What Fish Can Live With Goldfish?
You've fallen in love with one of over 200 breeds of iridescent orange, black, yellow and white goldfish. They are gorgeous — and one of the best fish for beginner aquatics hobbyists! Now that you've got your feet wet, you're hoping to build an aquatic community and are asking yourself, "What fish can live with goldfish?" Thankfully you have many options — from danios and minnows, to snails —that make good tankmates.
Tips For Keeping A Goldfish Tank
Before you add more fish to your aquarium, it's important that you have the proper amount of space for all the fish. The general rule of thumb in aquatics is to plan for one gallon of water per inch of fish. To calculate the best tank or pond size (if you're keeping the fish outside) for your goldfish and friends, determine the fully-grown adult length of each fish you're housing, then add them up.
Why do fish need so much space? Goldfish can grow quite long, depending on the variety (the comet can get up to 12 inches!), which means if they have fish friends, they need a large tank or outdoor decorative pond to stay comfortable. Goldfish like space to roam and play, so purchase a larger size when aquarium or pond shopping. A good estimate is 20 gallons of room for one goldfish. Add on another 15 gallons for each additional fish.
Speaking of play, goldfish are incredibly relaxed and enjoy entertaining themselves to avoid boredom. Be sure to give them plenty of accessories like rock caves, towering castles, colorful marbles or ornamental arches to explore. They also enjoy live or artificial plants to duck in and out of when they aren't at the surface of the water to grab a hand-fed snack (like steamed, peeled peas or romaine lettuce) from your fingertips. Yes, goldfish can be that tame and friendly.
4 Fish To Pair With Goldfish
Now, let's pick a few tankmates to keep your goldfish company. These descendants of the common carp are docile, calm fish and like to live with similar friends that aren't "fin nippers" or aggressive playmates.
Goldfish live in an unheated tank and need roommates that also prefer cooler temperatures. When selecting a friend for your goldfish, it's best to avoid any tropical fish varieties, including guppies, bettas or plecostomus. They require much warmer water than your goldfish to stay healthy and thrive.
Here are four fish that will make great tankmates for your goldfish.
1) ZebraFish
A small school of these attractive, horizontal-striped fish will dart around smaller fancy goldfish varieties with ease. Also known as danios, zebrafish tolerate the cooler water temperatures that goldfish enjoy (68-74 degrees Fahrenheit) and grow to about two inches in length. Be sure to choose zebrafish larger than your goldfish's mouth, so they don't get eaten.
2) Ornamental Minnows
These aren't the little gray fish you see at the edge of a pond. Instead, these colorful schooling fish are available at your local fish hobbyist store or the aquatics department of a pet shop. Look for rosy red or white cloud varieties to pair beautifully with your goldfish.
3) Decorative Snails
OK, so this isn't a fish, but snails are cool tankmates that are fun to watch cruise along the glass, decor and plant leaves. Apple, nerite and mystery snails are calm and keep to themselves, gobbling up algae too, making them tidy tankmates for goldfish.
4) Other Goldfish
Yes, your goldfish would love to have another goldfish in the tank. To avoid any stress or competition, choose the same breed in a different color or pattern. This will add visual variety to the tank without any compatibility issues. Are you starting to shop for your first fish pet? Before you bring home a goldfish, get your freshwater aquarium set up, so you have a home ready and waiting for your new aquatic family member.
Ready to expand your aquarium community? Learn more about which fish to add to your tank in Top 10 Best Fish and Best Beginner Fish by Tank Size.
Sources:
Aquatic Veterinary Services - Standard Care of Goldfish
Trumann Animal Clinic - Goldfish, Wonderful Pets of Beauty!
Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital - Goldfish
Aquatic Veterinary Services - What fish can live with goldfish?
The Spruce Pets - Best Tank Mates for Goldfish
