quick up date on the betta

Question
Hi Lynda. I know I have been very quiet about Cody the Betta. I just wanted you to know he is doing fantastic and you may have noticed I haven't had any more problems with him now because I have been following the directions and information you sent me. He is very active today. Tell me that Betta doesn't sound happy today, tell me he doesn't sound like a happy pretty fish. A teacher at college has got some neon tetra's and he said one is sick. He sent a picture of him to another member of staff and I have seen it and it looks very pale. He looks to have velvet. He said he isn't a fish lover like us but he only gets fish for me. He likes fish, he just isn't a fish nut. He had clown fish and they all died. He told me they were in a tank with his goldfish Bubbles. He doesn't know much about fish and asked me to teach him about them. Goldfish and Clown fish are two different fish that need different water I think. I don't know what is wrong with my golfish tank. It stayed clear for ages then it went cloudy and yesterday I noticed it was clear again and when I looked again today it is very cloudy again. I've been changeing the filter and cleaning everything in the tank as the whole thing needed cleaning anyway. It makes me wonder if I have a problem with my filter. Cody is a giddy kipper today. As for the goldfish dorsal fin up means healthy proud and happy. I love fish, they are so cute.
Danielle. Dasher is a female by the way.

Answer
Hi Danielle,
I'm happy to know that your betta is happy, and healthy.
I was wondering if you rinse your sponge in hot or cold water on your Goldfish tank when you clean it.  If you do, this is a "No No"  You must rinse it in the water you remove from your tank when you do water changes.  The reason for this is that a sponge is full of good bacteria, and if you rinse it in tap water, you kill the good bacteria in your sponge.  A sponge is good for a long long time...until it is falling apart.  This may be the reason for your cloudy water.
Goldfish, and Clown fish do not mix.  Clown fish need heated water 78 or 80 degrees, and live in groups.  They need a big tank of at least 75 gallon or more.  The PH is different also.  They need a much lower PH than the Goldfish.  Their PH should be 6.5 to 7.0, and their water should be soft.  They also need a very good diet.   They are beautiful fish, grow to 16 inches...so you see why they died.  I wonder why people do things like this.  I just don't know why they would try to mix a tropical fish with Goldfish.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  Neons need warm water too, low PH, and soft water.  If he doesn't care about fish, then he should not have them.  Lots of people have no patience with fish, are not interested, there is nothing wrong with that, but then why do they buy them?  We must always read up on a fish before buying them or mixing them with other fish.  It's sad what some people do to fish.
I know you are a female as a male would spell his name "Daniel"
Have a nice day
Lynda