Tropical & Coldwater Mix

[cuticom]

I've had goldfish ina tropical tank before. It was a very temporary situation. The goldfish was evil LOL, continually chased the other fish around. Onyx (the goldy) now resides in his own 50g indoor pond with 3 rescue commons. Oh and although the stocking seems high, it really isn't. The commons are severely stunted (6 years old 3" long) and haven't grown at all, though if they do, I'll find them a nice pond.

I ahve found though that heating a goldy tank up to 24 degrees celsius helps greatly when treating white spot.

 

[ITHURTZ]

Im not tuned to 77 degrees, highest being 75, lowest being 73 (night time light off). Goldfish, plec, tinfoils. Ill continue to do it until I die. Goldfish are very hardy adapting fish

 

[LisaLQ]

Goldfish, plec, tinfoils. Ill continue to do it until I die.

Or your plecs and tinfoils do.

I dont understand some people - surely part of the joy of fishkeeping is making sure their fish get the right care and are happy? I'm striving to get my rainbows to breed, because they're the last things in my tank (bar the plecs) that aren't breeding. Breeding usually = happy.

Do I want them to breed because I want babies to sell on? Unlikely - the plecs will eat any eggs. I just want them to be happy.

And yet there's folks out there who wont even keep them at the right temp, with the right companions, because that's how they want it. It just seems very pointless.

Your plec cant tell you to bump up the temp. Your tinfoils cant tell you they're chilly. It's your responsibility to know that and act on it.

 

[black angel]

I want to point out that goldfish arent coldwater fish, salmon and trout are. Goldfish are temperate fish which means they can and do live and thrive at a wide range of temperature.

People mix tropical fish all the time so why not goldies and tropicals? As long as they are compatible in size and temperament ive no problem with it and have done it myself in the past.

Just make sure the tank is large enough and filtered enough to cope with the growing fish

Oh, and goldfish dont carry any other disease that tropicals cant get either.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Sometimes I wonder if the terms "coldwater" and "tropical" are really all that helpful. Temperatures that discus (tropical) would thrive in would constitue a health hazard to peppered corys (also tropical). The lowest temperatures that a comet would be happy in would kill a fantail. Perhaps it would be better to learn to think in more fluid categories, or simply more categories- maybe something like council tax bands. Band A for the real warmth-hoggers, like discus and farlowellas, B for the rather more normal tropicals, C for the cooler-than-average-tropical (like some corys, many livebearers etc), D for the definitely subtropicals (like WCMs, maybe danios, hillstream loaches), E for coldwater, F for coldwater down towards freezing etc. And some sort of A/B gradation to indicate that there are quite a few fish that can stretch over several bands.

 

[SamUK]

i dont think anyone can say that a goldfish thrives in tropical temps unless they have had it for many many years.


trying it out for a year or 2 doesnt prove anything.

 

[black angel]

I think in china and japan most goldfish varieties are grown in warmer water over many years, its only when you get to the western world that they are kept out in cold ponds through the winter. Of course it depends on which region in the East you come from but it is possible for goldfish and koi to live in warmer water.

 

[ITHURTZ]

i dont think anyone can say that a goldfish thrives in tropical temps unless they have had it for many many years.


trying it out for a year or 2 doesnt prove anything.

And what is a "topical" temp to you? When you say tropical climate I am thinkin 90 degree+. So shurley 80degree+ waters for the word "tropical." You dont think ponds are hitting the 75+ mark in the summer when that sun is blazing? On those hot summer days I can garantee that waters 76 and fish are swimming in that level of water. My tank hit 90 degress one time, they actually all seemed to love it

 

[SamUK]

yea and since when has summer been all year round?

your talking about a few months max out of 12 each year and like i sed. unless you have had them for a good number of years then you have no idea how its affecting them.

i didnt and nobody has sed they would die. jus that its not good for them compared to if there kept in there correct temp.




black angel, do you kno if the goldfish from those regions live aslong as they do here?

 

[black angel]

Not for sure but they do have some monster koi over there, so I think they can keep them alive for many years.

Im sure i read somewhere of a family having a fish that was over 200 years old but dont know which region they were in.

 

[Teelie]

The oldest officially confirmed fish was a saltwater fish. Some kind of eel IIRC and lived approximately 80 years. I've never read of any freshwater fish reliably kept alive for more than 50-60 years but that's still a very long time.

 

[LisaLQ]

I personally meant that 4 goldfish, a couple of tinfoils and a plec in a 55g in either warmer or cooler temps aren't getting the best deal together. Yeah the goldies might be fine - but what about the other fish who aren't being kept at the right temps? First of all the tank is too small for the plec (and that amount of goldies if I remember rightly), second of all those goldfish are big waste producers, if they were kept at a higher temp which increases their metabolism and reduces their lifespan - the other fish would be poisoned to death. As it is, that could be happening anyway (although I'm sure ITHURTZ has a regular maintenance regime that makes sure that's not happening - 2-3 water changes a week at least I'd think?). And the plec wont be appreciating the cooler temps. But who cares - as long as the owner is happy, right? I mean, plecs are cheap, aren't they? They aren't the showpiece fish in there, if it carks it - who cares - they can always get a new one? Pfft.

I can see that some fish might be able to cope with living in the wrong temps all of their (probably vastly shortened) life. And I can see why some people aren't bothered by that (hey, they're only fish - incidentally, not my opinion). But if, like me, people are keeping fish for the right reasons - why would they need to do that? I mean - I want to keep my fish as happy as I can - doesn't anyone else? Or is it a convenience thing? I like the look of goldies, I like the look of tinfoils (using you as an example here ITHURTZ sorry), dont have room/money/time/urge for another tank - but I want those fish and by god I'll have them even if they have different needs.

I just dont get why. I know how. I know it can be done. But why?

 

[ITHURTZ]

-If I remember, the tinfoils and plec require a 72 or higher temp, its 75.5.

- why does everyone assume this 55gallon is there tank for life?

-I do water changes every other day, along with gravel vacs, yes they are very messy, specially the plec

- to me, my fish are happy, never been sick, healthy appitite, no fighting etc, goldies I have had from no bigger than 1".

- and why what, mixing golds with tins? Why not, it works. As they grow, there tank grows, as long as they get huge Im fine.

 

[LisaLQ]

I'll say it in easier terms as it seems you're struggling.

Why keep coldwater and tropical fish together? Why bother? If you're all for natural habitats (as you're keen on natural diets in another thread - well, your opinion of natural), why keep them together?

Dont you want them both to have what's best for them, not just what will make do - just because you like it?

 

[ITHURTZ]

Why keep them together? Well because these fish dont require a min temp of 80 degrees. I wouldnt use goldfish in a temp that high, but 75 I will.

If you want whats bests, release them to the wild. My fish are happy, and the really only best thing more I could do it throw them in a 500gallon tank and let them enjoy there lives.