Gibbiceps and Goldfish.

[mutation]

Hi all,

This forum has been great reading and a great help since I setup my new aquarium. Thanks all

At present in my 190l aquarium i have to fancy goldfish (no bigger than 3 inches) as well as 6 zebra danios (who seem to be doing fine)

The temp in the tank is around the 25 mark at the mo, all seems ok.

I saw a fantastically beautiful gibbiceps the weekend in my local fish store (around 8 inches long) and I am wondering whether it would be possible to put this in with my other fish, i have quite a lot of plants at the moment in my tank and ive heard they can disturb these, i was just wondering if anyone can see a problem with the gibbi and my other fish

THanks and keep up the good work

CJ

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I think they can get really big, like commons plecs do. Why not try a different kind of plec or do you really like this one?

If so, maybe you could as long as you keep an eye on your parameters. They should be fine considering how big the tank is.

Good work on having your goldies in a big tank

 

[mutation]

We had the two little fellas in a 15 l hexagonal tank before, so I think they're very happy about the upgrade!!!!

I really liked the look of this fish, I'm just wondering whether anyone's succesfully mixed goldfish and tropicals before, I've heard you can, but you have to be careful.

I did some reading on the gibiceps and in the current tank (in the current climate, he'd be fine)

Just wanted to see how anyone else got on

PS
Love the NEwcastle/Scottish comment

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Love the NEwcastle/Scottish comment

LOL

Many people mix bigger plecs with goldfish without problems. I have heard a lot a scare stories about big plec attacking goldfish for their slimecoats but everyone says something different and IME those who have problems like this are the goldfish lover who want a friend for their goldfish that will eat algae and do not consider how to look after the plec. Many do not even feed their plecs!!

What is their max size?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Ooooh they get big don't they. Planet Catfish says 18"!! Would you be ok with a poo machine that size? LOL

Here's the info I found if you have not already seen it Gibby Info

HTH

 

[mutation]

I see that !!!

Crikey

That would be nice, but HUGE!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose that is relative to the tank size though, like i say the one at the mo is about 8 inches, he's a real beaut !!!!!!

B)

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I suppose that is relative to the tank size though, like i say the one at the mo is about 8 inches, he's a real beaut !!!!!!

B)

How do you mean?

 

[mutation]

I thought that fish's growth was determined by the tank size ... i.e. if you had a goldfish in a bowl he'd probably not grow much, but if you put him in a large aquarium that he'd grow more, or have my boyhood beliefs been shattered!!!!

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I thought that fish's growth was determined by the tank size ... i.e. if you had a goldfish in a bowl he'd probably not grow much, but if you put him in a large aquarium that he'd grow more, or have my boyhood beliefs been shattered!!!!

Sorry to shatter your beliefs...

What you are talking about is called stunting. This is whereby the fish is is such a small environment that it is unable to grow to it's full size. The outside body does not grow but the fish's organs are all the same size as they would be in a much larger fish and so it's organs are too big for it's body and it will die a very nasty death.

I though you knew this considering the size of tank your goldfish are in? Many goldfish keepers keep a goldfish in 10US gallons/38 litres to itself to allow for them to grow and because fo the waste they produce.

Anyway, stunting is a very nasty thing and the fish will be riddled with disease for much of it's short life.

 

[mutation]

Wow

Thanks for that, I honestly didn't know ... crikey, thats scared the hell out of me now !!!!!!!

I'll look into the gibiceps ive got a juwel 190L tank so it's a corner tank, I don't know if this would be any good for him to be honest !!!

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Wow

Thanks for that, I honestly didn't know ... crikey, thats scared the hell out of me now !!!!!!!

I'll look into the gibiceps ive got a juwel 190L tank so it's a corner tank, I don't know if this would be any good for him to be honest !!!

I didn't mean to scare you!! You goldfish will certainly be ok in that size tank. If you like plecs, you could maybe look at Rubbernose/lipped plecs, link - Compatible with goldfish (can't find much info) or bristlenosed plecs, link - Bristlenosed Catfish

These 2 don't grow as big and I know people to have kept them at cooler tempatures. There are of course hillstream loaches wheich are very cool IMO but are much smaller than plecs.

I hope this helps.

 

[mutation]

Thanks Again, I'm checking them out now !!!

Great links

 

[ryan]

A Gibbiceps Pleco is unfortunatly going to grow way to big for that tank and they grow very fast well over and inch a month, and after they reach roughly 8 inches they can become aggressive and attack slow moving fish like goldfish sucking on their sides. I would advise you against getting one, maybe try some Hillstream Loaches.

 

[Perky]

How about a Roayl Plec, nicer than a Gibbiceps, eats more algae, more active and very beuatiful. Only grow to 1 foot so should be Ok.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi mutation

I have had experience with two other cold water tank inhabitants that you may find interesting.

The first is a weatherfish, aka weather loach, aka dojo loach. These are very adaptable creatures that thrive in temperatures from 40 to 80 degrees F. I have two of them that originally lived with goldfish. They now live in my cory tank and are completely compatible with them. They are amusing and would provide a complete contrast in shape, color and habits to the goldfish, which would add nice variety to your aquarium. Here's a link:

http/www.loaches.com/species_pages/misgu...licaudatus.html

The other creatures that I kept successfully with goldfish were African Clawed Frogs. If you click on the link in my signature you will find lots of information about them.