Can I mix golfishes with tropical fishes?

Question

my friend has and everything is fine. i ordered a juwel rekord 70 with heating, so temperature do i need to set up in order to keep the 2 alive?

Answer 1

I just wrote this like 8 minutes ago:

Goldfish are labeled a coldwater species because they are naturally found in and can live in colder water than tropical species. Their ideal temperature is anywhere within 70-75 degrees F but they CAN adapt to and live in water that is warmer (as well as colder) without adverse effects provided the change is gradual. They are one of the most adaptable and hardy species of aquarium fish.

The dissolved oxygen level is far lower in warmer water than in cooler water. This has more to do with the number of fish you can successfully house in your aquarium. This does not mean that goldfish can not live in warmer water. For those of you who don't believe me I'll insert this study:

http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/38/1/93.pdf#search=%22dissolved%20oxygen%20goldfish%22

if you don't want to read it let me direct you to the results: "Blood from Goldfish acclimatized to temperatures near the extremes of their thermal range shows no difference from normal blood in oxygen capacity."

The experiment used 30 degrees C or 86 F as the max. Therefore, it shows that they can successfully adapt to a warmer temperature with no significant change in oxygen capacity in their blood. A temperature between 76-78 F would be fine to house both goldfish and tropicals.

Also, the oxygen affinity of carp blood (a relative of the goldfish) is far higher than most fish. Goldfish are adapted to changes in oxygen level of the water and can easily be acclimatized to warmer temperatures.

Goldfish are also poo machines. They have a relatively poor digestive system which will foul the water faster than most tropicals (I say most because plecos, for example, poo a lot too).

The main issue when housing goldfish with other species are the temperments and stricter requirements for most tropicals. However, a well maintained tank can successfully house goldfish with certain species of tropicals.

If you do want to house goldfish with tropicals, your best bet would be to go with peaceful tropicals that stay at a size large enough that your goldfish won't eat them. So you're pretty much restricted to medium sized livebearers, hardier tetras, or similar peacful cyprinids.

(Though I've seen Koi successfully housed with larger predatory fish)
If you're looking for something else it's going to be a trial and error thing. Some "aggressive" fish are less aggressive than others and may live fine with a goldfish. Also some tropicals, like white clouds, weatherloaches, bloodfin tetras, danios, and some barbs can adapt to lower temps better.

The reason why most people advise against it is because the average hobbiest will not take into account many factors such as temperment, bioload capacity, and filtreation efficiency to ensure that their aquarium stays healthy

and if they were to say "yes you can" then people would go out doing it without thinking...

Answer 2

Yes but to a limit. It depends on the kind of tropical fish you're interested in mixing with the goldfishes. It also depends on what kind of goldfish you want too - the commons or the fancies. With fancies, you can mix them with peaceful fishes such as the white cloud minnows. These minnows can adapt to warmer temperatures that most fancies require 70-75F. They both should be fed diff. food types. I would recommend feeding the minnows with bloodworms or reg. flakes while feeding sinking pellets to the goldfishes. This way the goldfishes will not gulp the air when they're trying to suck the food from the surface and this can be very detrimental to their health!! I have a 55 gallon tank with 9 white clouds and 4 fancy goldfishes and they're doing great!!

Answer 3

Tropical fish such as Discus tend to need water that is of a very high temperature 87.3f and above and the use of reverse Osmosis is highly recommended, Goldfish are coldwater fish therefore cannot live in the same tank as tropical fish and will need a separate tank. Tropical fish are more complicated to look after and require an owner who knows alot about them, as they need very good water conditions, Gold fish are more suited to people who want fish that are easier to take care of, make good pets.

Answer 4

You should not really mix tropicals with goldfish at all as they require different tank set ups. Tropicals require temperatures of around 25-30 degrees depending on the kind of fish you have where as goldfish are lower. Water conditions are also variable for tropicals, again depending ont he type you have so it is not really advisable to mix them at all.

Answer 5

I would really not advise it. Tropical fish need very strict water environments. Goldfish can live in plain water, the chemicals and heat needed for the tropics would harm the goldies, equally the goldies tend to get bigger quicker, and might eat your tropicals. Personally I'd go for coldwater fish everytime. They're not always so pretty, but they're a damn site easier to keep.

Answer 6

I don't know about the Juwel, but Goldfish like cold water. I wouldn't go much higher than 75 degrees.

Answer 7

No tropical fish need a heater
goldfish are cold water fish

Answer 8

I was told no because goldfish make the water acidic and it will kill tropical fish.

Answer 9

Not really, goldfish are fresh coldwater fish and tropicals are usually the opposite, but goldfish are pretty hardy.
But they dont like salt water, why do you think you dont see fish like them in the oceans?

Answer 10

no you can not mix gold fish with tropical fish not that i no of any way we keep tropical fish and gold fish av done for six years and not lost any yet