers. However, I'm sure you would like being kept in a small
> 10'x10'
> shed and have to manage.

Since I learned not to anthropomorphize in animal behavior class in college,
I don't make such comparisons. You're also failing to take into account that
in the wild, male Bettas occupy and defend very small territories.

>
> We put both together for a while and the "betta" stayed at the top and the
> goldfish stayed at the bottom; almost like they were afraid of each other.
>
> However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
> disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put the
> betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it took
> more
> than a gallon of water to fill.
>
> Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.

How can you measure the happiness of the fish? By human standards? How can
you tell if a fish even knows what happiness is?

>
> Brian S.
>
> "Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Brian S." > wrote in message
>> news:jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04...
>> > OK Fellas,
>> >
>> > The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
>> > little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
>> > probably
>> > less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
>> >
>> > She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and
>> > they
>> > get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got
> sit
>> > of
>> > it tearing up my plants.
>> >
>> > Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>> >
>> > We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if
>> > the
>> > beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
>> > stressed out too.
>> >
>> > Brian S.
>>
>> First off, since you can't seem to spell Betta, it's a good bet you
>> mispronounce it too. Somewhere along the line there developed a
>> misconception that these fish were named for the Greek letter beta
>> (pronounced bay-ta). I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who sold it
>> called
>> it a beta too. The fish is named for a Siamese tribe of natives called
>> Bettah (pronounced bet-ah). The fish is spelled Betta (capitalized
>> because
>> it is a genus).
>>
>> Bettas have an accessory breathing organ called a labyrinth, which allows
>> them to live comfortably in water that ordinarily wouldn't be ideal for
>> fish. This also allows them to live in small containers. The problem with
>> this is that they really do better in warmer temperatures than the room
>> temperature that they get in small containers. This is also why they are
> not
>> normally kept with goldfish, which do better in cooler water. I think the
>> Betta will do better in its small container than with the goldfish.
>>
>> Why would a Betta "fluff its fins up" (which the Betta people refer to as
>> flare) for a goldfish? The answer is that it wouldn't. It can tell the
>> difference between a goldfish and another Betta. Try using a mirror and
> you
>> should see plenty of flare.
>>
>>
>
>

[Tom Randy]

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 16:03:35 -0500, Natt Serrasalmus wrote:

>
> "Brian S." > wrote in message
> news:ZDPld.96993$R05.12565@attbi_s53...
>> Appreciate the sarcastic response.
>>
>> Yes, I already new they were pronouced "bay-ta".
>
> Huh!?! You must have had trouble reading my post. They're NOT pronounced
> bay-ta.
>
> I've had fish for over 10
>> years so I am familiar with the fact that they can live in smaller
>> containers. However, I'm sure you would like being kept in a small
>> 10'x10'
>> shed and have to manage.
>
> Since I learned not to anthropomorphize in animal behavior class in
> college, I don't make such comparisons. You're also failing to take into
> account that in the wild, male Bettas occupy and defend very small
> territories.
>
>
>> We put both together for a while and the "betta" stayed at the top and
>> the goldfish stayed at the bottom; almost like they were afraid of each
>> other.
>>
>> However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
>> disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put
>> the betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it
>> took more
>> than a gallon of water to fill.
>>
>> Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.
>
> How can you measure the happiness of the fish? By human standards? How can
> you tell if a fish even knows what happiness is?


Natt lighten up for Pete's sakes! Try some Paxil.

Goldfish and Bettas don't mix well Brian.

[Vicki PS]

"Brian S." > wrote in message
news:ZDPld.96993$R05.12565@attbi_s53...
> However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
> disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put the
> betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it took
more
> than a gallon of water to fill.
>
> Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.

He should be okay in a container that size. You just need to make sure you
do very frequent water changes, and as much as possible avoid big
temperature fluctuations. Bettas are pretty hardy, but they get stressed
with rapid temperature drops. Stable conditions and clean water will help
to protect against fin rot and fungus.

He'll probaby appreciate a live or silk plant, too. Bettas seem to like
resting on the leaves.

Vicki PS

[Vicki PS]

"Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
...

> You're also failing to take into account that
> in the wild, male Bettas occupy and defend very small territories.

True, but those small territories are within large bodies of water. A wild
betta surviving in the mythical muddy puddle represents a temporary seasonal
extreme, not optimal conditions for long-term survival. And ornamental
long-finned bettas don't necessarily cope with the same conditions that fish
in the wild would.

Bettas kept in very small containers don't display the same behaviours that
bettas in a more spacious environment do (whether you want to characterise
that as "happiness" or not), and they are much more prone to disease and
premature death.

Vicki PS

[Kay]

Vicki PS wrote:
> "Brian S." > wrote in message
> news:ZDPld.96993$R05.12565@attbi_s53...
>
>>However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
>>disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put the
>>betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it took
>
> more
>
>>than a gallon of water to fill.
>>
>>Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.
>
>
> He should be okay in a container that size. You just need to make sure you
> do very frequent water changes, and as much as possible avoid big
> temperature fluctuations. Bettas are pretty hardy, but they get stressed
> with rapid temperature drops. Stable conditions and clean water will help
> to protect against fin rot and fungus.
>
> He'll probaby appreciate a live or silk plant, too. Bettas seem to like
> resting on the leaves.
>
> Vicki PS
>
>

Yep my Bettas rest on floating water wisteria. But I just moved then out
of thier 2 1/2 gallon tanks and split a 10 gallon. It has the whiper
filter for a 10 gallon, the water flow is not disturbing the fish, one
on each side. I wanted a steady temp and filtered water for these guys
they are already 2 years old now. they lived in a 2 1/2 perfecto gallon
glass tank. they just upgraded to 5 gallon each. the plants are
important for them to rest on.

Kay

[Ray Martini]

Wow dude chill out. Kerry lost the election bro there's nothing you can do
about that!


"Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Brian S." > wrote in message
> news:ZDPld.96993$R05.12565@attbi_s53...
>> Appreciate the sarcastic response.
>>
>> Yes, I already new they were pronouced "bay-ta".
>
> Huh!?! You must have had trouble reading my post. They're NOT pronounced
> bay-ta.
>
> I've had fish for over 10
>> years so I am familiar with the fact that they can live in smaller
>> containers. However, I'm sure you would like being kept in a small
>> 10'x10'
>> shed and have to manage.
>
> Since I learned not to anthropomorphize in animal behavior class in
> college, I don't make such comparisons. You're also failing to take into
> account that in the wild, male Bettas occupy and defend very small
> territories.
>
>>
>> We put both together for a while and the "betta" stayed at the top and
>> the
>> goldfish stayed at the bottom; almost like they were afraid of each
>> other.
>>
>> However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
>> disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put the
>> betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it took
>> more
>> than a gallon of water to fill.
>>
>> Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.
>
> How can you measure the happiness of the fish? By human standards? How can
> you tell if a fish even knows what happiness is?
>
>>
>> Brian S.
>>
>> "Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Brian S." > wrote in message
>>> news:jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04...
>>> > OK Fellas,
>>> >
>>> > The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for
>>> > the
>>> > little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
>>> > probably
>>> > less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
>>> >
>>> > She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and
>>> > they
>>> > get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got
>> sit
>>> > of
>>> > it tearing up my plants.
>>> >
>>> > Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>>> >
>>> > We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if
>>> > the
>>> > beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have
>>> > been
>>> > stressed out too.
>>> >
>>> > Brian S.
>>>
>>> First off, since you can't seem to spell Betta, it's a good bet you
>>> mispronounce it too. Somewhere along the line there developed a
>>> misconception that these fish were named for the Greek letter beta
>>> (pronounced bay-ta). I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who sold it
>>> called
>>> it a beta too. The fish is named for a Siamese tribe of natives called
>>> Bettah (pronounced bet-ah). The fish is spelled Betta (capitalized
>>> because
>>> it is a genus).
>>>
>>> Bettas have an accessory breathing organ called a labyrinth, which
>>> allows
>>> them to live comfortably in water that ordinarily wouldn't be ideal for
>>> fish. This also allows them to live in small containers. The problem
>>> with
>>> this is that they really do better in warmer temperatures than the room
>>> temperature that they get in small containers. This is also why they are
>> not
>>> normally kept with goldfish, which do better in cooler water. I think
>>> the
>>> Betta will do better in its small container than with the goldfish.
>>>
>>> Why would a Betta "fluff its fins up" (which the Betta people refer to
>>> as
>>> flare) for a goldfish? The answer is that it wouldn't. It can tell the
>>> difference between a goldfish and another Betta. Try using a mirror and
>> you
>>> should see plenty of flare.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

[[email protected]]

GF will eat most anything fits in their mouth. not a good idea to mix species with
GF.

"Brian S." > wrote:

>OK Fellas,
>
>The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
>little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container, probably
>less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
>
>She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and they
>get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got sit of
>it tearing up my plants.
>
>Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>
>We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
>beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
>stressed out too.
>
>Brian S.
>



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

[John D. Goulden]

> Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?

Bettas are solitary fish and prefer calm, warmer water (78F or so). Many
folks keep them in small containers but I prefer at least 5 gallons,
planted, for a betta (my m/f pair lives in a divided 10). I keep planted
tanks both to help keep water conditions stable and because many bettas like
to rest on broad-leafed plants (mine certainly do). I run a biowheel on the
female side of the tank, and the water is calm enough on the male side that
he has no trouble putting up his bubble nests.

Goldfish are cool-water fish (70F or so) that do well with others of their
own kind. They are notoriously messy and need lots of water; conventional
wisdom is ten gallons per inch for goldies (I'm overlimit here with five
largish goldies in a 30 but water conditions are fine with heavy planting
and aggressive filtering (undergravel with a powerhead and a power filter on
the side)). Many claim that goldies prefer a moderate current and mine
certainly play quite a bit in the powerhead outflow. They can wreak havoc on
the plants (goldies, even more than most fish, seem to be perpetual eating
machines and are always digging in the gravel) so be prepared for lots of
maintenance there. I leave my goldie tank at ambient (currently 68F) and
they appear to be happy, healthy, active fish.

These differing requirements are such that I don't think that bettas and
goldies would do all that well together.

In a perfect world you would get a new 20-gallon aquarium for the goldfish
(cycle the tank before moving goldie in and get him / her a another goldie
or two for company) and move the betta into the 10 (with some broad-leaf
plants and a heater set to 78F). You might even divide the 10 and put
another betta on the other side. Both goldies and bettas do well with
aquarium salt in the water.

--
John Goulden

[IDzine01]

Hi Brian,

I'm glad to hear you're looking out for the little guy. I'm happy to
give you the basics for betta care.

To answer your first question, no bettas can't be housed with
goldfish. Surprisingly, the reason hadn't been mentioned yet. Goldfish
are cool water fish while bettas are tropical. Despite what fish store
employees may tell you, bettas require a heated tank. They do best at
around 78ºF but anything between 75 and 80 will do as long as it's
stable. (Doesn't fluctuate more then 2 degrees in 24 hours)

When the temp falls below 75, bettas begin to stress and become
lethargic. They also become susceptible to illnesses and disease.
Below 70F can actually lead to death.

The minimum acceptable size for a betta tank is about 1 gal but this
will really only allow them to survive, not thrive. All fish, as you
know, benefit from a cycled tank and bettas are no different.
Personally, I recommend a cycled tank no less then 5 gal. (It can be
difficult to keep a tank cycled when it's less then 5 gal.) Bettas
don't require tanks to be cycled, but it's more work and money to keep
them in an uncycled tank with 100% water changes. It'll require you to
be very vigilant about the tank parameters. You'll need to watch the
temperature very closely and test for ammonia, and pH several times a
week. You may also need to make pH adjustments at every water change.
Overall, you'll spend more money on testing supplies and water
conditioners in an uncycled tank.

Just one last note, make sure you keep a lid (with air holes) on that
vase he's in. Bettas are notorious jumpers and you wouldn't want to
find him dried up on the floor one morning. Believe me, I know. :-/

If you have other questions about betta care and housing conditions...
ask away. I love betta newbies.



"Brian S." > wrote in message news:<ZDPld.96993$R05.12565@attbi_s53>...
> Appreciate the sarcastic response.
>
> Yes, I already new they were pronouced "bay-ta". I've had fish for over 10
> years so I am familiar with the fact that they can live in smaller
> containers. However, I'm sure you would like being kept in a small 10'x10'
> shed and have to manage.
>
> We put both together for a while and the "betta" stayed at the top and the
> goldfish stayed at the bottom; almost like they were afraid of each other.
>
> However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
> disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put the
> betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it took more
> than a gallon of water to fill.
>
> Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.
>
> Brian S.
>
> "Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Brian S." > wrote in message
> > news:jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04...
> > > OK Fellas,
> > >
> > > The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
> > > little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
> > > probably
> > > less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
> > >
> > > She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and
> > > they
> > > get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got
> sit
> > > of
> > > it tearing up my plants.
> > >
> > > Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
> > >
> > > We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
> > > beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
> > > stressed out too.
> > >
> > > Brian S.
> >
> > First off, since you can't seem to spell Betta, it's a good bet you
> > mispronounce it too. Somewhere along the line there developed a
> > misconception that these fish were named for the Greek letter beta
> > (pronounced bay-ta). I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who sold it called
> > it a beta too. The fish is named for a Siamese tribe of natives called
> > Bettah (pronounced bet-ah). The fish is spelled Betta (capitalized because
> > it is a genus).
> >
> > Bettas have an accessory breathing organ called a labyrinth, which allows
> > them to live comfortably in water that ordinarily wouldn't be ideal for
> > fish. This also allows them to live in small containers. The problem with
> > this is that they really do better in warmer temperatures than the room
> > temperature that they get in small containers. This is also why they are
> not
> > normally kept with goldfish, which do better in cooler water. I think the
> > Betta will do better in its small container than with the goldfish.
> >
> > Why would a Betta "fluff its fins up" (which the Betta people refer to as
> > flare) for a goldfish? The answer is that it wouldn't. It can tell the
> > difference between a goldfish and another Betta. Try using a mirror and
> you
> > should see plenty of flare.
> >
> >

[blove]

k noone has mentioned this one yet, goldfish are wicked messy fish and
excrete alot of ammonia, bettas cant handle that nor can other tropicals

"IDzine01" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi Brian,
>
> I'm glad to hear you're looking out for the little guy. I'm happy to
> give you the basics for betta care.
>
> To answer your first question, no bettas can't be housed with
> goldfish. Surprisingly, the reason hadn't been mentioned yet. Goldfish
> are cool water fish while bettas are tropical. Despite what fish store
> employees may tell you, bettas require a heated tank. They do best at
> around 78ºF but anything between 75 and 80 will do as long as it's
> stable. (Doesn't fluctuate more then 2 degrees in 24 hours)
>
> When the temp falls below 75, bettas begin to stress and become
> lethargic. They also become susceptible to illnesses and disease.
> Below 70F can actually lead to death.
>
> The minimum acceptable size for a betta tank is about 1 gal but this
> will really only allow them to survive, not thrive. All fish, as you
> know, benefit from a cycled tank and bettas are no different.
> Personally, I recommend a cycled tank no less then 5 gal. (It can be
> difficult to keep a tank cycled when it's less then 5 gal.) Bettas
> don't require tanks to be cycled, but it's more work and money to keep
> them in an uncycled tank with 100% water changes. It'll require you to
> be very vigilant about the tank parameters. You'll need to watch the
> temperature very closely and test for ammonia, and pH several times a
> week. You may also need to make pH adjustments at every water change.
> Overall, you'll spend more money on testing supplies and water
> conditioners in an uncycled tank.
>
> Just one last note, make sure you keep a lid (with air holes) on that
> vase he's in. Bettas are notorious jumpers and you wouldn't want to
> find him dried up on the floor one morning. Believe me, I know. :-/
>
> If you have other questions about betta care and housing conditions...
> ask away. I love betta newbies.
>
>
>
> "Brian S." > wrote in message
> news:<ZDPld.96993$R05.12565@attbi_s53>...
>> Appreciate the sarcastic response.
>>
>> Yes, I already new they were pronouced "bay-ta". I've had fish for over
>> 10
>> years so I am familiar with the fact that they can live in smaller
>> containers. However, I'm sure you would like being kept in a small
>> 10'x10'
>> shed and have to manage.
>>
>> We put both together for a while and the "betta" stayed at the top and
>> the
>> goldfish stayed at the bottom; almost like they were afraid of each
>> other.
>>
>> However, because I have a Penguin 170 filter on my 10 gallon, I think it
>> disturbed the betta too much. So, we found a pretty big vase and put the
>> betta in there. Probably 4x as bit as the smaller container as it took
>> more
>> than a gallon of water to fill.
>>
>> Fish seems happier now and swims more freely.
>>
>> Brian S.
>>
>> "Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "Brian S." > wrote in message
>> > news:jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04...
>> > > OK Fellas,
>> > >
>> > > The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for
>> > > the
>> > > little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
>> > > probably
>> > > less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
>> > >
>> > > She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish
>> > > and
>> > > they
>> > > get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got
>> sit
>> > > of
>> > > it tearing up my plants.
>> > >
>> > > Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>> > >
>> > > We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if
>> > > the
>> > > beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have
>> > > been
>> > > stressed out too.
>> > >
>> > > Brian S.
>> >
>> > First off, since you can't seem to spell Betta, it's a good bet you
>> > mispronounce it too. Somewhere along the line there developed a
>> > misconception that these fish were named for the Greek letter beta
>> > (pronounced bay-ta). I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who sold it
>> > called
>> > it a beta too. The fish is named for a Siamese tribe of natives called
>> > Bettah (pronounced bet-ah). The fish is spelled Betta (capitalized
>> > because
>> > it is a genus).
>> >
>> > Bettas have an accessory breathing organ called a labyrinth, which
>> > allows
>> > them to live comfortably in water that ordinarily wouldn't be ideal for
>> > fish. This also allows them to live in small containers. The problem
>> > with
>> > this is that they really do better in warmer temperatures than the room
>> > temperature that they get in small containers. This is also why they
>> > are
>> not
>> > normally kept with goldfish, which do better in cooler water. I think
>> > the
>> > Betta will do better in its small container than with the goldfish.
>> >
>> > Why would a Betta "fluff its fins up" (which the Betta people refer to
>> > as
>> > flare) for a goldfish? The answer is that it wouldn't. It can tell the
>> > difference between a goldfish and another Betta. Try using a mirror and
>> you
>> > should see plenty of flare.
>> >
>> >

[luminos]

> To answer your first question, no bettas can't be housed with
> goldfish.

This is a genius sentence. Oh man.

[sophie]

In message >, luminos
> writes
>
>> To answer your first question, no bettas can't be housed with
>> goldfish.
>
>This is a genius sentence. Oh man.

I hereby relinquish my Comma Nazi crown...

--
sophie

[IDzine01]

Are you joking lightheartedly or are you being nasty?

[luminos]

I just thought it was a funny typo resulting in a sentence with dubious
meaning.


"IDzine01" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Are you joking lightheartedly or are you being nasty?
>

[IDzine01]

Oh, gotcha... Sounds like a double negative. My problem isn't with
comas so much as ellipsis... For me, everything comes with a ...

Online, you can't tell if people are poking fun or just being mean.
What I meant was: Betta + Goldfish = Bad

[Adin Pryde]

the guy DID NOT ask for a history/spelling lession geee let up take a chill
pill

Adin



"Natt Serrasalmus" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Brian S." > wrote in message
> news:jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04...
>> OK Fellas,
>>
>> The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
>> little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
>> probably
>> less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
>>
>> She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and
>> they
>> get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got sit
>> of
>> it tearing up my plants.
>>
>> Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>>
>> We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
>> beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
>> stressed out too.
>>
>> Brian S.
>
> First off, since you can't seem to spell Betta, it's a good bet you
> mispronounce it too. Somewhere along the line there developed a
> misconception that these fish were named for the Greek letter beta
> (pronounced bay-ta). I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who sold it called
> it a beta too. The fish is named for a Siamese tribe of natives called
> Bettah (pronounced bet-ah). The fish is spelled Betta (capitalized because
> it is a genus).
>
> Bettas have an accessory breathing organ called a labyrinth, which allows
> them to live comfortably in water that ordinarily wouldn't be ideal for
> fish. This also allows them to live in small containers. The problem with
> this is that they really do better in warmer temperatures than the room
> temperature that they get in small containers. This is also why they are
> not normally kept with goldfish, which do better in cooler water. I think
> the Betta will do better in its small container than with the goldfish.
>
> Why would a Betta "fluff its fins up" (which the Betta people refer to as
> flare) for a goldfish? The answer is that it wouldn't. It can tell the
> difference between a goldfish and another Betta. Try using a mirror and
> you should see plenty of flare.
>
>

[xytoo]

"John D. Goulden" > wrote in message
...
>> Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>
> Bettas are solitary fish and prefer calm, warmer water (78F or so). Many
> folks keep them in small containers but I prefer at least 5 gallons,
> planted, for a betta (my m/f pair lives in a divided 10). I keep planted
> tanks both to help keep water conditions stable and because many bettas
> like
> to rest on broad-leafed plants (mine certainly do). I run a biowheel on
> the
> female side of the tank, and the water is calm enough on the male side
> that
> he has no trouble putting up his bubble nests.
>
> Goldfish are cool-water fish (70F or so) that do well with others of their
> own kind. They are notoriously messy and need lots of water; conventional
> wisdom is ten gallons per inch for goldies (I'm overlimit here with five
> largish goldies in a 30 but water conditions are fine with heavy planting
> and aggressive filtering (undergravel with a powerhead and a power filter
> on
> the side)). Many claim that goldies prefer a moderate current and mine
> certainly play quite a bit in the powerhead outflow. They can wreak havoc
> on
> the plants (goldies, even more than most fish, seem to be perpetual eating
> machines and are always digging in the gravel) so be prepared for lots of
> maintenance there. I leave my goldie tank at ambient (currently 68F) and
> they appear to be happy, healthy, active fish.
>
> These differing requirements are such that I don't think that bettas and
> goldies would do all that well together.
>
> In a perfect world you would get a new 20-gallon aquarium for the goldfish
> (cycle the tank before moving goldie in and get him / her a another goldie
> or two for company) and move the betta into the 10 (with some broad-leaf
> plants and a heater set to 78F). You might even divide the 10 and put
> another betta on the other side. Both goldies and bettas do well with
> aquarium salt in the water.
>

So I'd be over the limit with 800 goldfish in a 2000 litre (500 gal) tank.
They are tough as guts these Thai fighters, if you want to liven then up
feed them live food, small crusties work well. And they do live in puddles,
we saw them on a trip to Chang Mai in flood areas. Presumably the parent
disperses eggs in flood times. No where near as colourful as the genetically
modified pets though.

Dean

[Brian S.]

We but the betta and goldfish together again... the womain was 'lazy' and
didn't want to take care of it (just as she did with the other fish she
promised she would take care of).

The two have been swimming together and getting along just fine now for two
days.

Brian S.

> wrote in message
...
> GF will eat most anything fits in their mouth. not a good idea to mix
species with
> GF.
>
> "Brian S." > wrote:
>
> >OK Fellas,
> >
> >The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
> >little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container,
probably
> >less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
> >
> >She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and
they
> >get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got sit
of
> >it tearing up my plants.
> >
> >Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
> >
> >We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
> >beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
> >stressed out too.
> >
> >Brian S.
> >
>
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
> http://puregold.aquaria.net/
> www.drsolo.com
> Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
> compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
> endorsements or recommendations I make.

[John D. Goulden]

> So I'd be over the limit with 800 goldfish in a 2000 litre (500 gal) tank.

The limits I gave (10 gal / goldie) are what are typically quoted for home
aquariums with relatively modest filtering and occasional water changes. You
could probably have a thousand healthy goldfish in a 2000-litre tank with
professional-quality pumps and filters (like what is hiding in the back room
of a good-quality LFS), but most folks aren't going to have that sort of
equipment for a home setup.

I've now taught both of my betas to jump out of the water and take
bloodworms from my fingertip. Lots of fun! Unfortunately I've had to lower
their water level a bit, as the female has demonstrated that she could
probably jump high enough to clear the divider and get into the male's side
if she had a mind to.

--
John Goulden

[IDzine01]

Unfortunately laziness and aquariums just don't go together. Maybe you
could adopt him and give him a proper home in his own tank or find him
a home where he'll be taken care of. Little good can come from keeping
two fish with completely different needs together. I'd hate to say
return him to the store, but honestly, he's going to be in just as much
trouble in a goldfish tank as he'd be on a store shelf.

[Vicki PS]

"John D. Goulden" > wrote in message
...
> I've now taught both of my betas to jump out of the water and take
> bloodworms from my fingertip. Lots of fun! Unfortunately I've had to lower
> their water level a bit, as the female has demonstrated that she could
> probably jump high enough to clear the divider and get into the male's
side
> if she had a mind to.

Yep, they do that. I now keep a mesh cover over my female tank (under the
glass) and feed through that, after regularly having to rescue hungry
kamikaze bettas at feed time.

Vicki PS

[Kellbot]

I'd reccomend just getting a cheap $20 tank with a filter from
petsmart, the little 2 gallon kind.
When I was a kid I kept trying to mix goldies and bettas. They'd be
fine for a couple months, but eventually the goldfish would nip betta
to death.
The worst was when the betta was just "gone" one morning. He either
jumped to his doom or the goldies (we had about 5) devoured him
completely.
I admit as a 7 year old I was a somewhat inept fishkeeper. I'm better
now.

The only time I've seen Bettas and goldfish survive in the same tank
(I wouldn't call it cohabitating) was in HUGE, understocked tanks with
LOTS of hiding space for the betta. I mean like 55 gallons +.
When 2 goldfish have full reign of 55 gallons, poking around in the
plants for betta seems less interesting.

"Brian S." > wrote in message news:<jiLld.609723$8_6.150934@attbi_s04>...
> OK Fellas,
>
> The girlfriend bought herself a beta yesterday and I feel sorry for the
> little fart. The thing is in an extremely small little container, probably
> less than one liter or even a half liter of water.
>
> She said that one of her friends has their beta in with a goldfish and they
> get along fine. I have my goldfish in a 10 gallon tank because I got sit of
> it tearing up my plants.
>
> Anyone had any luck with putting betas and goldfish together?
>
> We put the beta right next to the goldfish tank last night to see if the
> beta would fluff it's fins up, and it never did. But, it may have been
> stressed out too.
>
> Brian S.