Female bettas and goldfish?

[SaltyMist]

Im just figuring out logistics right now. I think I want to try to breed some betta fish, so Im thinking, about how many tanks I would actually need.

I have a tank with Richard and Hyacinth, my two goldfish (about 1" in size), Im wondering if I couldnt put in say 2 or 3 female betas with them, I know tank size will make a difference, but I would think that a 20 gallon tank while is fine for two goldfish (again, since right now the golds are only 1" big), and should not increase in bioload enough to do any harm by adding 2 or 3 female bettas (good filtration and all that).

But my main concern is whether they will get along, or if they will be fighting all the time and chasing each other?

Thanks,

P.S. Just what kind of bioload does a beta fish put on a system? Is it the same load as say any other fish of the same size?

 

[iloveyou]

meh.... id say the bettas would fight with them... not 100% cuz ive never tried it....

but id think that the bettas wouldnt like mr and mrs goldfish

 

[Tempestuousfury]

What are you trying to do, exactly?

Goldfish require cold temperatures in order to get adequate oxygen. bettas on the other hand are used to and prefer warm to hot tmeperatures. I'd say trying to place one fish in a place where it shouldn't be is just asking for problems down the road.

As for fighting, they might become territorial, so it owuld be best not to keep them with goldfish, seeing as how they wouldn't fight back and would therefore be killed.

 

[SaltyMist]

My goldfish tank is kept at 78 to 80f since this is a stable temp that my living room will keep the tanks at regardless of how warm it is outside or how cold I make it with the AC on. So thats a good range for bettas as well, or so I have read.

Since Im thinking about breeding a betta or two, I was thinking to eliminate an extra tank(s) for a couple breeder female bettas by keeping them in with the goldfish. Apparently your saying that they are not compatible and should not be done

I think that I'll have my hands full once or if I actually do get beta fry, what with the amount of containers I'll have to eventually keep before trying to sell them, was just thinking short term housing for the female betas, thats all.

I'd really not like the extra work of putting up a bunch of 1 or 2.5 gallon bowls and the associated maintenance of each one for each female, whereas the bioload would still be acceptible if I put them in with the goldfish and no extra maintenance would be required since I have to do a 1 or 2 times per week water change anyway on the goldies tank.

As far as what Im attempting to do, it would be to breed bettas to get my own strain of color and shape in them and eventually if they look really nice, to sell them off and if I make a couple bucks for my effort, then great, if not, thats okay too, because it would be a good experience and something to keep me really occupied with my copeous freetime. My LFS owner today said that he would buy any betas I can bring him since he can only get the most common types and he sells all his betas within 2 days, when he brings in 50 of them every wednesday. So he wouldnt mind if I could bring him in 50 to 100 a week, even if Im not consistant, he said he would forgo picking them up at the wholesalers to purchase mine if I told him on Mondays that I had a batch of bettas for him that week.

 

[Jayderana]

Judging from my local walmart goldfish get along fine with bettas it is just that bettas hate goldfish. They chase them, nip at them, and flare. I really just don't know that it would be a good match especially with ornamental goldfish considering I have also read that they should only live with thier own kind because of their susceptibility to bacterial infections. I think that goldfish and bettas are very different, it seems like bettas need their space and goldfish do not really respect that. However I suppose you could always give it a try since I have only seen it with male bettas. And female bettas can have a different temperament. Good luck

 

[Drac39]

Yeah back when My sister,and I had a small Betta tank,we added a goldfish,dead in less than 24 hours

 

[Nes]

Goldfish & bettas DO NOT GET ALONG. Bettas need much higher temperatures, goldfish are very slow so an agressive betta will bother then, and eventually most species of goldfish will get large enough to eat a betta.

GOLDFISH & BETTAS DO NOT MAKE GOOD TANK MATES
(I've had THIS conversation with many people as well... I should start a help line...)

Also placeing 2-3 female bettas into a tank if you are going to breed them is not a good idea. Minor fights between females will cause nips & scrapes that are only going to make general spawning rough-housing wounds worse off.

If you are serisouly looking into breeding your bettas please remember that you will need to provide homes for (or other means of disposal) up to 300 fry for 3 months until they are old enough to be sold/given away. They will not be able to stay together until you can sell them because the males will start spawning the females & fighting & the females will fight...

You really shouldn't sell to a petstore that is willing to take in your bettas younger then 2 months

I AM NOT getting into an agruement about betta space (I don't have the time or energy right now to convince everyone), but if you want to become a serious betta breeder - I suggest looking into 32 oz deli cups. They make great homes - however, you must change 90% of water daily and scrub out once a week, so they are quite labour intensive. Of course, this does mean you have alot more room to keep more bettas.

Good Luck & Remember to Ask Lots of Questions

Nes.