A goldfish keeper will be curious about if they can add guppy fish in their goldfish tank or not. So, can goldfish live with guppy? Let us get into it and find the answers to the question.
Goldfish and guppies can live together as they have similar diet and tank requirements. Although goldfish are peaceful species, they still can threaten smaller guppies. Consider creating lots of hiding spots to protect the smaller guppy from the adult goldfish in the tank.
Let us dive into the article to know more about how to make your goldfish and guppy live together. In addition to this, we would also discuss the natural behavior of goldfish and guppy.
Contents
Can goldfish survive with guppy?
| Particulars | Goldfish | Guppy |
|---|---|---|
| Water Temperature | 68-74°F | 72-85°F |
| Water Ph level | 7.5 | 6.8-7.8 |
| Food | Both meat and veggie pellets | Both meat and veggie pellets |
| Behavior | Non-aggressive | Non-aggressive |
Water parameters needed by goldfish and guppy:
Water Temperature
- Goldfish require a water temperature between 68-74°F,
- Guppy requires a water temperature ranging between 72-85°F.
Water Ph level
- Goldfish require a water Ph level of 7.5
- Guppy requires a water Ph level of 6.8-7.8
We advise you to keep the water temperature at 70°F to provide a comfortable environment for both the species.
Goldfish and guppy natural behavior:
Goldfish and guppy natural behavior:
Goldfish natural behavior:
- Goldfish are coldwater fish that loves to interact with their tankmates.
- They are not aggressive towards each other and also recognize the other fishes in the tank over time.
- Goldfish can only grow to sexual maturity with enough nutrition and water.
- Goldfish also enjoy feeding on plants in their tank.
- Goldfish usually chase each other for mating purposes.
- Goldfish are messy fish that produces a lot of waste in the tank.
- Goldfish also get used to the presence of people who feed them every day.
- Goldfish lay eggs instead of releasing fry.
Guppy natural behavior:
- Guppies are freshwater fish that makes a good pair with all other non-aggressive fishes in the tank.
- Guppies only nib on the plant and do not prefer to consume them.
- Guppies releases fry instead of laying eggs.
- Guppies usually chase each other for mating purposes until the chasing is not accompanied by fin nipping.
- Guppies typically prefer to hide when they become less active and lose their appetite.
- Female guppies can give birth to 10-50 wriggling fry per spawning.
- Many times guppy themselves eat the newborn fry.
- Female guppies can store sperm for multiple spawning even after separation from males. So, to avoid unwanted spawning, you should separate the male and the female into separate tanks.
Plants in goldfish and guppy tank
Here are the plants you can place in your goldfish tank:
Plants in Goldfish tank:
Goldfish usually do not need plants in their tank, but it is advisable to add live aquatic plants in your goldfish tank as it helps to eliminate stress, ammonia levels, and carbon dioxide in the tank.
The best five plants for your goldfish tank are as follows:
Java Fern
The water temperature to maintain java fern is between 68-72°F. It is effortless to keep java fern as your goldfish do not prefer to consume them.
Anubias(Anubias Barteri)
The water temperature to maintain Anubias is between 72-78°F. Your goldfish do not like feeding on Anubias, making it a good option for your goldfish tank.
Java Moss
The water temperature to maintain java moss is between 70-75°F. Your goldfish will not prefer to feed on java moss if they are well fed.
Anacharis Plant(Water seeds)
The water temperature to maintain an Anacharis plant is between 72-78°F.
Cryptocoryne Plant
A Cryptocoryne plant is also a good option for your goldfish tank as your fish do not prefer to munch on them.
To know more about the live aquatic plants for your goldfish tank, you can read my article on Do Goldfish Eat Plants
Plants in Guppy Tank:
We want you to know that guppy does not prefer feeding on any aquatic plants. They just nib on the plants and avoid eating them.
So you can add all the aquatic plants that are suitable for your goldfish in the tank.
Goldfish and guppy tank requirements:
Goldfish tank requirements
You must add a lot of aquatic plants in your tank to keep your goldfish happy. It will be advisable to add aquatic plants in your goldfish tank as it helps eliminate stress, carbon dioxide, and ammonia levels in the tank.
Goldfish are messy fish that produces a lot of waste that drops the quality of the tank’s water. So you must have a filter in your goldfish tank to maintain the water quality in the tank.
To know more about the importance of filters in your goldfish tank, you can read my article on Do Goldfish Need Filters
You must have a minimum of a 10-gallon tank to keep your goldfish happy. It will be advisable to add one gallon of water for every inch of fish. The water ph level of your goldfish tank should be 7.5.
The water temperature of your goldfish tank should be between 68-74°F.
You can also add an air pump to your goldfish tank as it helps maintain the tank’s oxygen level by increasing the water and surface movements. However, an air pump is not mandatory if your tank is well-planted.
Also read: Can Goldfish Live Without An Air pump
Guppy tank requirements
Likewise, goldfish even guppies prefer a lot of aquatic plants in their tank as it also helps to create hiding spots for your goldfish.
Aquatic plants are essential in a guppy tank as they require a lot of hiding places to feel safe.
Java moss will be an ideal aquatic plant for your guppies. The water pH level of a guppy tank should be between 6.8-7.8, and the water temperature of a guppy tank should be around 72-85°F
Likewise, goldfish even guppies require a well-filtered tank to live comfortably.
From the above data, we can conclude that goldfish and guppy have similar tank requirements.
Goldfish and guppy diet:
Goldfish and guppy are omnivores animals that can feed on both meat and veggies. Therefore, goldfish and guppies have a similar diet.
Mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, are ideal options for a good goldfish and guppy diet.
But their diet should not only consist of meat as there must be veggies and pellets in their diet. Let us know what goldfish and guppies typically eat:
| Goldfish and Guppy | Serving Quantity | No. of times |
|---|---|---|
| Veggie Pellets | A pinch | 2-3 times a day |
| Mosquito larvae | 12-15 | 2-3 times a week |
| Blood Worms | One pinch | 1-2 times a week |
| Brine shrimp | One pinch | 1-2 times a week |
| Zucchini ( Blanched) | 1 small slice | 3-4 times a week |
Can goldfish attack guppy?
Goldfish are very non-aggressive species that do not fight with their tankmates for no reason. But if there is a big goldfish in the tank, it can threaten the guppy fries.
A goldfish with a bigger mouth can eat small guppy fries.
We want you to know that a big goldfish do not have any problem munching on small guppy fries. Other than this, goldfish are very peaceful animals who get well settled with their tankmates.
So how do you make it work?
Here the ways to keep your goldfish and guppy together:
Protect the guppy fry
It will be difficult for a guppy fry to survive in a tank that has big goldfish.
Although goldfish are not aggressive animals, a big goldfish can still eat the small guppy fry as it will be a good snack for your fish. You can protect your guppy fry in two ways:
Breeding box:
You can place the pregnant female guppy in a breeder box before she is about to release fry and keep the fry in the box until they reach a reasonable size. .
Keep the fry in a separate tank
You can keep the guppy fry in a separate tank and put them back in the tank once they are fully grown. Putting your fry in a separate tank is a good option, as your guppy fry will get a lot of space to grow compared to the breeder box.
A good size aquarium
To keep goldfish and guppy together, you must have a tank with at least a 20-gallon capacity. A 20-gallon tank will be enough for one big goldfish and three guppies.
If you plan to add another goldfish, you should increase the capacity by 10 gallons. And add 3-4 gallons to add guppy.
Also read: How Many Goldfish Can You Keep In A 10-Gallon Tank?
The size of goldfish
If your goldfish is too big, then it can be a threat to the guppies in the tank. In such a case, it will be advisable to place the guppies in a separate tank as bigger goldfish can eat small guppies.
Water Temperature
The water temperature of a goldfish and guppy tank should be at 70°F. It should neither be too hot nor too cold. The water pH level of the tank should be 7.5.
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Goldfish?
Create hiding spot for guppies
Guppies require many hiding spots in the tank to feel safe. Therefore, you must ensure to create a hiding space in the tank.
Plants, aquarium rocks, and ornaments can be good options for developing hiding spots in the tank.
Also read: Do Goldfish Need Hiding Places?
Conclusion:
- Goldfish and guppies can live together as they have a similar diet and tank requirements.
- A big goldfish can be a threat to smaller guppies in the tank as it can eat them.
- It would be best to place the guppy fry in a breeder box or a separate tank until they are fully grown.
- There must be hiding spots for guppies in the tank as they require them to feel safe.
- The water temperature of goldfish and guppy tank should be at 70°F
Reference: ResearchGate