Can I introduce my Betta?

Sluder4

Small Fish
Apr 12, 2010
43
0
0
Lexington, N.C.
#1
Well I have a betta in a 1 gallon glass bowl. He is fine and happy in it and it never needs any cleaning (I still clean it tho!). I was just wondering if I could add it to my 20 Gallon with my 2 angel fish and goldfish. Would it harm my other fish? I mean I don't have to put it in there and I was just wondering if it would be possible.
 

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#2
No, you can't add your betta to your tank with the angels and the goldfish. The angels would rip the poor betta to pieces (remember, angels are cichlids and can be territorial and aggressive).

I would just like to point out that your angels and goldfish are incompatible, as well. Angelfish are tropical fish and prefer temperatures over 78F. Goldfish are temperate, or "coldwater," fish and prefer temperatures below 75F. Also, goldfish are HUGE waste producers and grow to be quite large, so the general recommendation is to have 20 gallons for the first goldfish and 10-20 gallons per fish after that. So, with just the one goldfish, you're tank is already stocked. Goldfish also need a tank that is overfiltered by at least double because of the amount of waste they produce (with just the one male ryukin goldfish in my 46gal bowfront, I am running two filters: a Penguin 170 rated for up to 40 gallons and an AquaTech 30-60 rated for up to 60 gallons...a canister filter is much preferred in goldfish tanks, I just can't afford one right now).

To add to the above issues, the angelfish should really be in a larger tank. They get to be 6" long and 10" tall and a 20gal tank just does not provide enough swimming room for them. I generally recommend keeping angelfish in nothing smaller than a 35-40gal tank, with taller being better than wider.

About your betta in the bowl...bettas require filtered, heated, cycled tanks of a minimum 2.5 gallons to thrive (I prefer larger, personally...my boys are in nothing smaller than a 6gal). Your comment about your betta's bowl "never [neeeding] cleaning" seriously made me shudder. Do you understand the nitrogen cycle? Basically, your fish poops, which creates ammonia, as does any decaying organic matter, such as leftover food. Ammonia is INCREDIBLY toxic to fish. So, the presence of ammonia jump-starts the life cycle of a beneficial bacteria that converts the toxic ammonia into slightly-less-toxic nitrite. The presence of the nitrite jump-starts the life cycle of another beneficial bacteria that converts the still-toxic nitrite into relatively-harmless nitrate (which is only harmful in large quantities). In a 1 gallon bowl, you would need to clean it daily to keep the ammonia levels at zero (where they cannot hurt your fish), because there is no filter for the beneficial bacteria to establish on and work its magic rendering the ammonia and nitrites harmless. Also, bettas are tropical fish (like angelfish are) and require warm water. My betta tanks stay anywhere from 78-80F and my boys LOVE it. They are active and fat and healthy. Bettas do not come from mud puddles or rice paddies, as most people for some reason believe. They come from tropical pools where the water is warm and clean. The only time they are in really shallow water (under 5") is during the dry season, which only lasts a couple of months. Get your betta boy a 5 gallon tank that is heated, filtered and cycled and you'll find out what a truly happy betta is.
 

Sluder4

Small Fish
Apr 12, 2010
43
0
0
Lexington, N.C.
#3
Well my betta bowl may be larger than 1 gallon. Yes I have had this 20 gallon way overstoacked and I jut got it down to my angels and goldfish. I am needing 55 gal tho. But I didn't know that it would be the angels that would be the aggresive ones. Always thought the ones to whatch out for was the bettas :p
 

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aakaakaak

Superstar Fish
Sep 9, 2010
1,324
0
0
Chesapeake, Virginia
#4
They'd both cause problems and probably end up with a tag team of angels throwing the smackdown on the single betta.

Here's a 55 gallon in your area for $100. Tank and Hood, no filter mentioned. (Stanford)
55 Gallon AQUARIUM for sale

Here's another 55 gallon for $125 with stand and HoB filter. No mention of lighting. (Tates Creek)
55 Aquarium

Here's a 3rd 55 Gallon for $170, but this one includes the entire package, tank, filter, hood, substrate, decorations, etc. (Williamsburg, KY)
55 Gallon Aquarium Complete Setup

If I had to choose between the three I'd go with the full package. The lights alone cost more than the difference.
 

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bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#5
That doesn't doesn't solve the problem that you're housing incompatible fish. When you get a 55gal, are you going to keep the angels and goldfish together still? (Pssst...correct answer to that would be "no" ;) ) What you really need, if you really wanted to keep both the goldfish and the angels and were to do the best for your fish, is to get two 55gals. One for the angels and one for the goldfish...and a 5gal for the betta that is heated, filtered and cycled. :)
 

Newman

Elite Fish
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#6
if you own common goldfish i suggest that you rehome him now to a pond or to some fellow who has a massive coldwater tank.

the 55 will house your two angels then without problems.
the 20 then could house the betta along with betta friendly tankmates.
 

Meleemaker

Medium Fish
Nov 17, 2010
84
0
0
Pierre SD
#7
They'd both cause problems and probably end up with a tag team of angels throwing the smackdown on the single betta.

Here's a 55 gallon in your area for $100. Tank and Hood, no filter mentioned. (Stanford)
55 Gallon AQUARIUM for sale

Here's another 55 gallon for $125 with stand and HoB filter. No mention of lighting. (Tates Creek)
55 Aquarium

Here's a 3rd 55 Gallon for $170, but this one includes the entire package, tank, filter, hood, substrate, decorations, etc. (Williamsburg, KY)
55 Gallon Aquarium Complete Setup

If I had to choose between the three I'd go with the full package. The lights alone cost more than the difference.
Going off on a little bunny trail, wanna find me some tanks lol!!! I cant find diddly nothign for second hand tanks where I come from....



But its nice you got a betta and put him in a one gallon. Im sure we have all done it, and its cool for a while and we upgrade. It sounded a little hard about such critizism, but hey we were all excited little aquarium fanatics when we started and got a lot of fish in a little amount of space(except me :)) But he is right, you got to get some bigger tank for male betta. They get happy and are a lot funner to watch. THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS
 

ValRasbora

Superstar Fish
May 2, 2009
1,202
0
0
Atlantic Canada
#9
+1 on what everyone else said.
Lose the goldfish, upgrade the angels, upgrade your betta.
Is the goldfish comet (common) or fancy (oranda, fantail, bubble-eye, etc.)?
You're eventually going to run into problems if you don't give the goldfish away..