What fish go well with goldfish and koi?

Question

My friend gave me upside-down catfish as a gift and when I put them in the tank with my fish they killed 4 of them!! What fish go well with my oranda goldfish and koi?

Answer 1

My first question is, how big is your tank? Your koi will not quit growing. If you have a 10-20 gallon, your are maxed out ( I am assuming your tank isn't much bigger or this would not have happened). If you have an outside pond, that is a different story. Depending on the type of goldfish you have, realize koi need room to swim and grown. a 10 gallon tank is not big enough for all these fish. Especially when you realize just how big your koi is going to get. Koi DO NOT stop growing nor do they grow to the "size" of their tank.

I wouldn't add anything else, until you see how quickly your koi grows.

However if you have a very large tank or pond here are a few cold water species that can stay with your goldfish and koi (just remember, koi will eat certain smaller varieties of fish.

Barbs - Several readily available species of Barbs are tolerant of temperatures into the mid sixties, or even lower. All are easy to care for, and are suitable for a community aquarium. They include: the Gold Barb (Barbus schuberti), the Green Barb (Barbus semifasciolatus), the Rosy Barb (Barbus conchonius), and the Two Spot Barb (Barbus ticto).

Bloodfin Tetra - Both the standard Bloodfin (Aphyocharax anisitsi), and the False Bloodfin (Aphyocharax dentatus) tolerate temperatures as low as the mid sixties.
Bloodfins are offered in many pet shops, are easy to care for, and are quite hardy. They are active top dwellers and are best kept in schools.

Buenos Aires Tetra (Hemigrammus caudovittatus) - Easily found for sale, they will tolerate temperatures into the mid sixties. Standard varieties, as well as albino variants can be found. Like the Bloodfins, they are undemanding and easy to care for. They are suitable for a community tank, but will eat live plants voraciously.

Croaking Tetra (Coelurichthys microlepis) - Not often found for sale, they are an attractive fish that is worth shopping around for. Like other coldwater tetras, they are easy to care for and are suitable for community tanks.

Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) - As readily available as any fish, there are many attractive variations of this popular fish.

Hillstream Loaches - Although they are not often seen in pet shops, some species can be found for sale from time to time. Not all of them prefer cool temperatures, but most will tolerate temps that fall into the mid to upper sixties.

Native Fish - A variety of North American native fish are now being sold in the aquarium trade. Virtually all of them tolerate cool water. Availability varies from state to state, as do laws regarding which species may be legally kept in home aquariums. Keep in mind that some will become too large to keep in a standard aquarium. Bluegill sunfish pumpkinseeds are usually ok in most states.

Pearl Danio (Brachydanio albolineatus) - Like the zebra danio, this fish is very hardy and easy to care for. It will tolerate temperatures into the mid 60's without difficulty, and is easy to find. They are larger than zebras, but need not be kept in schools.

Weather Loach (Misgurnus angullicaudatus) - Readily available, this loach is one of the easiest to care for. Couple that with the fact that it will tolerate temperatures into the fifties, and it makes an excellent candidate for a coldwater tank.

Wimple (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) - Also known as the Freshwater Batfish. Not commonly found, it is an unusual fish that is worth tracking down if you like to have something unique. It will tolerate temps into the mid sixties.

White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichtys albonubes) - One of the easiest fish to care for, a new gold colored variant has become very popular. They do best in cooler temperatures, although very low temps will lessen their attractive coloration.

Zebra Danio (Brachydanio rerio) - Outside of goldfish and the guppy, the zebra is the most readily available of all coldwater fish. They tolerate temps that fall into the mid sixties, and are very easy to care for. Long finned species are available, as well as a popular leopard spotted variety.

There are many other coldwater species I could cover, but the above list should give you enough options to get started. Good luck with your coldwater aquarium.

Remember, Koi need room. Don't overcrowd your tank

Answer 2

A pond.
No, but really, koi are pond fish, not aquarium fish. They can grow to 3 feet long. So unless you've converted your living room or guest bedroom into a huge fishtank, your koi must be moved into a real pond. By the time they hit 6", they have outgrown all tanks and will begin to stunt / die.
Anyhoo, that said, your orandas are fine for tanks, just bear in mind that they need 15 gallons per fish.

Goldfish (koi, fancies, commons, comets, shubunkins etc) are called coldwater fish, and with good reason. They thrive in temperatures around 68F and anything above 74F is too hot. Other fish you see in petstores (livebearers, cichlids, catfish etc) and tropical fish and they require warm water, around 78F. So no, there aren't really any fish that will mix with goldfish and be healthy, even if you did have enough room.

Answer 3

What's up, just wanted to say, I loved this discussion. valuable answers

Answer 4

Catfish love eating fish. What you need are live-bearing community fish like tetras, mollies, swordtails and guppies. A plecostmus would work well too, they'll help keep your tank cleaner.

Answer 5

Finally, that's what I was exploring for! Thanks to author of this question.

Answer 6

Pirahna, they're the best companions.