# Can i mix goldfish and tropical fish



## Asully70 (Aug 22, 2008)

I bought a couple goldfish for my outside pond and was wondering if i could mix the gold fish with my 29g tropical community tank. The gold fish will probably end up getting flushed if i dont put them in the tank. either that or be frozen solid in the pond. so can i mix goldfish and tropical fish. the goldfish are just the really cheap inch and a half sized like the 12 cent ones. i have tetras plattys and angels in my 29g.


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2008)

The really cheap inch and a half sized ones you're talking about are probably the ones that will reach over 12 inches when in proper conditions (e.g. they'll be stunted if not).

How deep is your pond? If the pond is meant for fish, I don't see why it would kill them.
Why will they be flushed?

Goldfish need colder water than tropical fish and produce more waste, usually. From the sounds of it, temporarily housing the golds in your 29 might be pushing it anyway, depending on how many of the other fish you have.

In short, not recommended. If it's a common or comet (which are sold as feeders) they should be in a pond.


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## Asully70 (Aug 22, 2008)

ok ya they are the comets. im just concerned because the pond/fountain is very small (maybe 10 gallons)and during the winter in oregon there are weeks where high tempatures are like 34 and lows are like 15 so thats why they would be flushed because they would die other wise. there are about 35 fish in my 29g already 24 of them are neon tetras. i know its over crowded


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2008)

If you pond is deep enough, they shouldn't die. How deep is it?


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## Asully70 (Aug 22, 2008)

maybe a foot or 2 not very deep.


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2008)

In that case, I would suggest housing them in a cycled, filtered, large, plastic tub over the winter and in the pond during the summer.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Asully70 said:


> ok ya they are the comets. im just concerned because the pond/fountain is very small (maybe 10 gallons)


A ten gallon pond is called a puddle. Are you sure it is ten gallons?


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

....
Why would you buy fish that can only keep on a seasonal basis? I don't mean to be offensive, but that's really irresponsible. Next time, go with minnows or some other small coldwater fish that you could keep inside when it gets too cold.


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## Asully70 (Aug 22, 2008)

well i'm new to this hobby and the petsmart guy told me to buy 2 goldfish to cycle my tank. after i did some research i figured out that that probably wasnt the best way so rather than killing them i put them in this pond/fountian thing in my backyard (its basically a half barrell thing that has a pump where water spits out the top) and to answer your question its probably more like 25 gallons now that i think about it.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Oh - those barrels are about 25 to 30 gallons.

My recommendation for you would be to bring the barrel inside for the winter. Basement? Laundry room? Anywhere would be better than just letting the fish die.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

COM-it's half-full, though.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

No no- it's a half barrel. Imagine a wooden barrel (think Sturbridge Village - you know you went there in like fifth grade) cut in half, halfway up the barrel. You can get one of these things at Lowe's. They have a pump and usually a fake old-looking water pump. Throw in an air-powered sponge filter and you're good to go. I was debating doing this with guppy fry a few months back but then learned from my neighbor that it would attract birds who will poop all over my yard and patio.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Ohh. Fancy! Thanks.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2008)

Even if it is more like 25-30 gallons, that won't and shouldn't last very long for the golds. Better than a 10g, but you'll need to upgrade.


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## Betta1 (Jan 5, 2007)

If you ever need to euthanise a fish Don't flush it, thats putting them into very harsh conditions and a very terrible way to die.

The best way I've found is to poor them into freezing cold water to put them into shock then put them in the freezer.


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## blcknwitecuban (Apr 17, 2006)

i dont think freezing is a very humaine [sp?] way to die.. i know that wouldnt be my choice... but then again choking in feces and urine and god knows what isnt much better.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Clove oil is accepted as the most humane way to euthanize a fish, from what I've read.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

They should make it through the winter in the half barrel. Then he/she can deal with digging a pond in the spring.


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## Asully70 (Aug 22, 2008)

Ya I figured they might be alright. I dont know if the thing will freeze fully this winter. How cold of water can goldfish live in? I always have a 10 gallon tank that i can set up in my garage.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Well, in the winter water will freeze in my garage. I've tested this. I would not assume Portland to be much warmer that Buffalo. Do you have a basement or laundry room or something with heat for the poor fish?


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## Asully70 (Aug 22, 2008)

well i could buy a heater for the 10g when the time comes. Portland is warmer than Buffalo to my knowledge. Portlands lowest tempature usually in the middle of winter on average doesnt get below 25 and the highs are usually 35-40 usually never snows here and when it does it doesnt stick.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Its not that the goldfish can't tank tropical temps, they will survive them. Its that you could easily overload you tank and kill your expensive fish with a "mini-cycle". How big are the goldfish now?


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## sarahbellum (Feb 28, 2008)

I agree there are humane ways to euthanize fish, but not having room for them isn't a good reason to do it. Even a big animal water trough (sp?) is better than nothing...


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you put your goldfish in with the tropicals, the goldfish will eat up most of the food, poop a lot and may chase and stress out the angels. But if the goldfish are really small, they could be ok for one winter. I do think you need find a solution you can use every winter, since the goldfish will keep getting bigger. A big plastic rubbermaid bin and air-driven sponge filter, perhaps.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Goldfish get really sluggish if you try to heat their water. They really prefer an unheated "room temperature" tank. You can mix Golden Dojos and some Plecos with them though.


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