Anyone want to throw out ideas of native fish that could live nicely with fancy goldfish? I have a single calico fantail (very active, and an aggressive feeder, not really disabled like some fancys) and I was trying to think through suitable tankmates, but as some of you may know if you ever have kept Goldfish, the selection of compatible species available from stores is very small. Basically just other goldfish, maybe Weather loaches, Varitus Platys or Rosy Red feeders (which are native!).
What got me thinking about this is that to clear out some tank space I temporarily move the GF to a tank filled with Palteus Corys, a couple danios, and few native minnows & dace that had gotten picked on in my native tank and needed to heal up. He has been doing great in there, though this particular tank is only a temporary holding tank.
So... ideas? I think any less aggressive minnows are dace should work. Anything else? Maybe madtoms?
Fancy Goldfish and Natives?
Started by
Guest_QuoVadis_*
, Jul 09 2014 11:12 AM
13 replies to this topic
#2
littlen
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Posted 09 July 2014 - 11:53 AM
A Stonecat madtom would be your best bet. Of course I cannot be held liable for (intentional) bad advice.
Nick L.
#3
littlen
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Posted 09 July 2014 - 12:50 PM
The truth of the matter is that goldfish--in whatever breed (designer morph) they come in, are all deformed. Shy of the typical "comet" variety. Fantails, having 2 tails, and a shortened body are not equip to thrive in any sort of current. That, plus the fact that carp/goldfish enjoy cool waters do not make them suitable to live with your tropicals.
However, goldfish clearly survive in most environments. Having any sort of native living alongside a fancy goldfish would look very odd IMO, but I suppose it could be done. Anything that isn't big enough to eat it should work, but those big tails are a target should someone have a problem with your goldfish. (Some of the Cyprinids can do a fair amount of picking). Habitat preference between peaceful natives and your goldfish make it difficult to pair the species together. I would personally take it back to the pet store and trade it out for some natives that might have snuck in with the feeders.
However, goldfish clearly survive in most environments. Having any sort of native living alongside a fancy goldfish would look very odd IMO, but I suppose it could be done. Anything that isn't big enough to eat it should work, but those big tails are a target should someone have a problem with your goldfish. (Some of the Cyprinids can do a fair amount of picking). Habitat preference between peaceful natives and your goldfish make it difficult to pair the species together. I would personally take it back to the pet store and trade it out for some natives that might have snuck in with the feeders.
Nick L.
#4
Guest_gerald_*
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Posted 09 July 2014 - 01:30 PM
Redbelly dace (northern southern, mountain); sailfin & lowland shiners; rainbow, orangethroat, swamp darters; starhead, lined, bluefin killies ... I think those would be peaceful enough to live with a fantail goldfish.
#5
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 09 July 2014 - 05:50 PM
I am with Gerald. Though I would not personally enjoy mixing goldfish and native fish, I think you have a lot of options. Gerald's suggestions sound good, and there are certainly more.
Try some brook sticklebacks.
J/K
Try some brook sticklebacks.
J/K
#6
Guest_butch_*
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Posted 09 July 2014 - 06:29 PM
I wouldn't do a stonecat, I tried kept madtoms with goldfish in the past. Apparently the madtoms love the taste of the Goldfish's flowing long fins.
#7
Guest_QuoVadis_*
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Posted 13 July 2014 - 10:33 PM
Yeah, I am thinking killies or topminnows might be nice. The GF is not in a tropical tank. As I said he is in a holding tank with some natives (dace), danios, and plateus corys, none of which are tropical either.
#9
littlen
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Posted 16 July 2014 - 05:55 AM
Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't all corydoras species of catfish from the Amazon/South America?
Nick L.
#10
Guest_swampfish_*
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Posted 16 July 2014 - 09:52 AM
Although Corydoras species come from tropical regions of the world, most are not tropical in their needs. My understanding is that they are commonly associated with cold water springs. My aeneus and paleatus corys do well In unheated tanks in my basement where the winter temps winter dropped to the mid 50's degrees F. Most tropical aquaria mix fish from South America, Africa, and Asia. There are other gentle cold-water "tropical" fish that could be mixed with the goldfish besides the corys such as white cloud mountain fish, variatus platies, and rosy barbs. If it was a comet goldfish, mixing it with North American natives would be typical of many current native situations.
Phil Nixon
Phil Nixon
#11
Guest_QuoVadis_*
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Posted 16 July 2014 - 11:44 AM
Yes, with corys it all depends upon the species. Paleatus corys specifically aren't supposed to have water that gets above 76ish. They are from Uruguay, and the temps get down into the 40s in the winter there. Some corys do need higher temps though, Sterbai corys come to mind, they do well in the 80s. Swampfish, I am glad to know you have kept aeneus with the palateus at such low temps, because I those with them, upstairs in an unheated tank, and I have been wanting to move them downstairs, where it is cooler, but was unsure how the aeneus would do.
I don't suppose you have found any algae eaters that do well down into the low60s/high50s?
I don't suppose you have found any algae eaters that do well down into the low60s/high50s?
#12
littlen
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Posted 16 July 2014 - 11:47 AM
Phil--not to continue the derail--but corys only come from one tropical region of the world--the Amazon. The genus is quite variable in regards to habitat preference. I'm not sure where you got 'cold water springs' from. It is true that some can survive/thrive/breed in cooler temps than some of the other, tropical, inhabitants of the Amazon. But we're still talking low to mid 70's. I will say that I am impressed yours survived in the mid 50's. The one thing that a lot of commercially available fish have in common is that they are farm bred and raised. Usually, in water parameters far different than those of their wild brethren.
I agree with you that comets can hold their own with most of our natives. In fact, they do as an invasive species! QuoVadis has a calico fantail to which your suggestions above for tankmates holds true. He/she did mention in his/her OP that he/she would like some compatible natives. I am a huge fan of keeping species in conditions similar to those that they come from in the wild. Many dace and shiners would be fine along side a (comet) goldfish. It is strictly my opinion that keeping dace/shiners (more) happy would include a good amount of flow in the tank....which would not be ideal for a fantail goldfish. In addition to that, dace and the like have the edge during feeding time with their speed and agility.
I guess I'm just a little old fashioned and live by the "elevator in an outhouse/t**s on a bull" not belonging type of thing when it comes to my personal preference of fishkeeping. I am guilty as charged for once keeping all sorts of goofy fish species and breeds for that matter in a community tank. Now, I give my friends and associates a hard time when they mix Malawi and Tanganyika cichlids together! To each their own I suppose! Good luck to all.
I agree with you that comets can hold their own with most of our natives. In fact, they do as an invasive species! QuoVadis has a calico fantail to which your suggestions above for tankmates holds true. He/she did mention in his/her OP that he/she would like some compatible natives. I am a huge fan of keeping species in conditions similar to those that they come from in the wild. Many dace and shiners would be fine along side a (comet) goldfish. It is strictly my opinion that keeping dace/shiners (more) happy would include a good amount of flow in the tank....which would not be ideal for a fantail goldfish. In addition to that, dace and the like have the edge during feeding time with their speed and agility.
I guess I'm just a little old fashioned and live by the "elevator in an outhouse/t**s on a bull" not belonging type of thing when it comes to my personal preference of fishkeeping. I am guilty as charged for once keeping all sorts of goofy fish species and breeds for that matter in a community tank. Now, I give my friends and associates a hard time when they mix Malawi and Tanganyika cichlids together! To each their own I suppose! Good luck to all.
Nick L.
#13
Guest_butch_*
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Posted 17 July 2014 - 09:41 AM
Not all corys are tropical. A someone mentioned, palatus comes from Uruguay which is cooler than the Amazon. There are some piranhas and cichlid species can do well in cooler waters. So litten is incorrect that corydoras came from the Amazon.
I kept a small group of southern redbelly daces with a huge fantail goldfish in past without any issues. The trick is that feeding goldfish pellets that are too big for most minnows to swallow where you can feed the minnows smaller food items. The setting I kept them in is a 55gal.
I kept a small group of southern redbelly daces with a huge fantail goldfish in past without any issues. The trick is that feeding goldfish pellets that are too big for most minnows to swallow where you can feed the minnows smaller food items. The setting I kept them in is a 55gal.
#14
Guest_Subrosa_*
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Posted 17 July 2014 - 03:23 PM
Not all Corys are Corys. The similar appearing and closely related Scleromystax species were once considered Corys, and definitely require cooler than tropical temps.
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