goldfish+tropical fish

whats the verdict on having goldfish with tropical fish?

 

The most basic factor to consider is that goldfish are cold water fish and tropical fish need higher temps than what the goldfish require and therefore they are not a compatible mix.
~ kate

 

See sig. Salmon are COLD water fish. Goldfish are subzero to mid 70's fish. I personally believe 77 would be the max temp. 76.5 right now, summertime sometimes peak 79-80

 

If you keep goldfish and tropical fish together there is NO WAY to keep them both healthy in the same tank. The water temperatures would need to be too cool for tropicals and too warm for goldfish.

Goldfish will be gasping and probably die in water over 75 degrees farenheit. (Water is slower to warm up and cool down than air temperatures that is why they are fine on 100 degree days in ponds.)

 

really we have a pond with goldfish and koi and it probably gets to about 80F

 

If the water temperature gets that high and stays that high long it is unhealthy for your fish and you should consider landscape changes to provide shade for the pond during the hottest parts of the day. Reguardless of whether or not you've had fish 'survive' those temperatures in the past it is unhealthy for them and eventually will lead to their death.

Slightly off topic, but:

There is a world of difference in living and simply surviving. I would personally not like to merely survive, I want to live while I'm alive, if that makes any sense?

I hope that explains my stance on living versus surviving, and I hope I made my arguement for the facts of health and temperature being directly related with fish clear and understandable.

 

well we do have a tree and our house for shade, but the temp causes the water temp to rise the fish aren't sick though they are quite active
weve had them for about five years now and very few have died most were over the winter that weve lost

 

In a pond, the surface temperature can be as much as 20 degrees warmer than the bottom temperature, depending on the depth of the pond. So, if it is 80 on the surface, it could be in the low 60's at the bottom.