Betta fish and goldfish are the favorite choice of pet fish for many aquarists, especially kids. So, you might think it would be cool to have both species living together in your home tank.
But can bettas live with goldfish? Betta fish have a pretty fierce reputation, whereas goldies are super-chilled out.
So, would an arrangement for the two to live as tankmates be a marriage made in heaven or a recipe for disaster?
In this guide, we answer those questions and explain why goldfish and bettas might not be the happiest of bedfellows after all.
Goldfish and Betta Fishes
The iconic goldfish has arguably been the favorite choice of kids’ pets for decades, joined more recently by the betta fish. Both fishes are beautiful and relatively easy to care for, certainly more so than a cat or a dog.
However, these are two totally different fish species with different requirements when it comes to their care.
Let’s take a closer look at bettas and goldfish to find out why they are so different.
Goldfish
All varieties of goldfish are distantly related to a species of Prussian carp found primarily in Central Asia.
It’s thought that there are approximately 125 goldfish varieties, which have all been created by crossbreeding and captive hybridization. There are no wild species of goldfish unlike Plakat betta fish which are still found living in nature.
Wild carp inhabit slow-moving waters in ponds, rivers, lakes, and ditches, just like betta fish in nature.
Size Matters
However, unlike bettas, goldfish are not nano fish and shouldn’t be kept in small bowls. Goldfish need a spacious tank with a very efficient filtration system to remove the vast amounts of waste they produce.
All varieties of goldfish can grow to a pretty large size, and that cute two-inch Oranda you bought home from your local fish store will quickly morph into a six-inch stunner with gorgeous flowing fins.
Unfortunately, you’ll often see betta fish in a small tank with no filter system. However, wild bettas like to establish territories of several square feet, so you can see that, like goldfish, a tiny bowl is unsuitable for a betta fish.
Betta Fish
Unlike the artificially raised goldfish, bettas exist in the wild, although not in the fancy, long-finned forms popular with hobbyists and that you see for sale in fish and pet stores.
Bettas belong to the Osphronemidae tropical fish family, which originates from southeast Asia and includes another popular aquarium fish species, gouramis.
Did you know that there are an incredible 73 varieties of bettas? Most of these are bred in captivity and heavily crossbred to produce the glamorous finnage, and beautiful colors enthusiasts covet.
Wild bettas live in small populations centered around Thailand’s Chao Phraya and Mekong river basins. Here, the fish live in slow-moving, shallow bodies of water, rice paddies, marshes, and ditches.
Labyrinth Fish
All bettas are termed “labyrinth breathers.” That means the fish have a specially evolved labyrinth organ that allows the betta to gulp air at the water’s surface.
Much of the betta’s habitat is low in dissolved oxygen, and the labyrinth organ allows the fish to survive when water conditions are poor, typically during the dry season.
Unfortunately, that has led people to believe bettas are happy in tiny bowls without filtration, which is not the case.
In fact, according to research that Adelphi University undertook, the betta fish requires at least a two-gallon aquarium with a good filter system, heating, and lighting to remain healthy and thrive.
Like goldfish aquariums, betta fish tanks must be cleaned regularly to maintain the optimum water conditions that these fish need to be happy.
Are Betta Fish Aggressive?
In a word, yes! Betta fish are also known as Siamese Fighting fish for a good reason!
Male betta fish are extremely territorial, defending their adopted patch vigorously to all comers, even a placid goldfish.
In Thailand, back in the 1800s, people raised wild betta fish specifically for fighting. Two fish would be pitted against each other, and spectators would wager on which fish would win the battle.
Even the King of Siam was a keen owner of fighting fish and supported licensed betta fights!
Modern bettas are no different from their “Placat” ancestors. If a betta fish catches sight of his reflection in the tank glass or a mirror, he will flare at the perceived intruder and even attack it.
Chill Out!
At the other end of the aggression spectrum, we find the placid goldfish. Goldies are the chilled-out dudes of the aquarium, enjoying the peaceful company of their own kind.
They mostly keep to themselves and spend much of their time foraging for scraps of food or digging up plants.
That said, some varieties of goldfish can be fin nippers and grow much bigger than betta fish. In addition, the betta splendens are not built for speed and are somewhat weighed down by their flowing finnage.
Unfortunately, a speedy Comet-type goldfish would easily outswim a betta and could inflict considerable damage on its fins.
The bottom line: Place a fin-nipping, fast-swimming goldfish in the same tank as a highly territorial and aggressive betta that views any fish with bright colors as a possible threat, and you’re asking for a full-scale war to break out in your aquarium!
And don’t let the betta’s small size fool you. Betta fish will take on fish that are much larger than they are if they think that their territory is under threat.
Diet and Nutrition
So, we know that bettas and goldfish personality types don’t gel. But what about their diets?
Can Betta Fish Eat Goldfish Food?
Theoretically, a betta fish can eat goldfish food every now and then. However, since the two species’ nutritional requirements are quite different, we recommend that you stick to giving your betta the correct diet.
Bettas are primarily carnivorous, although a small amount of algae and plant matter is often included in their daily diet. In contrast, goldfish are omnivores that eat pretty much anything that fits into their mouths!
Goldfish foods tend to contain lots of fillers, such as grains and fishmeal, together with vegetable and plant matter and not much protein. A protein-rich diet is essential for a betta to remain healthy.
So, betta pellet food is a much better choice for your pet, together with some frozen meaty protein, such as bloodworms. In addition, bettas are exclusively surface feeders, whereas goldfish hang out in all areas of the water column.
So, goldfish food tends to sink rather than float, which means that quite a lot of the food will end up on the bottom of the tank and go to waste. So, your betta could end up hungry, and your water quality will suffer, too.
Fasting
All things considered, it’s much better to stick to feeding your betta the correct betta food, although goldfish food will do in a pinch.
Remember that betta fish can benefit from having one day per week without food. That fasting day allows any food still in the fish’s digestive system to be processed before you add more to the queue.
That way, you can help prevent constipation and bloating, which commonly affect bettas.
Can You Feed Goldfish Betta Fish Food?
So, can goldfish eat betta fish food?
Well, goldfish are omnivores that need both protein and vegetable matter in their diet. As mentioned above, bettas are primarily carnivores that need lots of meaty protein foods to remain healthy.
So, commercially produced betta food contains high levels of protein and very little else.
That’s not good news for your goldfish. Unlike betta fish, goldfish don’t have a stomach. Instead, the goldfish has evolved to have a much slower digestive system designed to gradually digest and process the creature’s food as it passes through the fish’s intestines.
Goldfish food contains plant matter and amino acids that the fish needs to thrive. Feeding your goldfish betta food as its primary diet can cause constipation, kidney problems, and swim bladder issues.
Alternatives
If you run out of goldfish food and the pet store is closed, offering your fish some veggies, such as zucchini, skinned, cooked peas, or lettuce, is better.
Like betta fish, goldfish can have a fasting day each week when you don’t feed them. Don’t forget that goldfish eat algae and plant leaves, so your pets will always find something to nibble on in their tank!
Do Betta Fish Eat Goldfish?
No! Betta fish do not eat goldfish.
Although bettas can be aggressive toward other tank mates, they are not known to make a meal of them. In fact, the rumor that betta fish kill and eat their tank mates is something of an urban myth.
A betta’s mouth is far too small to swallow a whole fish, even a small one.
In contrast, goldfish can and do eat smaller fish and invertebrates if they can catch them. So, you might want to think twice before adding shrimp and tiny minnows to your goldfish tank, as there’s a good chance the poor creatures will end up on the goldies’ lunch menu.
Tank Conditions
If goldfish and bettas aren’t compatible when it comes to temperament and diet, how about tank conditions?
Temperature
Goldfish live in cold water, ideally in the temperature range of 68o and 74o Fahrenheit. Bettas, on the other hand, are tropical fishes and must have warm water between 75o and 86o Fahrenheit to survive.
A betta fish will suffer from temperature shock if the water temperature in the aquarium falls below 75o. Even if your betta isn’t shocked, his metabolism will run more slowly, your pet will stop eating, and he will become very lethargic.
Because the fish’s circulation is not functioning correctly due to his inactivity, he may develop diseases, including fin rot. So, you can see that keeping your betta fish in a cold tank is asking for trouble and could ultimately kill your pet.
Goldfish can also get sick if the water becomes too warm rather than too cold. So if the water temperature sneaks over 75o, your goldfish could be in trouble.
So, the primary reason why goldfish and bettas are not compatible tankmates is that they need totally different water temperatures to survive.
Water Hardness
Water is described as hard or soft, depending on its mineral content. Fish use the minerals in the water as part of their nutritional requirements, but different fish species have different water hardness tolerance and preferences.
So, betta fish need soft water that contains hardly any calcium. The lower the levels of calcium, the lower the water pH level will be, and bettas need a water pH level of close to 7.0 to be happy.
However, in contrast, goldfish prefer tank water with a higher calcium content, which, consequently, has a higher pH level, ideally between 7.2 and 7.6.
Tank Cleanliness
Goldfish are much larger than bettas and produce an awful lot of waste. Goldfish don’t have stomachs, so everything they eat passes through the fish and into their aquarium.
For that reason, it’s essential that your fish tank has an efficient, mature biological filtration system that can cope with the waste products and control the Nitrogen Cycle.
You’ll also need to carry out partial water changes every week to control the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrate levels.
Betta fish are extremely sensitive to ammonia in the water and can quickly fall victim to ammonia poisoning, which can be fatal to your picky pet.
Although goldfish tolerate frequent partial water changes, bettas are stressed out by that, leading to a compromised immune system, which exposes the fish to attack by diseases and parasites.
Water Movement
When it comes to water movement, and flow rate, a tank with goldfish living in it does need a fairly strong flow to ensure that the water circulates through the filter system at a good GPH (gallons per hour) rate to keep the environment clean.
Unfortunately, a strong flow rate is exactly what your betta fish doesn’t like. Fancy varieties of betta fish have long, flowing finnage that looks stunning but is a distinct handicap for swimming.
A comparatively tiny betta encumbered by heavy fins will struggle to swim in fast-flowing water.
Again, living in an environment where he can’t swim properly and is continually buffeted by the water will cause your betta fish a lot of stress, exposing him to diseases.
You could fit a baffle to the filter outlet to restrict the current but maintain the flow rate or use a sponge filter to suit your betta fish. However, a sponge filter will never handle the quantity of waste the goldfish generates.
Tank Size and Decoration
Betta fish are small, growing to just 2 or 3 inches at maturity. So, your betta can happily live in a 10-gallon nano tank and still have plenty of space to be happy.
However, some varieties of Fancy goldfish can reach up to 6 inches or more when fully grown, and the more streamlined types can make up to 12 in length or even more!
Tank décor that suits goldfish doesn’t necessarily work for a betta. Betta fish prefer dense planting environments where they can rest and hide.
Bettas also like caves in which to take refuge and explore and plenty of driftwood and other ornaments that they can investigate while patrolling their territory.
Goldfish can be very destructive where plants are concerned, uprooting them while foraging through the substrate for scraps of food.
Fancy goldfish are notoriously poor swimmers, and too many decorations and bushy plants obstructing their swimming space can spell disaster and even lead to injuries.
What About a Temporary Arrangement?
In theory, you could put your betta fish and goldfish in the same tank for a day or two in an emergency situation. For example, if your betta tank heater fails, you could put your betta in your goldie tank while you get a replacement heater.
However, we recommend that you use a quarantine tank as a temporary home for your betta rather than stressing him out by placing him in an unsuitable environment.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, bettas and goldfish simply don’t mix. They don’t share the same requirements for water conditions, tank size, and tank setup.
So, can betta fish live with goldfish? The answer to that question has to be no.
Sadly, although these two species would look great together, there are just too many things that goldfish prefer, and bettas hate for the two to get along as permanent tankmates.
In theory, you could perhaps have a betta fish live with a Fancy goldfish for a day or so, but that would have to be a temporary arrangement.