Now that's a switch...

[Panther]

I've just recently set up a brand-new 40 gallon aquarium, and am currently cycling it with 3 fairly large goldfish I snitched from my mother's fish pond. Well, my mother also insisted that I take her betta, too...he's a beautiful deep red-blue in color, and was housed in a tiny aquarium less than a gallon in size where he seemed to be wasting away. Apparently she was getting tired of him , so she "donated" him to me for my 40. He was pretty skittish at first, but he's beginning to come out now. I was afraid the goldfish might pick on him, but, thankfully, they seem to be ignoring him completely. In any case, he does seem to be much happier than was in his previous setup.

Still, from less than a gallon of space to a full 40 gallons...now that's definitely a big switch.

 

[ManyFISH4Me]

How are they all doing with the temp? My goldfish prefer the water much cooler. To cool for a Betta.

 

[ccg]

I was wondering that myself....

 

[BettaMomma]

Yeah, i'd have to agree.
I can't even believe the diff in my betta from a 74 degree temp to 80.
We hit 80 and we get instant bubblenest....

I think someone in that tank is gonna be unhappy about the temp, unfortunately.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I'd say that this tank must be either too hot for the goldies, or too cold for the betta. If the betta is still alive, it can't be at the levels appropriate for goldfish, which can be as low as the 50's (I've even heard as low as 40's, but thats pushing it) and shouldn't really by anything 74 or above. At 74-76 they're more active, but they also eat more, make more waste, and seem to have a higher incidence of bacterial infections from my experience. I'd say either the goldies have to leave the tank once its cycled so the betta can stay without them suffering ill health, or the betta need to be kept in a properly heated tank.
Goldfish do prefer veggies, but they are pretty omnivorous and are known for fin nipping. You're very lucky yours haven't gone after the betta.

I can see that your intentions are very good, but one of those two species is not in appropriate conditions atm. Or possibly both; it might be too high for goldies and too low for bettas. Perhaps the betta would be happier in the smaller container until the goldfish are out, so you can keep the temp somewhere between 74 and 82?

edit: sorry, I had 70 before and meant 74

 

[Panther]

I have never had problems with fin nipping with any of my goldfish. There are also a few yarn "breeding mops" in there--I have a few feeder guppies in that tank that love hiding in them, and the betta can also find some peace and quiet there, too. Yes, the tank is unheated, but I don't have much of a choice there; I'm desperately short on cash right now, so heaters are going to have to wait a little while. The only other choice would be to put the betta in my livebearer tank (the next friendliest tank) in which dwells a female sword with a serious attitude who would love nothing better than to bully any slow-swimming fish, especially fish with long, pretty fins. The temperature in the 40 is currently in the 70's, and slowly getting warmer with the weather. And as for goldfish disliking high temperatures, well, it's true that they are coldwater fish and do appreciate cooler temps--however, most goldie keepers I know (and I belong to a goldfish forum) actually prefer to keep the temp in their tanks in the upper 70's, usually around 75 to 78 degrees for the fancies. Regular feeders/comets do like it cooler, but the goldies in my 40 are Orandas so hopefully there won't be much problem there. Honestly, if I had a warmer tank that I could put the betta in safely, I would happily do it, but unfortunately I don't have that choice. The setup my mother had for him was even worse, however--a tiny aquarium without heating that she kept by the window.

Still, thankyou very much for your advice!! I will try keep a very sharp eye on the goldfish to make sure they leave him alone, and hopefully I will soon be able to get a heater to bring up the temperature a bit.

 

[Panther]

Oh, great. I've been watching the fish like a hawk, and now I think I might just have to put him somewhere else--for a very different reason, however. My goldfish just ignore him, so there's no problem there, but now he keeps flaring up at the goldfish... he hasn't attacked anybody yet, but I'm getting a little nervous.