Can a Plecostomus Live With Goldfish?

Can a Plecostomus Live With Goldfish?

It is not challenging to keep goldfish with other species like Plecostomus. However, they can get aggressive if you do not fulfill their food requirements.

Can a Plecostomus Live With Goldfish? According to our experience and research, Plecostomus can live with goldfish because both the species have peaceful nature and prefer to live in a friendly environment. Both can live under 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and with a pH of 7 to 7.9. Moreover, they feed on algae as Pleco are algae eaters and help clean tanks from the excessive algae. In addition, they can eat vegetables like spinach and blood worms, shrimps, and other plants. However, immediately separate them when you see that the Pleco is trying to eat the slimy coating on the goldfish. 

You can add multiple fish in a single habitat, but check the compatibility of the organisms that belong to two different species to ensure their survival.

Larger aquatic organisms are more aggressive than smaller ones and try to swallow the latter ones. Therefore, it is better to add organisms of similar size together to reduce the competition and risk of attack.

Can you keep Plecostomus with goldfish?

You can keep both of these species together in a single habitat without harming each other for many reasons, like their friendly nature and common living conditions.

Same temperature requirements

They have similar requirement of temperature that helps maintain ideal aquatic conditions for both the organisms.

The goldfish prefers to live in a cold environment with a temperature of 70 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

Moreover, the Plecostomus can live in a wide temperature range from 66 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ideally, they prefer to live in a slightly warm temperature ranging from 76 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

They have a good tolerance to a cold environment that makes them suitable for living with other fish in a common place.

Peaceful nature

The Plecostomus has a peaceful nature and does not fight with other tank-sharing partners.

Therefore, you can put them with other fish due to their friendly nature.

Moreover, they remain happy when you provide a proper supply of nutrients and hiding spots to maintain privacy.

It is better to provide a comfortable aquatic environment to avoid unhealthy competition for food and habitat.

It helps maintain peace in their common habitat where the organisms of two different species do not fight with each other.

Similar nutrition

It is an algae eater, and goldfish also like to eat algae present on the sidewalls of the glass box.

Therefore, they have a similar nutritional requirement, which is a plus point in adding them to a single tank.

In addition, algae serve as a good laxative for goldfish and help them in congestion.

Additionally, it prevents constipation, causing bloating in them due to temperature and water quality changes.

Some of their species rely primarily on algae and get food, while others consume plants and wood fiber.

Beneficial for tank cleaning

Algae accumulate inside the tank when you ignore its regular cleaning.

They can consume a small number of algae, and the rest of the algae collects on the sidewalls and the bottom surface.

You can quickly get rid of the excess algae by adding algae eaters that can efficiently reduce the maximum quantity of algae.

Therefore, they can keep the sidewalls and bottom clean naturally, so you do not have to maintain them regularly.

Things to consider when adding a Plecostomus to a goldfish tank 

There are a few things to consider when adding a Pleco to an aquarium containing goldfish to avoid problematic situations.

Avoid spiny fish

These fish consume tiny organisms that can easily fit inside their mouths. Therefore, it is better to avoid adding small fish to the tank to protect them from swallowing.

Moreover, the addition of spiny aquatic organisms is not suitable for the survival of goldfish because they can get stuck in its gill plate.

So, the tapered and small size species are not suitable to be present in the tank.

Determine habitat similarities

You have to check whether the two species will be the habitat partners that can live in similar conditions.

The temperature suitable for the growth of one species can be unfavorable for the other one.

Therefore, determine the conditions that suit them and maintain an ideal temperature for both.

Determine compatibility

It is better to assess the compatibility between the fish when you add to the same habitat. The aggressive partners can kill the small fish close to them in the aquarium.

They do not provide harm to their tank partners, but you have to check whether they can live together or not.

Check the speed of goldfish

All the swimming organisms do not have the same moving speed in the water. Their survival depends on the size and speed of these organisms.

Some can swim fast and feed on the tiny organisms, while a few are slow simmers, which are the easy targets of the larger fish.

How do you put Plecostomus with goldfish?

You can out Pleco with goldfish by preparing an aquarium with ideal conditions and a proper supply of nutrients. Then, check their compatibility before adding them to a single habitat.

Get a small size Plecostomus

You can search for different pet stores having small or large size fish.

However, it is better to purchase a tiny fish because larger ones can harm the small size fish.

Moreover, you should know about the maximum length of the fry when it grows into an adult one. Select a particular species that does not get longer than a maximum of 2 inches.

You can get information about the maximum length that it can achieve from the pet store owner.

Compatibility test

All the aquatic organisms have different natures and do not react in the same manner when you shift them into a goldfish aquarium.

It is essential to check their compatibility by assessing their behavior when putting them inside a tank. For example, ask the person at the pet store about placing it inside an aquarium.

You can get guidance on whether you should do so or avoid putting it inside the tank. They know about the behavior of every animal at their store.

Prepare an aquarium

Prepare an aquarium for placing the two different types of species together. The tank should be of a good size and contains enough water to float freely.

Moreover, it needs to be 18 to 20 inches long and almost 10 to 12 inches wide to hold 10 gallons of water.

Moreover, you have to add algae wafers and driftwood inside it so that the Pleco can feed on the algae and fiber in the wood.

The addition of tunnels and hollow pipes provides a suitable hiding place that helps maintain privacy.

Furthermore, the proper placement of plants and vegetation is essential because they can try to uproot them from the bottom while eating.

Check the tank conditions

After preparing a suitable aquarium, maintain proper conditions, including water pH and temperature and hiding areas.

The ideal temperature should be almost 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which provides a suitable environment for both species.

You can maintain a consistent temperature by using a heater rod and placing it inside the aquarium.

Moreover, you have to maintain a proper water pH of 7 to 7.9. These two parameters are essential to check before adding the aquatic organisms to the tank.

A fluctuating pH and water temperature do not create favorable conditions for them to grow.

Put Plecostomus in the tank

Add a Pleco into the tank by placing it inside a small bag containing water of ideal pH and temperature favorable for their growth.

Dip the bag in the aquarium, but be careful that it is closed from all the sides present in the water to avoid entry of water from the tank into the bag.

Slowly add the water from the aquarium inside the bag to make them used to the new environment. Do it twice or thrice and shift it into a tank.

Be careful at this step and avoid pouring water from the bag because it can alter the conditions maintained before.

Add nutrition

You can add plenty of nutritional supplements for both species so they do not fight. They require a good source of protein and dietary fiber to grow quickly.

You can add blood worms, plankton, shrimp, and the vegetables like spinach and cucumber as food for both the organisms to eat.

Observe the behavior

Observe the actions of both organisms and their behavior towards each other.

When you see them freely floating in the tank without harming each other, it means there is good compatibility between them, and there is nothing to worry about their survival.

What Pleco can live with goldfish?

Some specific species of Plecostomus can live together with the goldfish, like the rubber-lipped with a sucker mouth, and live in the clean water.

Additionally, Bristlenose is smaller and requires low maintenance and care.

Therefore, Bristelnose has no conflicts with the smaller ones despite having larger fins.

Moreover, they do not target pet fish and its food; instead, they feed on shrimps, vegetables, and wood fiber.

However, the larger and more aggressive types of fish start to eat the slimy material present on the upper body surface of the smaller ones already present in the tank.

When Pleco eats the slimy coatings, red patches appear on their bodies, ultimately leading to their death.

So, all Plecostomus are not friendly with the goldfish. Therefore, you have to check their compatibility before putting them together.

Furthermore, you can easily keep Bristlenose and rubber-lipped in the same tank without any fear of damage to the latter one.

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