# What kind of fish should I get?



## Eep Crood (Jan 23, 2014)

I am getting a fish this weekend. I am deciding between a betta and a goldfish. Any suggestions?

My tank is 2.5 gallons, and I am not stupid. I know that you do NOT need a 30 gallon for a goldfish, so don't lie to me. Like other people do. My friends goldfish lived for two years in a bow and it is still alive... So how do you explain that. I've never seen a little goldfish in a30 gallon. NEVER. NOBODY does that. I do understand that if you put a goldfish in a pond, it will grow to be huge, but it will not be that big if you put it in a 2.5 gallon. And why would they make bowls if they were too small for all fish?


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## panthers24 (Dec 31, 2013)

I like bettas because of the variety to chose from but they are more expensive to keep than goldfish.

Bettas are easier to kill if you do something wrong 

some goldfish will not die no matter what they go through. We have a fish pond outside with goldfish in it and we only clean it once or twice a year because it is over 140 gals and takes forever to clean and we don't have a pump so we have to clean it with 5 gal buckets. But goldfish are probably the hardiest fish there is we had one live in our pond for at least 8 years probably closer to 10


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## rylovesriska (Oct 30, 2013)

I have goldfish and had a betta (she died) but I have to say (in my opinion) that goldfish do not have as strong of a personality as a betta, the koi pond (with goldfish) is my least favorite thing in the house because of the Goldfish, I love the koi. But you might like the goldfish this is just my personal opinion


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## 16kehresmann (Feb 5, 2014)

That whole goldfish can live in 2.5 gallons of water is true. Just like if I stuck a dog in a closet, gave them food,water,bathroom. they'd totally live...Not very happily. But they would probably survive. Anybody you talk to who's researched and owned goldfish is going to tell you they require a min. of 20 gallons per goldie and an additional 10 gallons for every goldie after that. Why do they make "goldfish bowls?" Why the heck do they make those little half gallon tanks for betta fish to live in? Because people don't always think what's "Best" for the animal. So, I'd suggest you don't get a goldfish if you're not willing to give them the best accomidations.

**Not meaning to sound harsh at all. Just trying to give you the information!!


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## panthers24 (Dec 31, 2013)

What type of goldfish were you thinking of? If you had a pond you could probably raise a goldfish in the bowl and then release it into the pond when it got to big for the bowl or you could probably find someone who had a pond you could put it in


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

If all you have/want is a 2.5 then get a betta. Please get a heater too, regardless of what you're told at the pet store (how bettas like cold water). 

You have some research to do on either fish you decide on but please don't get a goldfish and stick it in a 2.5 gallon. They are messy heavy bioload fish, their own waste will kill them. Why has your friend's goldfish lived this long? Who knows, a lot of animals are hardy but it sounds like very neglectful conditions for the poor fish.


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## isntanything (Dec 9, 2013)

Eep Crood said:


> I am getting a fish this weekend. I am deciding between a betta and a goldfish. Any suggestions?
> 
> My tank is 2.5 gallons, and I am not stupid. I know that you do NOT need a 30 gallon for a goldfish, so don't lie to me. Like other people do. My friends goldfish lived for two years in a bow and it is still alive... So how do you explain that. I've never seen a little goldfish in a30 gallon. NEVER. NOBODY does that. I do understand that if you put a goldfish in a pond, it will grow to be huge, but it will not be that big if you put it in a 2.5 gallon. And why would they make bowls if they were too small for all fish?


It is NOT a lie that you need a bigger tank for a goldfish. 2.5g is way too small and anyone who tells you different is ignorant.

Goldfish can live 15-25 years (depending on the type), so the fact that someone managed to keep one for two years in a bowl means nothing. Come back in another 10 years and tell me if their fish is still healthy. A small tank may stunt a goldfish's growth, but will cause it developmental problems.

I'm sorry that this isn't what you want to hear, but if you ask for advice you need someone to tell you the truth: keeping a goldfish in a 2.5 is inhumane. The fact that they make small goldfish bowls means nothing: there are hundreds of cruel tanks and bowls on the market - just look at some of the rubbish they make for bettas.


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## panthers24 (Dec 31, 2013)

We have goldfish in our fish pond outside that is over 140 gallons and we have 7-8 goldfish in there most of 5-6 of them are still little and only 3 inches long but we had a goldfish I am not sure what kind but he got probably 6-8 inches I can't remember because he died a few years ago but goldfish can and will get big given the space


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## Eep Crood (Jan 23, 2014)

I had two bettas in a 2.5 gallon heated and filtered tank with a divider, one male (Dracula) and one female (vanilla). Vanilla died on Monday, and we have not had time to clean the tank, so I put Dracula in my smaller tank (.5 gallon). we will clean the bigger tank (the 2.5 gallon one) on Saturday and I will move him back in there by himself. I am getting a second tank this weekend that is a 2.5 gallon. I decided to get a second tank, because I think Vanilla either died of stress from seeing Dracula on the other side, or because her tank was too small. I think it is the first one because she was only in there for three days before dying. Or possibly she died from already catching a disease at the pet store. The pet stores keep their bettas in cups for weeks, so I do not think being in a 1.25 gallon for three days is enough to cause death.


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## ksamml (Jan 22, 2014)

You can do a lot of things... doesn't mean you should. This article sums it up nicely
http://www.epinions.com/content_3185614980?sb=1


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## panthers24 (Dec 31, 2013)

If you want the best for your betta spend the extra money and get a 5 gal with a heater and a filter. A 5 gal is perfect for a betta he has plenty of room to swim around and spread his fins. You could even divide it and keep two if you really wanted.

Put your self in the fishes place. You could live your whole life in your bedroom that was 60 degress but would you want to? No you wouldn't it is the same thing for a betta. He COULD live in a 1.25 gal aquarium but would he like it? No he wouldn't he would like a 5 gal where he can swim around and hide


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

With the horrible attitude shown in the OP definitely do not get a goldfish. You will just be condemning the fish to a short and miserable existence.

Goldfish have lifespans that are supposed to be longer than that of most pet dogs. Sadly people seem to think getting a couple of years out of their goldfish is some indication as to the greatness of their fishkeeping skills. 

Goldfish are a member of the carp family and as such are able to tolerate and survive in conditions that would kill more sensitive species. This is why they have become such a successful noxious pest in a lot of parts around the world. However, I am going to trot out the old adage that surviving is definitely not thriving. A 2.5 gallon tank is not even meeting the barest of minimums when it comes to goldfish care. You purchase an ammonia test and see just how quickly the ammonia in a tank that small builds up to fatal levels. I'd say it would take less than a week even if you were conservative with your feedings. 

Goldfish are cheap to purchase and cheap to replace. However, that doesn't mean that they should be forced to suffer because of ignorance. Stunting is not healthy and is certainly not something to be taken advantage of, because you want to keep a fish that has the potential to grow anywhere from the size of a baseball to over a foot in length in a 2.5 gallon tank. 

In a tank that size I would only ever recommend a betta. That is if you are going to provide it with a heater.


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## ksamml (Jan 22, 2014)

If you see how happy and active your fish would be in a 5g then you wouldn't want to go back...


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## panthers24 (Dec 31, 2013)

We have a fish pond outside our house would it be okey to buy a goldfish for a 3 gal and keep it in there for a year or so than release it into our pond? I don't think it would hurt the fish I think he would enjoy moving into our pond so would that work?


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## smilingdoberman (Jan 27, 2014)

Eep Crood said:


> I had two bettas in a 2.5 gallon heated and filtered tank with a divider, one male (Dracula) and one female (vanilla). Vanilla died on Monday, and we have not had time to clean the tank, so I put Dracula in my smaller tank (.5 gallon). we will clean the bigger tank (the 2.5 gallon one) on Saturday and I will move him back in there by himself. I am getting a second tank this weekend that is a 2.5 gallon. I decided to get a second tank, because I think Vanilla either died of stress from seeing Dracula on the other side, or because her tank was too small. I think it is the first one because she was only in there for three days before dying. Or possibly she died from already catching a disease at the pet store. The pet stores keep their bettas in cups for weeks, so I do not think being in a 1.25 gallon for three days is enough to cause death.


 
Oh no Vanilla died! Im so sorry!


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Panther: Read the advice given by the experienced keepers on this thread again. The answer to you question is already there.


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## Eep Crood (Jan 23, 2014)

I do not have a pond. I live in a townhouse so making a pond is not allowed. I do not know anyone with a pond. Where I live it gets really cold so the pon would freeze over in the winter anyway...


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

So it's simple, don't consider goldfish!


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## panthers24 (Dec 31, 2013)

goldfish should be a no no for your living conditions if they will have a 2.5 gallon tank.

Goldfish can survive outside in the winter time. It got to 0 with a windchill of -40 outside where we live and the goldfish in the pond are fine and it freezes over all the time it has ice on it a few weeks out of the year. The pond is preety deep so it doesn't hurt the fish at all. They stay in the bottom when it I cold


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

the reason they make bowls is because of something called supply and demand.the more people are educated,the less they buy things like this. you can no longer buy bowls in many places in europe.they are considered animal cruelty.they have also been enforcing cruelty towards fish.there is a lot that other places in the world can learn from these proactive countries. the whole "don't tell me,because i will not listen" attitude will not win you any favor here.impetuousness will only get you dead fish. research and patience are your true friends in fishkeeping.here's hoping you will change your tune,and discover the true gratification of fishkeeping.


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## snowflake311 (Jun 19, 2013)

Omg . Just because the fish lived in crap condition done not mean it's good for it. 

Yeah you can keep a dog in a tiny dog run all it's life and never let him out.
feed him and clean his dog run when you feel like it and he will survive. It's cruel to keep a dog in a small dog run all it's life. 

Just get a bigger tank. Or don't keep fish.


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## Eep Crood (Jan 23, 2014)

I got a betta this weekend and put her in a 2.5 gallon.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

good,reasonable choice.good luck with your new fish.


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## smilingdoberman (Jan 27, 2014)

Eep Crood said:


> I got a betta this weekend and put her in a 2.5 gallon.


Cool! Can you posts some pics Id like to see her?! And I have my bettas in a 2.5 gallon too


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## Eep Crood (Jan 23, 2014)

This is her, I hope this picture posts, and it is not sideways or upside down.


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## rpadgett37 (Jan 1, 2014)

Eep Crood said:


> I am getting a fish this weekend. I am deciding between a betta and a goldfish. Any suggestions?
> 
> My tank is 2.5 gallons, and I am not stupid. I know that you do NOT need a 30 gallon for a goldfish, so don't lie to me. Like other people do. My friends goldfish lived for two years in a bow and it is still alive... So how do you explain that. I've never seen a little goldfish in a30 gallon. NEVER. NOBODY does that. I do understand that if you put a goldfish in a pond, it will grow to be huge, but it will not be that big if you put it in a 2.5 gallon. And why would they make bowls if they were too small for all fish?


I would imagine most any fish can be kept in a smaller tank provided water changes are done frequently and water parameters are kept stable (meaning PH, KH, GH and temperature; however, that is a tall order in smaller tanks that are easily susceptible to conditions outside of the tank.

Having said that, I turn my attention to the tank size and a Goldfish. All goldfish varieties grow to a large size as adults (8 inches in most case, some larger than that). Starting a Goldfish off in a smaller tank is fine but upgrading your tank to larger sizes to accommodate their growth is necessary if you wish to keep them alive and healthy. Failing to do so will stunt their growth and significantly reduce their life span (max up to 8 years I believe).

Now by stunted growth, I do not mean they simply stop at a particular size because of the size of the tank, that they simply stop growing. Recent studies are showing that externally, the fish stops growing (overall size); however, the organs within the fish continue to grow at a normal rate. The end result is the organs eventually outgrow the fish size, will rupture and do all kinds of other nasty things that give the fish a painful death. It most certainly cuts their lifespan by quite a bit (2 years is only 1/4 of the max of a goldfish lifespan. As I understand it, nearly all species will suffer this fate if kept in conditions not conducive to the requirements of their adult size. You can google lots of topics in this area, and I will say this is a controversial issue. One thing does seem certain, though, that a fish will only grow to the size of the tank is a myth. Other things are going on such as what I have mentioned above.

Given this, a Betta is a far better choice for your size aquarium. It adapts very well to smaller tanks and will grow to its adult size without any issues. Of course proper care is still needed in terms of providing optimal conditions to ensure a long and healthy lifespan, but for a smaller aquarium, there really is no better choice as a showcase fish both for its size, adaptability, and beauty than a Betta.

On a final note, even if a goldfish did grow to only a small size, I believe your tank would be too small anyway. Goldfish produce a great deal of amonia, and if you did not regularly change out water, the fish would eventually die from the poisons it produces. It may not even survive that either given the conditions of the new water need to match what is in the aquarium as closely as possible. Failure to do the work needed to achieve that will only shock the fish, rendering it susceptible to diseases that may kill it off.

I have not lied to you just so you know.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Since you mentioned recent studies, can you provide a link to these studies?


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## Cody27 (Feb 18, 2014)

We have our betta, "Stormy", in a 5 gallon hexagon aquarium and he *LOVES it*!! Originally we looked at Betta Bowls that were on sale at our LPS, but I automatically said to my wife "no way" and got the Marineland Eclipse Hex5. He is the only fish in the tank right now, but will get one or two Ghost Shrimp later for "cleaning" purposes.

Also, read some replies that said that a heater is a necessity......not necessarily! We bought a Aqueon 10W Mini Heater (recommended to us), but last week turned it off after noticing the water temperature was almost 86 degrees! It was a warm day here in northeastern Florida and we had a door and window open. So, add the outside warmth, along with the aquarium light warmth, w/filtration motor (partly in water) warmth AND the mini heater........TOO MUCH! Haven't turned it back on and the temp during the day, w/aquarium light on, is 80 to 82. In the middle of the night, temp is 78 to 80. People who live in the northern States.........oh yes, heater is a MUST in the winter!


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## rpadgett37 (Jan 1, 2014)

jaysee said:


> Since you mentioned recent studies, can you provide a link to these studies?


Studies was too strong a word to use; however, there is plenty of information on the subject, covering all things that will stunt a fishes' growth as well as define what stunting is. Some theories are controversial, but you can sift through all of the info and see for yourself.

I didn't mention before that stunting is not limited to small tanks; however, smaller tanks are more likely to have all of the factors involved with stunting present due to their small size. And the size of the tank does definitely play an unfortunate role in this story.

Google: "Do fish grow to the size of their tank?"


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I've been around a long time and have read a lot people sharing their thoughts on the matter but what I haven't seen is anyone furnish any documented sources saying that the organs continue to grow while the fish as a whole does not. 

I'm not saying that that info is not out there..... I'm just saying that I've never seen it accompany the claim. It sure is repeated often enough for people to think its fact though.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

try finding papers at the collegiate level or higher about stunting.i wholeheartedly believe that the organs growing and rupturing inside of the body is a well circulated myth.there is just no real proof.and as far as them losing years off of their lives,this can not be proven either.the oldest goldfish on record was a 43 yr old common goldfish that live in a bowl.this fish was 4.5 in long.obviously a very stunted fish,as commons can reach over 12".


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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

Stunting occurs in nature as well when introduced fish fail to find enough food or suitable water conditions. There are acid rain-stricken ponds in northern new york where bass and trout fail to reach 10" and cannot reproduce.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

One thing we can ALL agree on, is that the fish will NEVER grow larger than it's tank


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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

jaysee said:


> One thing we can ALL agree on, is that the fish will NEVER grow larger than it's tank


Yes. But stunting can never be thought of as a good thing, especially by Tropical Fish Keepers who hold the health and welfare of the animals as an important concern. Don't want anyone to think that its ok...


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

Pet shops sell a lot of things that are not healthy or humane for pets, they do not think of the animals welfare only of their pocket aka money. Goldfish should live anywhere between 10-20 years so 2 years is not old for a goldfish. Goldfish naturally grow to around 12 inches depending on the species, keeping a goldfish is cruel because they produce a lot of waste, which in turn zooms up nitrate and ammonia levels causing severe stunting of growth which in turn shortens the fishes life dramatically. I will be very surprised if that goldfish in the 2.5 gallon lives beyond five years which is still very young. Just because people do or sell things does not mean that they are right, there will always be consequences even if they are not apparent at the time. 2.5 gallon is just fine for a betta so I would say forget a goldfish unless you are willing to upgrade to a larger tank fairly quickly. A betta on the other hand will be quite happy in a 2.5 gallon for it's entire life if need be, so yes a betta is definitely more suitable.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

do not think my post was encouraging keeping a goldfish in a bowl.that is far from what i believe. i keep goldfish,2 orandas right now.they get 22 1/2 gallons per fish,with over 500 gallons per hour filtration through 2 large canister filters. the op did the right thing and got a nice female betta.


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## rpadgett37 (Jan 1, 2014)

as I said Op, and for the third time, that definition of stunting is controversial; however, regardless of how you define it, placing a fish in a tank that will not sustain the maximum growth of a fish will contribute to stunting especially when environmental conditions are poor. and there is no controversy over the fact that stunting is bad for the fish 

bottom line as far as your question, you made the right choice by selecting a beta over a goldfish for your size tank. But, keep in mind, even with a hardy fish like a beta, you still have to put in the work to provide a proper environment to maintain its health and happiness.if you look at your LFS, look at the betas for sale in those tiny containers with poor environmental conditions, you can see how that affects this very resilience fish.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

rsskylight04 said:


> Yes. But stunting can never be thought of as a good thing, especially by Tropical Fish Keepers who hold the health and welfare of the animals as an important concern. Don't want anyone to think that its ok...



Hahaha I meant that quite literally... As in it is impossible for a fish to become larger than its tank....


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

jaysee said:


> Hahaha I meant that quite literally... As in it is impossible for a fish to become larger than its tank....



Impossible is a strong word ;-)


Sent from Petguide.com App


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I remember one of our members put one of their huge goldfish in a 10 gallon tank for a picture to demonstrate that they should not be kept in small tanks - looked like that fish.


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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

Just out of curiosity, and to possibly help the OP, are there any fish other than bettas that could thrive in a very small tank?


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## Taboo (Jun 28, 2013)

I have read that if kept by a skilled aquarist, bumblebee gobies can be kept in small aquariums, but they're pretty high maintenance. I don't know if this is true, though, I've never done it ;-)


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## sponge1234 (Oct 29, 2013)

rsskylight04 said:


> Just out of curiosity, and to possibly help the OP, are there any fish other than bettas that could thrive in a very small tank?


MAYBE a couple endlers. Shrimp would defiantly work.


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