Goldfish + ?

[barbiedoll]

water temp in unheated 'coldwater' setups with goldfish in the US is soo different to UK. I was assuming UK

I'm curious as to how these are different? I'd assume everyone uses a heater (when necessary) in the winter. If you are talking about high temperatures in the summer time, that is a very broad statement. The entire US is not just southern california and Flordia.

yeah sure - guilty as charged - wide generalisation......

no heaters in my coldwater tanks. only problem is how hot they get in the summer - we do get the odd day when the sun shines!

just that I was following a thread about algae eaters for coldwater tanks and peeps in the US were suggesting allsorts of fish we could only keep in tropical tanks anywhere in the UK, so I thought I would check where enthusiast was.

and BTW cheese specialist, no, I wouldn't keep a hillstream loach 'cos i don't have a fast flowing high oxygen environment with thick lush algae to house the beasties it lives on, so I could not make it happy.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

and BTW cheese specialist, no, I wouldn't keep a hillstream loach 'cos i don't have a fast flowing high oxygen environment with thick lush algae to house the beasties it lives on, so I could not make it happy.

Interesting you say that. I wouldn't keep a hillstream loach in a coldwater setup with goldfish but my borneo sucker is very happy.

"Borneo sucker" is another name for hillstream loach.

Enthusiast, maybe try a quick swatch here for goldfish types.

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

A good combination of fish in a coldwater tank, the same as me. All the fish get along lovely and there is alot of character in these fish.
Hillstream loaches only NEED fast flowing, extremely oxigenated water to breed them and make them feel like they are in the wild (most of these are wild caught). (who ever said these need very cold water is wrong because these are SUB-TROPICAL fish).
White clouds are a great schooling fish too. They are brightly coloured and are just brilliant. These are a good fish to breed. (I have breeding in progress!! )
A black moor would be a good addition too. This fishy would be great with the goldfish and just looks great when its really healthy becuse the black just looks even blacker.
For a safe catfish that adds ALOT of character to the tank is the weather loach. This fish is funny and clumsy and is so amazing. Also, u might be able to predict the weather!
These are safe fish for your tank in my opinion because they are all easy to get and wont attack each other because they cant!! lol

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Hillstream loaches only NEED fast flowing, extremely oxigenated water to breed them and make them feel like they are in the wild (most of these are wild caught). (who ever said these need very cold water is wrong because these are SUB-TROPICAL fish).

I am sorry, that is just not true. Most commonly found species are coldwater. The clue is in the name. Fast flowing streams are, by their very nature, cold.

You say that fast flowing and well oxygenated water is only needed to make them feel like it's home. Doesn't that make a lot of sense when you take a fish out of it's natural habitat? It's like taking a camel out the desert and putting it on the north pole. Well, not quite but you see what I mean. It'd be ok if they were tank bred but as we agree, a lot a not and so it is damaging to their health to change their habitat to that extent.

 

[barbiedoll]

now I want a weather loach! they sound such great fish.
I hope you can get some variety in your new tank, enthusiast. Should be fun!
Good luck! I'm looking forward to some pics when you get it set up! maybe in the coldwater fish section?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

now I want a weather loach! they sound such great fish.
I hope you can get some variety in your new tank, enthusiast. Should be fun!
Good luck! I'm looking forward to some pics when you get it set up! maybe in the coldwater fish section?

Weather loach? I used to keep those. Ace fish. Go very well in bigger goldfish set ups.

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

Hillstream loaches only NEED fast flowing, extremely oxigenated water to breed them and make them feel like they are in the wild (most of these are wild caught). (who ever said these need very cold water is wrong because these are SUB-TROPICAL fish).

I am sorry, that is just not true. Most commonly found species are coldwater. The clue is in the name. Fast flowing streams are, by their very nature, cold.

You say that fast flowing and well oxygenated water is only needed to make them feel like it's home. Doesn't that make a lot of sense when you take a fish out of it's natural habitat? It's like taking a camel out the desert and putting it on the north pole. Well, not quite but you see what I mean. It'd be ok if they were tank bred but as we agree, a lot a not and so it is damaging to their health to change their habitat to that extent.

That is tru, the environment thingy but its also true these fish adapt to 'not fast flowing' tanks quickly.
Mine have. I have five and they seem to be really happy.

Weather loaches are ace fish lol

 

[barbiedoll]

Is the weather loach one of the coldwater fish that needs a licence in the UK now? and do any lfs stock them? I've not seen any about in Hampshire.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Is the weather loach one of the coldwater fish that needs a licence in the UK now? and do any lfs stock them? I've not seen any about in Hampshire.

No. These are weather loaches. I used to have one called Kentaro. My favourite fish and I had him for years. He was huge! About 8"!!

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

Is the weather loach one of the coldwater fish that needs a licence in the UK now? and do any lfs stock them? I've not seen any about in Hampshire.

No. These fish are really common and cost about £1.99 i think mine cost cant remember. They are such brilliant fish. They also like to dig.
Also, they are harmless when young (coz they dont have much power in them) but when they get older, they put as much muscle into anything they can. Mine has knocked over a tree ornament in my tank! and the ornament is HUGE!! Mine is only between 5 and 6 inches!

 

[dwarfgourami]

I think there could be a problem with panda cories in a goldfish tank. Not so much the temperature as the fact that pandas are unusually sensitive (for cories) to problems with water stats, and goldfish are big messy fish. But have to say I've never tried it.

As for difference between the US and the UK- I have always understood this to consist in the fact that you have functioning central heating in the US. In the UK even those of us who do nominally have central heating still have to rely heavily on the hot water bottle

 

[black angel]

As common goldfish grow big fast, I wouldnt add anything smaller than 4 or 5 inches when fully grown. A goldfish mouth is surprisingly big and when it gets to around 5 inches can easily hoover up a cory or hillstream loach.
Commons are faster than fancies and will easily catch minnows.
Dont get another goldfish as it will be carrying parasites unless you have a quarantine tank. Its not a good idea either to mix single tailed fish with the fancy double tailed fish. The fancy fish are a lot slower and may be outrun for any food and the tail can be eaten by the common.
A good addition to the tank would be two weather loaches and i also suggest a thermometer if you dont have one to see what the average temperature is in the tank.
If you arent doing a fishless cycle then make sure you test the water often.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

A goldfish could never in a million years eat a hillstream loach unless it's a fry!!

Mine were about 3" long and 1"+ wide although not very 'deep'.

I agree with weather loaches being the best choice. Little dudes that they are.

 

[black angel]

I have read on another forum of a goldie swallowing a two inch hillstream loach and it was lodged in the gills. We all thought the poor little bugger was dead but it swam out the gills without damaging it and the goldfish was around 5 inches long. So yes it can happen.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Wow, well that's just another reason why they should not be kept together.