Goldfish Myth Debunked--cold Water And Cannot Be Kept With Tropical Fish!

[goldface]

I've never considered goldfish as cold-water fish, simply because they don't require a chiller. Also, perhaps because they in fact are known to do well in warm water. Species I consider truly cold-water: trout, grayling, burbot. And that's just a few. So here are a couple articles I found, debunking the old myth that goldfish can only thrive in cool-water environments. Let me know what you think. I'm not here to judge, just putting the information out there.

Goldfish: Myths Debunked | Details | Articles |

 

[GoldFiska]

I've read that article before and I'd say I agree. Goldfish are very adaptable fish. Slightly warmer temps will increase their metabolism but won't do any harm.

I think the combination of goldfish and certain tropicals is fine, but I wouldn't do it personally. A round, chunky fancy goldfish or a long-bodied comet goldfish would look rather out of place in a tank with tropicals.

 

[NavigatorBlack]

I see the problem differently. Goldfish can live indoors, at warmth. They are fine.
It's their tank mates who suffer, from their oxygen depleting digestive system. A goldfish in warm water is a poop machine, and decomposition absorbs oxygen. Warm water lacks oxygen. Put the two together, and you have a problem.
Goldfish can live with tropicals they can't eat - fair enough. But the tank had best be huge, and the fishkeeper had best be serious about clean water.
The intestine of a goldfish is adapted for bulk detritus and decaying plants. They can tolerate the environments where such food exists. There are not many tropicals that could thrive in the water a goldfish digestive system creates, and the warmer the water, the more their wastes reduce oxygen. They are like kissing gouramis or common plecos when it comes to fouling a tank - maybe worse.

 

[BettaFishyLuvr]

I would never do it I don’t think people should, I’m fine with a very experienced person doing it with slightly cooler water tropical fish but I don’t think there’s one that like kinda cooler waters that isn’t huge

 

[Chaory]

Warmer water for goldfish may decrease oxygen and the life span of the fish.

 

[BettaFishyLuvr]

Yep, especially goldfish is one of those fish that just kind of needs more oxygen in the water (idk if that makes sense like ya know how some fish can tolerate less oxygen)

 

[FishMadnessAndCookies]

Here's an article from TFH I found. I'm interested in hearing everyones' thoughts. Do you believe it changes anything? This is a judgement free zone. Goldfish: Myths Debunked | Details | Articles |

I never put them together. All I know is that goldfish tend to dirty up their water and that can't be good for tropical fish. My ex kept betas and goldfish. He likes to keep his windows open in the winter to get fresh air. One day his betta started laying on the bottom of the tank and I did an emergency rescue and put him in warm water and added a heater. The betta got better. The gold fish were in freezing water and were swimming around no problem. If the goldfish were in warm water however, I don't know.

 

[goldface]

I just added another article to the TFH one. I feel like this needs a bump up with all the wrong information I've been hearing being repeated lately. After reading both articles, and you still don't agree, then that's fine. I tried and that's enough for me.

 

[BBnL]

Very informative articles. As someone who has had goldfish in warmish ponds in summer and then over wintered them indoors when pond as pond reached freezing, I did see the large temp range .
I think more people object to mixing w tropicals due to water quality and predatory issues, which are also pointed out in your articles
You did fine presenting this information .
Especially I'd just like them out of unfiltered bowls...

 

[goldface]

Very informative articles. As someone who has had goldfish in warmish ponds in summer and then over wintered them indoors when pond as pond reached freezing, I did see the large temp range .
I think more people object to mixing w tropicals due to water quality and predatory issues, which are also pointed out in your articles
You did fine presenting this information .
Especially I'd just like them out of unfiltered bowls...

Thanks. I appreciate that. And yes, I agree that there are bigger issues than water temp. I personally wouldn't keep tropicals with goldfish either, but some people do and that's okay with me, if it works for them. For me, it's aesthetics.

My main problem is that I see too many people who don't keep goldfish throw around strange numbers and upper limits, like 72 f and even 68 f. Any rational person would quickly realize why those numbers are absurd and unrealistic. If this was true, then most people shouldn't be keeping goldfish, unless they could keep those cool temps constant. In the summer, my water temps can get a lot warmer.

I suppose goldfish and koI ponds should be banned in South Africa and Australia (sarcasm).

Also, if I recall, most goldfish are bred in Southeast Asia.