Many people who keep fish love goldfish, but it can be nice to add some other fish to their aquariums every once in a while. After having goldfish for a long time, we’ve put together a list of our best tips and suggestions for keeping them with other fish (some of which you may not have thought of before).
What Fish Eat Goldfish? 14 Predators You Should Keep Away From Your Goldfish Tank
Goldfish are a common aquarium fish that have been popular pets for centuries Their bright colors, unique shapes and behaviors make them fun to observe. However, their vulnerability and appetizing appearance means they often end up as prey for larger aquatic animals
In the wild, goldfish fall victim to a variety of predators. But even in captivity, certain tank mates can threaten your goldfish’s safety. Knowing which fish eat goldfish will help you avoid dangerous combinations in your home aquarium.
In this article, we’ll identify 14 common goldfish predators to watch out for. We’ll also provide tips to keep your goldie safe by choosing the right tank mates.
Fish That Eat Goldfish
Here are some of the most likely culprits if your goldfish suddenly disappears:
- Bass
Species like largemouth, smallmouth and striped bass are notoriously voracious predators. They greedily consume any small fish that will fit in their mouths. Goldfish are certainly on the menu. Bass stalk their prey and ambush them with incredible speed and power.
- Pike
Northern pike are found throughout North America and Europe. With their long bodies, big mouths and sharp teeth, they are built to hunt. Pike will eat any fish they can capture, including goldfish.
- Pickerel
Pickerel are smaller relatives of pike, but just as predatory. They inhabit weedy, slow moving waters where they lie in wait to ambush passing prey. Goldfish won’t stand a chance if a pickerel spots them.
- Perch
Yellow perch feed extensively on small fish, including goldfish. They use their sharp vision to detect prey and quickly snatch it up. Other perch species like walleye are also goldfish hunters.
- Trout
Most trout species will gladly feast on goldfish if given the opportunity. Trout are patient stalkers that track down and kill their prey. Rainbow, brown and brook trout are especially likely to eat goldfish.
- Catfish
While many catfish are primarily bottom feeders, some are accomplished hunters. Channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish will eat goldfish of a suitable size. Their whiskers help them detect prey in murky water.
- Gar
Gars are ancient fish with elongated jaws filled with sharp teeth. They use their unique mouth structure to grab and swallow goldfish whole. Alligator gar and Florida gar pose a particular threat.
- Bowfin
Also called “dogfish,” bowfin are aggressive predators with powerful jaws. They lay in wait to ambush any unsuspecting fish, like goldfish. Bowfin are tenacious and will attempt to eat prey up to half their own size.
- Freshwater Drum
Despite their unassuming name, freshwater drum are voracious predators, especially as juveniles. They gobble up insects, crustaceans, mollusks and small fish, including goldfish.
- Giant Snakehead
This invasive species has caused problems in many regions due to its predatory habits. Snakeheads consume vast quantities of fish, frogs and crustaceans. Introduced snakeheads could decimate local goldfish populations.
- Snakehead
The smaller bullseye and northern snakeheads also pose a major threat to goldfish. Their aggressive nature and sharp teeth make them highly effective hunters. Snakeheads strike swiftly when they spot potential prey.
- Tilapia
Many people are surprised to learn that tilapia will eat other fish. In fact, they are opportunistic predators that will consume just about anything they can fit in their mouths. Goldfish must beware around large tilapia.
- Oscar
This popular cichlid is notorious for attacking tank mates. Their powerful suction mouths allow them to grab and ingest fish up to half their size. Small and medium goldfish are certainly at risk.
- Convict Cichlid
Highly aggressive by nature, convict cichlids will bully and kill fish tank mates whenever possible. Their pugnacious attitude and territoriality makes them incompatible with goldfish.
How To Keep Your Goldfish Safe
Now that you know what fish eat goldfish, you can avoid those unsafe combinations in your aquarium. When selecting tank mates, keep these tips in mind:
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Don’t mix goldfish with notoriously aggressive fish like African cichlids, arowana and tigerfish. They are likely to harm goldfish.
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Avoid large predatory fish that can eat medium or small sized goldfish. Only combine goldfish with massive species like arapaima or alligator gar.
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Certain catfish and loaches may eat goldfish if they can fit in their mouths. Keep goldfish with bottom dwellers that are peaceful or large enough not to eat them.
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Schooling fish like tetras, danios and rainbowfish make safe tank mates as they are unlikely to attack goldfish.
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Goldfish may nip the long flowing fins of angelfish or guppies. Avoid delicate community fish.
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Overcrowding causes aggression and competition. Give all fish ample space and resources.
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Introduce any new fish slowly and watch for signs of trouble like chasing or fin nipping. Remove aggressors promptly.
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Provide plenty of hiding spots with plants, rocks and decor. This allows vulnerable fish to escape conflicts.
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Feed your fish a variety of foods so they are less likely to hunt tank mates. Predation sometimes results from hunger.
With some careful planning and fish selection, you can have an aquarium that safely houses goldfish alongside other appropriate species. Avoid known goldfish predators and stick with peaceful community fish for best results. Pay close attention, especially when first introducing new tank mates, and be prepared to separate any fish that shows signs of aggression. Follow these tips, and your goldfish are sure to remain out of harm’s way.
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
If you only own fancy goldfish, cold water minnows may be a good option. They’re very inexpensive, tend to school together, and only grow to 1. 5 to 2 inches long. They will be much smaller when you first buy them, so you might want to let them grow (or even breed them) before putting them in the goldfish tank. These fish are small enough to fit in the mouths of goldfish, but they move quickly and are hard to catch compared to fancy goldfish. (In the event that one does accidentally get eaten, it’s not harmful to the goldfish. ).
White cloud minnows come in different types, like normal or gold types. Don’t get longfin types, though, because their long fins will slow them down and make it more likely that they’ll get caught. Try them out because they make the aquarium more interesting and give the goldfish something fun to watch and chase.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Along the same vein as the white cloud minnows are the amazing ricefish. This cold water family consists of many species and color variants, such as platinum white, orange, and blue. Of course, they aren’t as cheap as white clouds at $5 to $10 each, but they breed quickly and look great with many of the other fish on this list. Make sure you have enough tank space for both the goldfish and any other animals you choose to put in with them. They will add to the bioload (or waste load) in the aquarium.
This spiny but docile catfish looks like a supersized otocinclus that grows to 5 or 6 inches long. The flag tail hoplo (Dianema urostriatum), the spotted hoplo (Megalechis thoracata), and the tail bar hoplo (Megalechis picta) are all different species. Hoplo catfish have long whiskers that help them constantly scavenge for food. Hoplos eat during the day, unlike bristlenose and rubbernose plecos that only eat at night, so you don’t have to target feed them to make sure they get enough food.
An odd choice for a goldfish tank mate might be a livebearer, which is a fish that gives birth to live young. But we’ve had a lot of fun with this pair in the past. Out of the two species of platy fish, the variatus platy (Xiphophorus variatus) can live in cooler waters. There are people who don’t like livebearers because they can have a lot of babies. But your goldfish will happily eat most of the fry and keep the population in check.
Plate fish have lots of different colors and patterns, so if you want something different from your red, white, and orange goldfish, a school of blue or yellow platies might work. Lastly, they are great at cleaning up because they are always picking at algae or extra food that is hidden in the tank.
What Kind of Fish Can You Keep With Goldfish?
If you ever saw a cool fish and were not sure if it would get along with your goldfish, here are some general rules to follow:
- Avoid aggressive fish that will pick on your goldfish. In general, goldfish are calm fish that won’t do well with barbs, African cichlids, or other large cichlids that are mean.
- Consider how fast your goldfish is. Common goldfish, which are also called single-tailed or comet goldfish, can swim very quickly and are more likely to swallow things they shouldn’t. Because fancy goldfish move more slowly, they are more likely to be picked on by other fish.
- Stay away from small and spiny fish. The goldfish like to swim around and eat everything they find, including plants, food, and other fish. We want to stay away from species that are small enough to fit in their mouths, so when choosing tank mates, think about how big a full-grown goldfish can get. Also, watch out for smaller fish with spines, like cory catfish or otocinclus. If swallowed, they could get stuck in a goldfish’s gill plate.
- Keep fish in the tank with you that can live in the same conditions as the goldfish. Goldfish like it cooler, between 50°F and 70°F, but they can live at room temperature without a heater. This is one of the cooler places on our list where many of the fish on it would be happy. Also, the fish in the tank must be able to eat food that is made for goldfish. If you add a strong predator that needs to eat meat, the goldfish might get too much protein and have trouble going to the bathroom.
With these rules in mind, here are the 10 best tank mates for goldfish that we have personally tested and found to get along:
This amazing oddball fish looks like a miniature stingray and acts like a plecostomus (or pleco). It hunts for food scraps and eats algae. Goldfish can’t get them off of glass because it grips so tightly. Best of all, they enjoy cooler temperatures just like goldfish do. The reticulated hillstream loach, the Borneo sucker loach, the Chinese butterfly loach, and many other flat-bodied loaches are all in this group.
Because they’re small enough to fit in a goldfish’s mouth and often have spines in their fins, cory catfish aren’t a good choice for goldfish tanks. But what if you could get a huge corydoras? Meet the Brochis multiradiatus, which is also called the hog-nosed catfish or Corydoras multiradiatus. This docile bottom dweller looks like an overgrown cory catfish that reaches up to 4 inches in size. They are great for cleaning up because they like digging through the substrate and vacuuming up any trash that is left behind. They do have spines on their pectoral and dorsal fins, but we haven’t had any problems with them because the goldfish don’t think of them as food.
Dojo loaches, also called weather loaches, are about the length of a foot and have fins. They love to swim, dig in the gravel, and eat anything you give them. These friendly creatures thrive in cold water and are a popular addition to many goldfish tanks. You can usually find them for as little as $5 for the regular size, but it can cost $10 or more for specialty gold or albino sizes. If you’re looking for a tried-and-true tank mate for goldfish, you can’t go wrong with the dojo loach.
Some people online say that they can suck on a goldfish’s slime coat, so this choice might be seen as a little controversial. We’ve seen this happen more often with bigger plecos that aren’t getting enough food because the goldfish are eating everything. It’s easier to keep a smaller species, like the bristlenose pleco, fed and away from slime coats. You’ll often find them munching on algae, driftwood, and morsels hidden in the substrate. To keep the pleco calm, wait until the lights are off and the goldfish are asleep. Then, feed the pleco a mix of sinking wafers, bloodworms, brine shrimp, and Repashy gel food.
The rubber lip or bulldog pleco is another name for this species. It looks a lot like a bristlenose pleco, but its nose doesn’t have any bristles on it. They look the same and need the same amount of care. They also get to be about 5 to 6 inches long. Animal stores often sell them because most of them have spots on their faces or all over their bodies. If you’re looking for a pleco that doesn’t have “facial hair,” try this peaceful algae-eater.
My Gulper Catfish Eats MASSIVE Goldfish!
What do goldfish eat?
Eating the wrong type or amount of food can be very bad for your fish. Goldfish will be happy to eat most foods, but it is best to offer them a varied diet. This ensures their digestive tract stays healthy and keeps the goldfish happy and healthy too. A mixture of foods such as flakes, pellets, vegetables, and live food is a good combination.
Is gold fish good for health?
Like any other fish, gold fish is also edible but poor in nutritional value. As gold fish is used mostly for aesthetic purposes, its habitat is mostly artificial and food consists of gross flake or pellet stuff. Thus, gold fish should be raised as a pet and not be eaten as it tastes exactly like its food.
What is the best fish food for goldfish?
If you’re not sure what the best fish food for goldfish is, then the key thing to think about is variety. In the pet store, you’ll likely be faced with a choice of flakes or pellets, while you may also see fish gel, which is closer to what goldfish might eat in the wild. All of these are usually good choices for goldfish.
Can goldfish eat treats?
In addition to goldfish food, a variety of unique treats can be offered occasionally to goldfish to supplement their basic diet. With these foods, offer only tiny amounts – about what a fish can eat within about one to two minutes and no more. Only feed these treats every two days or so. Goldfish can eat: