Other fish to keep with fancy goldlfish

[RanchuRick]

Currently I have the following in a 42G bowfront.

One fancy goldfish (head to tail about 8")
One bristlenose pleco
Four white clouds
One large piece of driftwood
No plant
No substrate

The pleco is always under the driftwood. The white clouds are tiny. The tank looks a little dull. So I am thinking about adding more fish. The tank is kept at around 68 degree. My preference from top to bottom (not mutually exclusive):
- a school of corys
- a few more white clouds
- will a hillstream loach work?
- are barbs usually fin nippers?
- other suggestions?

 

[Twistersmom]

Dojo loaches, also called wheather loaches are nice. Grown adults can reach the size of a footlong hotdog, so I dont know if you have the room.

 

[jackiomy]

Get some more whiteclouds. They are so pretty in a school.

 

[THE V]

I second the more white clouds. Barbs can be nippers and hillstream loaches need lot's and lot's of water movement. Too much water movement for your goldfish to be comfortable.

You also might look into more non-living decorations. That tank sounds pretty bare to me.

 

[Notophthalmus]

Where do you live, RanchuRick? Dojo loaches are illegal in some states. There is also the possibility you could get some nice shiners to accompany the goldfish.

 

[Kashta]

Dojos are the ones usually kept with goldfish and/or white clouds because they share the same water requirments and have a compatible temperament. Other fish you might want instead would mean the conditions aren't quite right either for them, or for the goldfish. Or they cause other problems, as in aggression or fin nipping. Apple snails can be added too, if your fish aren't prone to nip off their antennas. (I had to rehome a ryukin years ago that kept pestering my snails this way.)

 

[JenniferLynn]

I love having plants in my aquarium now that I've got a few. There are some that you could attach to your driftwood that would give the fishes something to swim around.

 

[snappyguy]

I agree on the dojo loaches. Totally compatible and a different body style than what you already have so it'll add another shape to your tank. Happy fishing!

 

[reptileguy2727]

I personally don't agree with keeping plecos in unheated goldifsh tanks. Plecos are from the Amazon, about as tropical as it gets. I don't know what the lowest temp is that someone has bred bristlenose in, but that would be the only way to know for sure they are truly thriving.

Fill out the white cloud school.

In with my fancy goldfish:
feeder guppies
zebra danios (zebra, gold, leopard, and blue danios)
pearl danios
platies
dojo loach
otocinclus

 

[freshwaterbeef]

my goldfish is a little punk.. he is a food hog and doesnt like too share