Goldfish In With Tropical Fish

[NeonTetraStarters]

I have 2 goldfish, a Comet and a Wakin. I want more space for them, but I can't setup a bigger tank. Can I put them in with my tropical fish? It's summer and my goldfish bowl(1 GALLON. I'm such a bad fish keeper, I know!!!!!!!!)is 80*F. I saw that goldfish get used to higher temps when the changes happen slowly. My tropical aquarium is usually around the same, usually lower(!!!!!) Can I mix them together, I saw a restaurant did, and they looked fine. I'll setup a 30 gallon and move them in there 2 weeks after setup. It should be ready in 1+a half months. Is this okay? The Comet is 3.5 inches, and not fat. The Wakin, 3 inches, and not fat. I've had them for 4 months. They were aquarium bred. Is this okay to have them mixed?

 

[SchottayB]

Didn't think you could have them in a tropical tank then , always thought they were cold water fish. But then again I know nothing about goldfish

 

[This Old Spouse]

I have 2 goldfish, a Comet and a Wakin. I want more space for them, but I can't setup a bigger tank. Can I put them in with my tropical fish? It's summer and my goldfish bowl(1 GALLON. I'm such a bad fish keeper, I know!!!!!!!!)is 80*F. I saw that goldfish get used to higher temps when the changes happen slowly. My tropical aquarium is usually around the same, usually lower(!!!!!) Can I mix them together, I saw a restaurant did, and they looked fine. I'll setup a 30 gallon and move them in there 2 weeks after setup. It should be ready in 1+a half months. Is this okay? The Comet is 3.5 inches, and not fat. The Wakin, 3 inches, and not fat. I've had them for 4 months. They were aquarium bred. Is this okay to have them mixed?

No, don't mix goldfish and tropicals. They have such different needs it wouldn't be fair to either. Then again, keeping them in a 1 gallon bowl is torture. What kind of tropical fish do you have, and what size tank? This will make a big difference in the advice you get.

 

[fishguy2727]

In general yes, you can mix them. Goldfish do not need anything that tropical fish do not.

The only issue is the tropical tank. Almost anything is better than a one gallon bowl, upgrade asap. But depending on what fish are in the tropical tank, how many, how good you are taking care of the water, etc. there could be issues.

What size tank is it?
What tropical fish are they?
What is the nitrate concentration?
What is the water change schedule?
What are you feeding the goldfish? The tropicals?

 

[This Old Spouse]

In general yes, you can mix them. Goldfish do not need anything that tropical fish do not.

The only issue is the tropical tank. Almost anything is better than a one gallon bowl, upgrade asap. But depending on what fish are in the tropical tank, how many, how good you are taking care of the water, etc. there could be issues.

What size tank is it?
What tropical fish are they?
What is the nitrate concentration?
What is the water change schedule?
What are you feeding the goldfish? The tropicals?

I'm afraid I have to disagree. Goldfish are cold water fish. They won't do well being kept in water that's too warm, i.e, tropical temps. And they're messy fish, which doesn't bode well for the tropicals in the tank.

It's really just best not to keep the two types together. You're just asking for trouble.

 

[fishguy2727]

Goldfish being cold water fish is just a constantly regurgitated myth.

The goldfish's natural range includes very tropical areas, unless you don't think Laos is tropical. In addition, they have become naturalized in all of the most tropical water systems of the world. This means they are now found in the same exact water systems all of our aquarium fish come from (in SE Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and even Amazonia).

Goldfish are eurythermal, not cold water. This means they have a very wide temperature range, not just cool water. They are bred on the exact same farms that our captive bred tropical fish are bred on, in tropical areas. Many fancy varieties do not do well when transferred from these tropical breeding farms to our room temp tanks in our air conditioned homes.

The temperature is not an issue for the goldfish.

 

[nurglespuss]

Quite correct (+1)

Goldfish are very hardy indeed, their 'natural (or rather naturalised) range is huge, and thei tolerances very broad.

The only consideration to keep in mind (but the same applies to all fish) is that gold fish have big mouths, like to dig, and root around, and may even out compete smaller tropicals for food.

I agree, the coldwater myth needs to go, its why they breed in/near summer in warmer temperatures.

 

[Abyss]

Goldfish being cold water fish is just a constantly regurgitated myth.

The goldfish's natural range includes very tropical areas, unless you don't think Laos is tropical. In addition, they have become naturalized in all of the most tropical water systems of the world. This means they are now found in the same exact water systems all of our aquarium fish come from (in SE Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and even Amazonia).

Goldfish are eurythermal, not cold water. This means they have a very wide temperature range, not just cool water. They are bred on the exact same farms that our captive bred tropical fish are bred on, in tropical areas. Many fancy varieties do not do well when transferred from these tropical breeding farms to our room temp tanks in our air conditioned homes.

The temperature is not an issue for the goldfish.

Totally concur.

Although there are other important things to think about, temperature is not one of them.

 

[fishykeepah]

Goldfish being cold water fish is just a constantly regurgitated myth.

The goldfish's natural range includes very tropical areas, unless you don't think Laos is tropical. In addition, they have become naturalized in all of the most tropical water systems of the world. This means they are now found in the same exact water systems all of our aquarium fish come from (in SE Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and even Amazonia).

Goldfish are eurythermal, not cold water. This means they have a very wide temperature range, not just cool water. They are bred on the exact same farms that our captive bred tropical fish are bred on, in tropical areas. Many fancy varieties do not do well when transferred from these tropical breeding farms to our room temp tanks in our air conditioned homes.

The temperature is not an issue for the goldfish.

Totally concur.

Although there are other important things to think about, temperature is not one of them.

Although, strictly speaking you can keep goldfish with some tropicals, I don't see why anyone would want to. Goldfish look and behave completely differently to most tropical fish and their exaggerated colours can wash out those of the other fish.

 

[fishguy2727]

I wouldn't say just some tropicals. Strictly speaking goldfish are tropical (who can handle cooler temps than other tropicals). As with any fish compatibility generally comes down to mouth size, if there are tankmates that will fit in their mouth they will probably end up there. Keeping them in tropical conditions is when my sarassas bred.

But agreed, they do seem out of place when next to other tropicals, although this is partly because we are not used to seeing them together. If we never put discus (who are at least as artificially colored) with other fish it would seem very odd when we saw them together.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Personally i would rehome them to someone who can look after them properly ASAP. While a 30gallon tank is certainly a million miles better than a 1gallon goldfish bowl, the goldfish will still outgrow a 30gallon tank in the longer term (the whole 20gallons for the first goldfish and 10gals for every one after that rule of thumb only applies to fancy goldfish).

 

[Fishy friend2]

Build a pond or get a bigger tank or give them to someone with a pond they will out grow a 30 gallon soon

 

[Jenste]

I have 2 goldfish, a Comet and a Wakin. I want more space for them, but I can't setup a bigger tank. Can I put them in with my tropical fish? It's summer and my goldfish bowl(1 GALLON. I'm such a bad fish keeper, I know!!!!!!!!)is 80*F. I saw that goldfish get used to higher temps when the changes happen slowly. My tropical aquarium is usually around the same, usually lower(!!!!!) Can I mix them together, I saw a restaurant did, and they looked fine. I'll setup a 30 gallon and move them in there 2 weeks after setup. It should be ready in 1+a half months. Is this okay? The Comet is 3.5 inches, and not fat. The Wakin, 3 inches, and not fat. I've had them for 4 months. They were aquarium bred. Is this okay to have them mixed?

Hi - - Where abouts are you? Maybe someone on here can help you out and properly home the goldfish. A one gallon bowl for two goldfish is cruel. Also, if you have small tropicals they can end up being eaten by goldfish - tetras and small guppies can easily fit inside a "teenage" to adult goldfish.

Right now the main concern is water quality - in a one gallon bowl it is horrendous no matter what you are currently doing. Adding them to the 30 gallon could easily overstock you depending on your current stock - - One fancy goldfish should be in a minimum of 20 gallons with 10 gallons added for each additional fancy goldfish. Comets need even larger accomodations. So 30 gallons would just about be okay for a small time for your current goldfish - even 50 gallons could be consider small due to the size potential of the comet.

 

[raptorrex]

we tend to think the fish, we keep, as the region they are native to. Tropical or Temperate. and transfer that, to the temperatures they are kept at. which is not the case.

there are fish from the Tropical areas, quite happy in an unheated tank. same goes for Temperate fish, in tropical.

goldfish are a problem though. whilst they can live in tropical (lower). the problems this brings are large, indeed.

the first, we should all know.
warm water holds less O2 so you need a conserted effort just to keep O2 levels up

the second is less well know.
as the temperature rises, so does the metabolism of the fish. which requires you to give extra food (lots). now goldies are known as dirty fish (in unheated tanks). can you imagine the filter needed if you double the waste the fish produces, and the size of tank needed, just to keep some form of water quality?
both are impractical for most hobbyists.

as the advert says "wait, there is more".

at temps of 75 and up, its quite possible for a goldie to be unable to eat enough, just to maintain it current weight. never mind any growth. at the upper end, they could starve, whilst being well fed by the keeper.

goldies can be kept at tropical temperatures. its just not practical, and may well end up harming the goldie, and its tank mates.

there was a good article, on just this subject, in PFK recently. well worth a read.

 

[This Old Spouse]

we tend to think the fish, we keep, as the region they are native to. Tropical or Temperate. and transfer that, to the temperatures they are kept at. which is not the case.

there are fish from the Tropical areas, quite happy in an unheated tank. same goes for Temperate fish, in tropical.

goldfish are a problem though. whilst they can live in tropical (lower). the problems this brings are large, indeed.

the first, we should all know.
warm water holds less O2 so you need a conserted effort just to keep O2 levels up

the second is less well know.
as the temperature rises, so does the metabolism of the fish. which requires you to give extra food (lots). now goldies are known as dirty fish (in unheated tanks). can you imagine the filter needed if you double the waste the fish produces, and the size of tank needed, just to keep some form of water quality?
both are impractical for most hobbyists.

as the advert says "wait, there is more".

at temps of 75 and up, its quite possible for a goldie to be unable to eat enough, just to maintain it current weight. never mind any growth. at the upper end, they could starve, whilst being well fed by the keeper.

goldies can be kept at tropical temperatures. its just not practical, and may well end up harming the goldie, and its tank mates.

there was a good article, on just this subject, in PFK recently. well worth a read.