TankmateChecker

Can bettas live with goldfish?

Verdict

No

No. Bettas and goldfish should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); bettas need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.

Betta

Betta76–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Goldfish

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); bettas need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.
Watch outA grown goldfish may treat small bettas as food, especially at night.

What works

pH 7–7.5 suits both.

Water side by side

The ranges do not meet, so one of them would always be too warm or too cold.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Betta	Goldfish
Temperature	76–82 °F	60–74 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7–8
Adult size	2.5 in	10.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	40 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Top	All levels
Group	One per tank	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bettas

All betta tank mates

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Questions

Can bettas live with goldfish?

No. Bettas and goldfish should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); bettas need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both bettas and goldfish?

None. Bettas need 76–82 °F and goldfish need 60–74 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do bettas and goldfish need together?

At least 40 gal, set by the goldfish. Add space for each extra fish.