Goldfish

Sadie · 01-14-2003, 6:31 PM

I have a 60 gallon tank with five 1" tetras. The water temp is 72 degrees. Can I put fancy goldfish in this tank with the tetras?
Thanks in advance for any advice. Sadie

01-14-2003, 7:17 PM

No, goldfish and tropicals don't mix well.

pinballqueen · 01-14-2003, 11:06 PM

Certain tropicals do fine with goldfish, but I don't think small tetras fit into this category....the goldfish will quickly outgrow (and possibly eat) the tetras.

Fancy goldfish can tolerate the higher temperature of a tropical tank (75-80 degrees), but many tropical fish have a hard time living with such a messy fish as a goldie, due to the increased ammonia output...some tropicals do fine in this situation, though...

val · 01-15-2003, 10:05 AM

Sadie, to Aquaria Central, home to the most golden fish keepers on the internet !!!

What kind of tetras do you have?

What do you mean by "fancy GF"? If you mean the standard fantails, veiltails or moors, then the water temp would be fine. As for the bubble eyes, pearlscales, lionheads, and the deeper-bodied ryukins, the water temp should be warmer than 72 degrees, more in the range that PBQ recommended.

<<Digression, here>>From a perverse standpoint, I'd be interested in seeing if the GF did eat the tetras. The standard thought is that GF and tropicals don't mix well, so I've never seen them together. I do have some very aggressive feeders, though. This subject is a little close to home because to me because I had a 55g tank that was going to house a cardinal tetras and keyhole cichlids (I'd read that keyholes were peaceable cichlids) but when the tetras were introduced, the keyholes had eaten two within minutes. I was crushed. So now I'm always looking at "peaceful" fish a little differently.

Val

FishBait · 01-15-2003, 11:32 AM

Yup...peaceful does not mean it won't eat another fish. In fact, IME, most of the time oscars are a quite peaceful fish. But we all know they will devour a fish small enough to fit in their mouths in seconds.

pinballqueen · 01-15-2003, 12:54 PM

Keep in mind that goldfish, at the root, are inbred carp. Carp eat anything and everything small enough to go down their throat....

I've tried the whole "goldfish in the tropical tank" thing. As long as the tropicals are big, like silver dollars, etc. then they're safe. Comets and shubunkins eat neons, though. No question about it.

(I've done "experimental" tanks many times in the past, and this was one of my many, many learning experiences about goldfish...)

01-15-2003, 6:54 PM

I have never heard of fancy goldfish being able to be kept in 80 degree water. Fancies are the same as common goldfish except the fancies are mutated. Seriously, what makes the fancies so special that they can handle 75-80 degree water?

JoeHemey · 01-16-2003, 2:34 AM

my tank is 86-90 and i have 2 fantails they seem to be fine......could it lead to a prb

val · 01-16-2003, 10:30 AM

and welcome to Aquaria Central, home to a growing number of Maryland fishkeepers

Wow, an 86 to 90 degree tank. How long have they been in the tank? Consistency is the big key and most GF are pretty hardy fish, but most of us keep our GF at cooler temps and they can survive winters outside easily enough. I'd be interested in hearing more about your tank...

Val

01-16-2003, 10:34 AM

86-90 is just too high for a goldfish, 75-80 is still too high IMO. if you have a heater in the tank try turning it off and let the tank stay at room temp. It leads to disease and things of that nature.