If you are a young person, or a parent with a child that is just crazy for fish, you are probably wondering what would make a good first fish. Both bettas and goldfish are an excellent choice, but the two fish have slightly different needs which might influence your decision.
Really the most important deciding factor is which fish the child (or you) wants. If she is wild for blue and has seen a lovely blue betta in the fish store, giving her a goldfish (even if it was easier to take care of, or if you have experience with goldfish) is going to be a disappointment. And because so much of the success of the “first fish” depends on how well it is cared for after the first week, getting a fish the young person does not really, really want is going to quash their enthusiasm from the start.
Before I go to further, here’s why goldfish and betta fish are good starter fish.
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They tolerate less than perfect water
They can be overfed without dying immediately
They do not need big fancy set ups
They are inexpensive
They are pretty and active fish
The big difference with betta fish and goldfish is heat. Bettas really must be kept warm (78-80 degrees) and goldfish are best between 68-75 degrees. So, in terms of warmth, goldfish are more adapted to the heat range of most houses.
If you are really terrified of a child getting into trouble with a heater (though there are some very safe options available now… MUCH better than the hand-burning, broken glass options of 10 or 20 years ago), a goldfish might be the better choice.
But goldfish have a drawback. They are “messy”, which means you will either need to set up a filter and pump in their tank, or you will have to clean the water out every 2-3 days. A betta fish in a 5-10 gallon tank can stay clean for a week or more. So there is maybe a bit more work with goldfish.
It is pretty much a wash between the two fish, but if I had a five year old, I think we would go with a betta fish (they are more colorful, and seem the have higher initial survival rates, too). I would probably get one of the rubber-covered paddle heaters for the tank, even though I am a bit concerned about whether they are good for the fish (heated plastic releases toxins…) but I would be good about water changes and I’d rather risk the health of the fish than having hands get burnt. I might also put a ground break interrupter on the outlet, if I had a child that was really interested in electricity. Yes, modern parents… paranoid as all getout.
To minimize cleaning I would probably get a five to ten gallon tank, and I would buy just one other fish to keep with the betta — a cleaner fish. These guys will keep algae down a LOT, and they are great backup in case someone decides to overfeed the fish.
Finally, betta fish live about 2-3 years. The first two weeks in their new home is the most likely time they will die, so keep a close watch for fuzzy spots on their body and get them treated fast.
Goldfish, on the other hand, have been reported to live as long as 44 years. Clearly that’s not average, but a really well-cared for goldfish definitely has a shot at seeing ten years of age. Most of the ones I’ve known last about 5-6 years. If you have a five year old that can keep a goldfish alive until the child is ten, I recommend they go to vet school.
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