Can i mix butterfly koi with goldfish? will they cross breed?

Answer 1

Yes, and yes. I have kept a pond full of regular koi, butterfly koi, and goldfish, and mixed all three. I am thinking of pond goldfish, though - comets, sarassa, and shubunkin, generally - not any of the fancy fantails as koi and the other goldfish types are too fast for them and they are slow swimmers, usually happier in an indoor aquarium.

Because I prefer the personality of koi over that of goldfish, I now keep only koi (both regular and butterfly) in my main pond, and goldfish in my smaller pond, but the owner of one of the other ponds I care for still likes to mix koi and goldfish up in his, as does a woman I work with. It's just a matter of personal preference. I have seen mean goldfish that pick at koi, and mean koi that pick at goldfish, too, though either situation is rare and much more likely to be a symptom of some other condition such as water quality or over-crowding. Generally they all get along just fine - if they don't, you can generally correct the underlying problem and/or remove the offender, and that takes care of any aggression.

And, I used to have a goldfish-butterfly koi cross named Jane - she was one of my favorite fish, though she was sterile. She succumbed to a fluke infestation in 2005, but she was testament to the fact that it can, and does, happen. Normally, crosses aren't as pretty as Jane, but they can get pretty big, and for some people, size matters! ;)

Here's more info on koi-goldfish crossbreeds: http://www.koivet.com/html/articles/articles_details.php?article_id=85&category=16&name=Goldfish%20Information

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Butterfly Koi

Answer 3

Butterfly Goldfish

Answer 4

Butterfly Koi are a crossbreed of Koi with Comet Goldfish,so it's possible that they could cross breed,it's also possible that the Butterflies are sterile hybrids. I think that the way to find out would be to keep the Butterflies isolated for a few years,and if they can spawn amongst them selves,then they can cross with (or back-cross) with the Koi.

Answer 5

You can, but I would not. We have a huge (pond) see my picture, and we had purchased goldfish to test the water b4 we put koi in the water. The goldfish multiply like crazy and yes they can cross breed. Get rid of all the goldfish first.....
Good luck!

Answer 6

Goldfish, koi, comets and all of the varieties of goldfish are carp and they can interbreed. Due to deformities this would be diffilcult between a 3' koi and a Ryukin though genetically they are compatable.

Answer 7

I think a koi is a goldfish and a carp mixed.

Answer 8

No!!! I put koi in my goldfish tank and the koi ate the fins and eyes of many of my goldfish. This happenned overnight and without any warning! (I will admit blind goldfish are very interesting, though. They will swim upside down in the tank!)

Answer 9

try it and let me know hehe