Hello everyone, im pretty new to all this and just wanted to say Hi and wanted to see if anyone could help me out.
So i have a 30 gallon tank with, well i guess let me start a little earlier than that. if you would like skip over the origin story scroll down until you see a break and then the words "SO, I GUESS"
I lived in a house on Long Island with a fish pond in the back. We had a buncha different koi in it, and last winter the freeze killed a lot and then the crane got ahold of a lot but i guess b4 the bulk of them died, they let out a lot of eggs and whatnot because when we started the spring cleaning of the pond, there was about 40+ very tiny fish. they grew a bit over the summer, some larger than others, and about early-mid september I had set up a 30 gallon tank in my room and towards the end of the month i had added 7 of the summer fry (who were about an inch of so in length) into the tank. i then purchased a small Shubunkin Fantail, Black Moor Goldfish and two pleco. things were going well. one of the pleco died about a week or two later in the night. not sure why really, everyone including he seemed to be good b4 and after.
then the move came. late november i had to move to PA. i filled up a 5 gallon bucket with their water and poked a few holes and added a small bubbler to give them some oxygen here and there throughout the trip. well once they were all added to the bucket. i went to wash my hand some something for a few minutes and when i returned, one of the goldfish (which mind you look a lot like teenager $.18 feeding fish so im not to sure what they really are now) had died. I was expecting loss with the move but not from the tank to an inch or so to the right. so with that unfortunate occurrence behind me, i set sail, well engine and tires, to PA. when we arrived one more fish had passed, sad, but at least it had only been one.
i set up the new tank, worried about the apparently high metal content of the water in PA, in my room and after the smoke, well cloudy water, cleared the survivors of the 2011 move were settling back into their home. Then about two or three nights later, another goldfish passed. i woke up to him attached to the intake of the filter. i figured it could be the stress of it all and like in a move hes the one guy that cant survive after a hefty trauma. after that though everything has seemed to level out, they get a little pissed after a water change about the next day they seem better than ever b4 kicking themselves for doubting me.
so, i guess we now come to my question. with the remaining 4 goldfish, 1 Pleco, 1 Shubunkin Fantail, and 1 Black Moor, what are compatible tank mates. I have seen a few things here and there about Goldfish needing to stay with other Goldfish, but if water temp, pH and whatnot all fit into the same ranges of the Goldfish, and the new additions are easy and peaceful, why wouldnt they be able to get on.
i have a few in mind that i have been doing a bit of research on, generically: cichlids, sharks, tetras, barbs, minnows, and a few others.
Can anyone help me out. if anyone has experience with keeping tropical freshwater fish in the same tank as Goldfish, or has any knowledge/insight that can help i would greatly appreciate it.
and also sorry for the rather long winded origin story. i promise to try and keep things a bit shorter int he future.
Thanks again to anyone who can help.
Argo
So i have a 30 gallon tank with, well i guess let me start a little earlier than that. if you would like skip over the origin story scroll down until you see a break and then the words "SO, I GUESS"
I lived in a house on Long Island with a fish pond in the back. We had a buncha different koi in it, and last winter the freeze killed a lot and then the crane got ahold of a lot but i guess b4 the bulk of them died, they let out a lot of eggs and whatnot because when we started the spring cleaning of the pond, there was about 40+ very tiny fish. they grew a bit over the summer, some larger than others, and about early-mid september I had set up a 30 gallon tank in my room and towards the end of the month i had added 7 of the summer fry (who were about an inch of so in length) into the tank. i then purchased a small Shubunkin Fantail, Black Moor Goldfish and two pleco. things were going well. one of the pleco died about a week or two later in the night. not sure why really, everyone including he seemed to be good b4 and after.
then the move came. late november i had to move to PA. i filled up a 5 gallon bucket with their water and poked a few holes and added a small bubbler to give them some oxygen here and there throughout the trip. well once they were all added to the bucket. i went to wash my hand some something for a few minutes and when i returned, one of the goldfish (which mind you look a lot like teenager $.18 feeding fish so im not to sure what they really are now) had died. I was expecting loss with the move but not from the tank to an inch or so to the right. so with that unfortunate occurrence behind me, i set sail, well engine and tires, to PA. when we arrived one more fish had passed, sad, but at least it had only been one.
i set up the new tank, worried about the apparently high metal content of the water in PA, in my room and after the smoke, well cloudy water, cleared the survivors of the 2011 move were settling back into their home. Then about two or three nights later, another goldfish passed. i woke up to him attached to the intake of the filter. i figured it could be the stress of it all and like in a move hes the one guy that cant survive after a hefty trauma. after that though everything has seemed to level out, they get a little pissed after a water change about the next day they seem better than ever b4 kicking themselves for doubting me.
so, i guess we now come to my question. with the remaining 4 goldfish, 1 Pleco, 1 Shubunkin Fantail, and 1 Black Moor, what are compatible tank mates. I have seen a few things here and there about Goldfish needing to stay with other Goldfish, but if water temp, pH and whatnot all fit into the same ranges of the Goldfish, and the new additions are easy and peaceful, why wouldnt they be able to get on.
i have a few in mind that i have been doing a bit of research on, generically: cichlids, sharks, tetras, barbs, minnows, and a few others.
Can anyone help me out. if anyone has experience with keeping tropical freshwater fish in the same tank as Goldfish, or has any knowledge/insight that can help i would greatly appreciate it.
and also sorry for the rather long winded origin story. i promise to try and keep things a bit shorter int he future.
Thanks again to anyone who can help.
Argo