fancy goldfish with tropical

Flagfish said:
How about an axolotyl? lol if you can find one!

Flag
NO! they need VERY good water quality and are very shy and slow feeders. goldies would stress and starve them.
 
Do not put anything in there with them!!! Especially tropicals, they are two different kinds of fish, one needs cold water and one needs warm. Maybe put a couple of snails in there with them, but thats it.
 
goldfish will eat anything that can fit in their mouths. they are more susceptible to diseases if the temp is not their ideal -- so putting them with tropicals will make one or the other quite unhappy (as is my current situation). it's best to just have goldfish with just goldfish and make sure you have double filtration -- they're poop machines.
 
Originally posted by fishcatch22:
NO! they need VERY good water quality and are very shy and slow feeders. goldies would stress and starve them.

The filtration you would require with 2 fancy goldfish would maintain adequate water quality for axolotols. They are not slow eaters. Like all amphibians, they may be slow hunters, but will eat everything. And that is where you would have a problem - until your golfish got to around 4" or more, they would be potential food (especially fancies which are slower moving). Also axolotols can't easily eat flake food. Finally, goldfish like to pick at axolotols' gills. So it's a recipe for disaster. You'll get casualties either way. If you did want an amphibian, then the African Clawed Frog is your best bet, although the same issues with size and eating apply.

Good tankmates ina 40gal would be a couple of weather loaches, or weatherfish (like the loaches but only grow to about 5", also harder to find), or a hillstream loach, or any coldwater fish large enough to not get eaten (rules out white clouds) or small enough to not eat the goldfish. There are various barbs and danios which tolerate cooler water, and also the bearded cory, which gets to about 4".

Goldfish are from China, which has a wide range of habitats. In summer temperatures can easily reach tropical levels. Fancies like it at the LOW end of the tropical range (ideally - 20-23C) The issue with keeping goldfish and tropicals is the large bioload and tendency to eat small fish.

BTW these species are just examples - don't add more than about the equivalent of about 2 weatherloaches or 3 ACFs.
 
Last edited:
get some weatherloaches :)
 
momar said:
Good tankmates ina 40gal would be a couple of weather loaches, or weatherfish (like the loaches but only grow to about 5", also harder to find), or a hillstream loach, or any coldwater fish large enough to not get eaten (rules out white clouds) or small enough to not eat the goldfish.

Hey Momar, are there any issues with hillstream loaches trying to suck the slime coat on goldies, like there is with most plecostomus? I would love a hillstream loach in with my goldies! Are they good algea eaters as well? Thanks.
 
Hope you dont mind me answering about hillstream loaches.
They dont usually attack goldies but it isnt unheard of and certainly not on the scale that plecs do. Most prefer to stay to the glass or on large river rocks if you have them.
The problem with these fish is that they require really cold water which you dont get in most houses and also they are from really fast flowing streams, so its hard in a tank to get a balance with their needs and that of the goldies.
If you want to try then get 3 or 4 as they like to be in groups. make sure theres a lot of algae for them and make sure theres a strong aerated flow directed to a glass wall for them.
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's about right. Also they need excellent water quality.
 
Well I think I'll forget the Hillstream loaches, doesn't sound like they'd be too happy. Maybe I'll set up a dedicated tank for them someday.

I've read in numerous places that Bristlenose Plecos mix well with goldfish - don't grow too big and don't bother them. Any opinions on them?
 
AquariaCentral.com