fancy goldfish tankmates.

[kzimmerman]

Considering setting up a 75g goldfish tank, black mores and other fancy varieties. I was wondering about tankmates. My tanks are in the basement, it's unheated, and the tank will be unheated, so colder water fish are essential. I've heard that the weather loach, or maybe dojo loach, and the hillstream loach are coldwater, as well as the white cloud, american flagfish, some danios, and some barbs. Has anyone ever kept these fish long term in coldwater tanks? Does it affect coloration, behavior, feeding or breeding in any of these fish? I do not want to keep fish in a tank if they merely survive, I want them to thrive.
Kurt

 

[Rokuzachi]

How cold are we talking about? I don't heat any of my tanks, but they only dip into the mid to high 60's at the lowest. I've kept barbs, SA catfish and west african cichlids with my goldies before and they've been disease-free, colorful and active for the last 2.5 years. But my coldest temp may be warm compared to yours, since you're talking about an unheated basement.

 

[MN_Rebel]

Red Rosy minnows will be fine in unheated aquariums.

 

[Kaosu]

Bristle nose plecos or pepper corys are good for goldfish tanks, ..both do great in cold water, more " swimmy" fish might have a problem..goldfish love to eat fins.

 

[MN_Rebel]

Bristle nose plecos or pepper corys are good for goldfish tanks, ..both do great in cold water, more " swimmy" fish might have a problem..goldfish love to eat fins.

I would think that it's important to focus on the size of tankmates. Goldfish will gladly to eat smaller plecos and corys if they can fit in goldfish's mouth.

 

[Kaosu]

I would think that it's important to focus on the size of tankmates. Goldfish will gladly to eat smaller plecos and corys if they can fit in goldfish's mouth.

true but if you get adults or close to it..it also depends on how big the goldfish are, pepper corys get large and no fancy I have seen could swallow one ..a 2 inch bn pleco would be safe with a fancy of nearly any size.

 

[hanwyz]

Weather loaches ( aka dojo loaches) actually do best in unheated tanks I believe, longer life expectancy (according to loaches.com I think it was??) and much better health all round - mine are doing fantastic (shame about the goldfish dying...) I've also had good success with peppered corys, zebra danios, wcmms and (accidentally) a sterbai cory. The other fish that I never had luck with but are meant to be hardy cold water fish are black banded sunfish.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[kzimmerman]

Don't think I'll try any corydoras cats, if I wanted cats I'd probably go with a madtom. Think I'll check out the loaches in more detail, and I think that zebra danios might be a snack for goldfish, if they can catch them!

 

[MN_Rebel]

The danios will be fine, it's nearly impossible for a fancy goldfish to catch one of these speedy fishes. Madtoms are good tankmates.......but they love to nipping on flowing long fins of goldfish.

 

[warmouth]

The danios will be fine, it's nearly impossible for a fancy goldfish to catch one of these speedy fishes. Madtoms are good tankmates.......but they love to nipping on flowing long fins of goldfish.

Not all madtoms..,...some are only come out at night and will only hunt for food on the bottom of the tank. Red Shiners , Common shiners , the larger Chubs would all be good goldfish tankmates.