Help / Suggestions?

Chinito

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I just bought a Betta, a week ago, and i recently added 2 Shibukins gold fishes in the tank, is a 5 gallon tank, i started noticing my Betta been staying inbetween the glass and the filter alot, I dont know if is trying to stay away from the 2 goldfishes in the tank? or if is something else? The 3 seems to get along fine in the tank. Here is a pic of the tank. Any help or suggestions would be really nice.

4.jpg
 
Hello welcome to the forum! Afraid have a little bit of bad news hon. A 5gallon is not big enough for those three fish. The goldfish themselves will need a much much larger tank whic does surprise most people. The reason being that these guys grow quite large and are messy. The whole "a fish will grow to the size of the tank " thing is rubbish, the physical size of the fish will grow to the tank it is in but the organs inside continue to grow which isnt healthy for the fish and will result in premature death. Local fish stores really should be shot for giving out bad info as a friend of mine has a £12.99 set up with shubunkin (she had two) one died instantly, the other continues to live but mopes around, yet my friend refuses my help. It is very sad in deed.

Also fighter fish do not always like other tankmates, some will kill on sight, others may have a more gentle temperament. I would be very careful with this combination in such a small tank.

Did you cycle the tank and filter as noticed got the betta a week ago and now added goldfish, his behaviour could also be a sign of ammonia/nitrites build up which also kills them or makes them ill. The goldfish being messy may also be too much for the filter in that space as well. Have you a test kit, can you get the water parameters? Also what do you feed the fighter as flake food is not best for them.

lastly there arent much in the way of decorations in there, fighters are curious and rather intelligent fish, he may not feel the need to explore, espcially with the other two fish taking up most the space.

Sorry to be such a negative nancy but you may end up with dead fish on your hands due to a number of ways if we do not get this sorted..My main suggestion would be to take the shubunkins back, as that tank is far to small as it is. Get a couple of cheap silk or live plants (plastic will rip the fighters fins) and there are a couple of tankmates out there that can add if wish to make more interesting. Most people on here recommend 3-5g for a fighter fish (betta) but there are some cool things to add. For instance I have a aquatic African Dwarf Frog in mine and it is interesting watching!

Just off to find a small list of occupants :)

Cant find the link right now, will keep looking, one thing also to add that the shubunkins are coldwater and the fighter is tropical and unless live in a warm area should really have a heater, especially during the winter :)
 
Great advice lilacammy, that tank is no where near big enough for them fish, apart from the betta.
 
Hey, thank you for the quick respond. I'm gonna switch the shubunkins to my GF's 10 gallon tank to give my Betta more room. Also about the heater, i have a 25W heater, but i figure i wouldnt need to use it lol since the guy @ the petstore says they can live in whatever temp. I also feed them frozen blood worms / flakes. What other tankmates can i give my betta in my tank? What else would you suggest that i can perhaps put into my dinky tank? Once again, thank you for helping me out with this problem.
 
You failed to mention the fact that Shubunkins are coldwater fish, and Betta Splendens are tropical.
 
HI Chinito, glad to help! Sorry it had to be like that they are pretty fish. LFSs dont always know what conditions are like at home. Most on here have 78-80F. I am not the best at tankmates trying to find this one link that had a good selection in.

Forestpisces you there? Think you had some great info at the time :)

Dont worry get you some info shortly!

p.s. has the betta a name? Pretty colours!!
 
Forest is here hun and you seem to be doing nicley on your own with the advise :good:

Chinito just listen to lila and youl have a happy healthy fish.
 
Thank you everybody, seprating the fishes was a really great idea, i notice this afternoon, my Betta is chasing the Shubukins around, and i also notice that its been flaring at them alot with its gils, i have now seprated them in 2 seprate tanks, 5 GL for the gold fishes, and 2.5 for the Betta for now. I will put the Betta back in the 5 GL tank once i bring em to my GF's tank.
 

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