Can my goldfish (just one) live in a tropical aquarium?

Question

The tank is 35 gallons, and the occupants include:

2 guppies (male and female)

Two loaches (squirmy, eelish bottom feeders)

One two-inch long Indian Algae Eater

...It's heated and has a filter, but isn't there some kind of happy medium so that my fish could co-exist?

My goldfish is pretty young and small. Got him from a carnival three months ago and didn't expect him to survive the week, but he's doing great. Unfortunately, our cat has attempted murder four times. The most recent attack, I found the fish (called Tafbr; it's an acronym) lying still on the ground. After reviving him in the bathroom sink, I'm looking for a safer habitat.

Answer 1

carnival goldfish are commons and comets and such and get up to 24". of course they'll stay smaller if you keep them in something small as most people know, but what most people don't know is that this is a slow and painful death. the outside will stop growing, but the fish's insides will continue to grow.

the best home you can give him is a goldfish or koi pond (not a natural pond or river or stream. this is cruel and illegal). of course it will take you a bit of time to find a place for him, so here's my suggestion:

turn the heat in your aquarium down to 72°F (SLOWLY!). place the goldfish in a baggy of (conditioned) water and float this in the aquarium. I wouldn't put the two together because it's highly possible for the goldfish to eat the guppies. instead, I would purchase a "breeder net" from the pet store and keep him in that in the tank until you can find him a better home. 72°F is okay for the goldfish and iffy for the tropicals, but it should be fine for a little while. just start calling places asap. anyplace that sells pond fish or has a fish pond might take the goldfish off your hands.

places to call:
garden centers & nurseries
neighbors & relatives who might have ponds
local schools
pet stores

*edit*
to whoever said your goldfish did fine in a tropical tank, what is fine? goldfish are supposed to live well over 20yrs.

Answer 2

Hi Ariel, It sounds as if Tafbr is in need of some TLC, being a coldwater fish he will not do well in your tropical tank. What he needs urgently is a 20 gallon (at least), filtered aquarium with a cat-proof lid. Properly housed & cared for he will easily outlive your other fish & quite possibly your cat (!) as well as grow to over a foot in length. The attached link tells you about his requirements-please read it through thoroughly-heres to the next 20+ years

Something Fishy-you are quite correct, a buddy is another most important requirement for these friendly & intelligent animals!

Finally, if after considering all the facts you don't feel able to care properly for him then in addition to Kylie Anne's suggestions above why not advertise him on Craig's List or your local Freecycle group, wait for several replies then choose the one that looks like they are offering the happiest home.

Answer 3

It will likely get longer than 8 inches, so I would not reccomend it. There really isn't a happy medium because then both your Goldfish and tropical fish will be suffering. See if you can find a home for it in a friend's pond (with their permissions of course). Your Loaches are either Khuli Loaches or Dojo/Weather Loaches, either way, they are a fun fish!

Nosoop4u

Answer 4

The goldfish would like a 35 gallon tank, just not heated, as they are cool water fish... and goldfish produce so much ammonia that the other fish will probably die from the goldfish's "stench".

Goldfish can get HUGE, and live for a long time, btw, if given proper conditions.

Answer 5

The majority of coldwater fish can exist at about 20 degrees or less however by putting them into a warm-water tank, the fish's heart rate will increase, it will grow quicker but will subsequently die quicker too.

I think it is safer to keep it in the cold water. Just get a rectangular plastic tank with a lid on that covers the whole tank and clips on at both sides so that the cat cannot get at it anymore!

Good luck!

Answer 6

Not really. The goldfish produces such an amount of waste, the other fish will die. It needs it's own tank preferably 20 gallons or more. Maybe 38 with a 2nd gold fish, as they need to be with their own kind too.

Answer 7

you can but he's most likely a comet gold fish meaning he will grow huge in such a large tank and he will dirty it up and may even eat your other fish, it's very possible for him to obtain a foot in just one year, a friend of mine keep a fish she won at a fair in a very small but long 3 gallon tank and it got to be 6 or 7 in a year. So it's best to trade it in once it gets too big.

Answer 8

yes. until it gets big enough (depending upon what type of goldfish it is. some stay small and other get HUGE) to eat the other fish. the tropical tank will be a good haven to keep it in until you can get another tank for it. Maybe a five gallon that you can put up high in a sturdy bookshelf to keep it away from the kitty.

Answer 9

Well in my experience despite what all the experts say, goldfish do fine in a warm tank. It even seems to help prevent them from getting ick. I would say set the heater to 78, this seems to be an ideal happy medium for nearly all fish.

Don't forget he may outgrow this tank and ideally should have "goldfish" flakes not tropical, obviously difficult to divide up but if you go with one go with the goldfish, or just switch back and forth.

Hope this helps

Answer 10

I had goldfish in my freshwater aquarium and it did fine, coexisted with a catfish, loaches and a few others, so as long as it's not saltwater, it should be fine....when you transfer him, put him in a baggie with his water from his bowl, and float it in the tank for an hour or so, so the temperature will adjust in his bag, then let him out by pouring it into the tank. That way, the change in temperature won't shock him, which could kill him.