We have a 15 gal tank with 2 Oto catfish, 1 comet & 1 common goldfish (or at least that is what we think the goldfish are by the shape of their tail fins). The comet is about 2 inches & the common is about 4 inches in length. We know we have "room" for at least 2 other small fish (according to a site we read it is 1 gallon for each inch of fish). I've looked online but can't find an easy to understand list that doesn't get into details. Most lists talk about fish ponds & not tanks.
Website links, lists or personal experience answers are good!
Thanks.....
2009-04-08T14:41:06Z
We have had the Oto's for over 1 yr...in the same tank as the goldfish...never had a problem with them...when we bought them, we were told they COULD go in with goldfish and this wasn't from a place like petco/petsmart...it was a fish only store.
First of all, those the comet and common need a much larger tank than a 15 gallon. Both will grow over a foot long. Both of them are ideal pond fish, but for a common and a comet, at least a 75 gallon tank for their adult size is needed.
The 1 inch per gallon rule is really a terrible guideline. The guideline doesnt exclude that fact if you have a 6 inch fish you should put it in a 6 gallon tank? Doesn't make much sense does it?
Also, otocinclus are tropical fish whilst goldfish are coldwater and they shouldn't be housed together because they need different temperatures. Plus, otos should be in schools of at least 3 since they need security from their own kind.
No, no, no, no. Everything is all wrong. Oto catfish are warmwater fish, 77°F, they need at least 10 gallons per fish. Common, comet, and shubunkin goldfish need at least 50 gallons of water per fish because they grow to 12+ inches. Goldfish are COLDWATER fish!
1 GALLON PER INCH OF FISH IS -NOT- ACCURATE!!!!!! You cannot add any more fish to this tank. The goldfish alone need a 100 gallon, unheated, tank. And the catfish need at least a 20 gallon, heated, tank.
Do you have a heater in the tank? Oto cats are tropical fish and require warmer temperatures, whereas goldfish are cold-water fish.
Goldfish are, in essence, only compatible with other goldfish. Black moors, ryukin, sarasa comets, etc., are all acceptable tank-mates. You can also try apple snails, weather loaches, rosy reds, and white cloud minnows. They can go into a tank without a heater.
i had a pond goldfiish when fully grown it was about 5 inches long. e was in a 35 gallon tank that i used to keep feeder fish for an oscar that was a bit bigger than him. well after a few months i had been noticing the feeders were going really quickly. come to find out the goldfish was eating about a dozen a week, i didnt know until i caught him eaing the goldies. so dont over crowd the tank too much or when the goldfish gets bigger (and he will) hell eat your pretty fish!