Tropical Fish Forums

[Sudo]

Many years ago, when a fish keeping newb, I used to keep goldfish with other fish. Some of the goldfish got along quite well with the assortment of tetras and catfish I used to keep them with, others did not. Is there any specific reason that goldfish are doomed to a single species aquarium? Some of my ideas include swimming problems, etc, but what is the biggest reason? I like goldfish and its a shame that I can't keep em with other fish that I also like.

[piranha]

They are not tropical fish and should not be kept with them. Goldfish prefer cooler waters. Keeping them in warmer temps will speed up their metabolism,shortening their lifespan and possibly making them more susceptible to illnesses.

[ITHURTZ]

My goldfish are with a pleco and 3 red tail tin foils, they are all buddies.
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Corey, 23yo
3 com, 1 comet, 3 fan tail goldfish , 1 plec, 3 red tail tinfoils, 3 bala sharks

[klinker]

No one ever seems to have a good answer for this question.
I keep a few algae eaters in my gold fish tank.

I also keep my tank at 72-73deg

If you can get a copy of Fancy Goldfish by Dr. Erik L Johnson and Richard E Hess. It recommends keeping you tank even warmer.

[ITHURTZ]

Goldfish are aggressive eaters, smaller or less faster fish can't keep up with it. My red tail tin foils are aggressive eaters so they have no problem getting food. Putting a goldfish in with a neon, or a catfish or whatever will probably die being scared of the fish that grows super fast and has a huge mouth. Goldfish can live in 80 degree water.

My calico fantail goldfish is the slowest fish in my tank, hes about 2 1/4" long, he only gets food when the others are munching in the middle of the tank. Over the summer I bought a telescoped eye black moore, dam thing couldnt get food fast enough and ended up dying. A. to slow B. to small when the smallest commet/common I have is 5" and the tin foils are 4"+
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Corey, 23yo
3 com, 1 comet, 3 fan tail goldfish , 1 plec, 3 red tail tinfoils, 3 bala sharks

[Marcos Avila]

First of all the question itself is wrong. Of course they can be kept with many other species. That's not the point...the point is that if you keep goldfish by themselves you avoid several issues that occur when mixing in other commonly available species without giving it too much thought. Some of these issues are:

- Some species are hyperactive and nippy, and can damage the slow-moving goldfish's fins...sometimes even their eyes.

- Some species are boisterous eaters and don't let the goldfish get a fare share of food.

- Other species are shy eaters and the bulky goldfish intimidates them.

- Some species don't respond well to the cooler temperatures that goldfish prefer, and goldfish may not respond well to the higher temperatures these species prefer. If you keep them together there's only a narrow temperature range that's comfortable for both.

- Goldfish grow BIG and they're messy, ammonia-generating machines, not a good idea to have in a small tank with sensitive species that require pristine water conditions.

Note that many of these issues refer to long-term problems. Take a careful look at people who claim "I have goldfish with this and that and they're all fine" and you'll see that they've usually kept only very young fish for a few months, they have no idea what it's like to keep those fish as adults for 5-10 years or more (read the comment in my sig about success).

In summary, goldfish can obviously be kept with some carefully selected companions, in a large enough tank. It's just easier and more recommendable, especially for beginners, to keep them on their own until you get a better grip on the hobby and on the particulars of each species...
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Success with a fish/tank is measured in YEARS, not months or weeks...

[Angry Andy]

Well said, Marcos.

Goldfish should also be segregated by their tail structure. The fancy double-tailed golds (Black Moors, Orandas, Ranchus, Ryunkins) should be kept separately from single-tailed species (Commons, Comets, Shubunkins). If housed together, the faster single-tailed species will get to the food much faster, leaving the slower-moving fancies with next to nothing- this often leads to mal-nurishment. Keeping the single-tailed and double-tailed fish separately levels off the playing field of food competition. The double-tailed Celestials, Bubble-eyes and Telescopes require even more limited stocking options that should be reviewed carefully before considering them for your tank.

White Cloud Mountain Minnows and Rosy Red Minnows prefer similar water parameters and temperatures to goldfish and have been known to make great tank mates- provided they're large enough to stay out of their larger neighbors' mouths. Dojo Loaches also make great tank mates.

You may see or hear of Common Plecos and Golden Apple Snails being housed sucessfully with goldfish, but I would not recommend it. While your golds are resting, the two are capable of removing the protective slime coating, subjecting your goldfish to injury or disease. While it is possible to house goldfish with Plecos and GASs, you do so at your own risk.

[Heather R]

I have heard that about goldfish and never bothered to find out why.

I have a goldfish (Yellow Comet) whom may possibly be the biggest goldfish I have ever seen, in a tank with a dojo loach and a clown knifefish. They all get along just fine. The water temp is around 76 degrees and my pH is about 6.5.

Never had a problem, with the fish, I do have a problem with my substrate. I want sand and find that goldfish will eat the sand while looking for food and this may cause problem. My loach needs soft substrate such as sand, and not the gravel recommended for the goldfish.

Other than equipment discrepencies, there is no problem as long as teh fish all like cooler water, I find.

[Susan S.]

My single comet goldfish happily cohabits with some white clouds and long finned zebra danios in a 20 gallon tank. The goldie unfortunately appears to have been bonsai-ed by its early lifehistory in a small enclosure - at least it hasn't grown in the several months it's been in this tank and is still only small (three inches or so including an extravagant tail), despite being more than two years old.
It's an unheated tank, but I'm in a warm climate and the temperature stays in the 70s (this time of year in the high 70s). All the fish are enthusiastic eaters and seem to be happy eating largely vegetable based food (it's a planted tank so the goldfish has a built in salad bar!)

[Bob]

Ask yourself one simple question.

When was the last time you saw a 10 inch long, 30 year old Goldfish in a tank?

If the answer is never, then ask yourself, why not?

Standard finned Goldfish (Standard Goldfish, Shubinkins, Comets etc), should really be in ponds, fancy finned Goldfish, need large tanks.

If the object of fishkeeping is to enjoy the fish, surely this is done best, when the fish are kept in the right enviroment, that allows them to grow properly, live long and natural life spans. That way we (Fish and fishkeeper) both win

Bob