Guppies tend to hound goldfish and nip at their fins. This is true particularly when you have both males living in the tank.
Guppies may show their dominance over other fishes in the tank, and if he is with a goldfish, this will not stop him from nipping and attacking your goldfish.
There are instances when big goldfish turns the tables on smaller guppies and eat them, so you should not mix the guppies with goldfish, especially when they are still small.
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Guppies And Goldfish Have Different Water Requirements
Guppies will thrive in water temperatures between 75 to 77 degrees. Using a heater can help you maintain the temperature in the tank. The goldfish, on the other hand, prefers the water temperature around 65 degrees or a bit lower.
Goldfish can also stay in warm water for a short period, but they will thrive more in the water around 65 degrees. If you place them in warm water longer, this may cause them to get stressed and shorten their lifespan.
Guppies may not thrive at all in cold water and can lead to illnesses and diseases that may weaken them and may cause them to die, eventually.
Goldfish Are Greedy Eaters
When you place them together in one tank, there is a tendency that what you will feed one will be eaten by the other, and this will not be ideal since they have different feeding requirements.
Guppies may not be able to get more food from the greedy goldfish. Goldfish tend to vie for food and push others so they can get more share of food. We also know goldfish to be smart in getting more than other fishes.
This is going to be a problem, and you won’t know for sure if your guppy is getting the feeding they require or if everything is getting eaten by the goldfish.
Fish Have Different pH Level Requirements.
Goldfish require a higher pH, while guppies would thrive in alkaline water. You should check the level of acidity in your aquarium when you have these two together, or else one may die, and the other may thrive.
One other thing that you need to guarantee is regularly changing the water in your aquarium and making sure that the water is clean for both fishes.
- Guppies can get sick faster than goldfish when they are together, it can be because of feeding that is lacking for the guppies as the goldfish is getting all its fill, or it can also be because of other factors mentioned above.
- Goldfish will also tend to grow bigger, faster because they are getting all the food that is supposed to be rationed for the guppies. When they grow bigger than the guppies, they can eat the guppies in one swoop. This is another reason it is a bad idea to put them together in one tank.
- Goldfish will flourish more with their own kind, so it is best to place them together with goldfish instead of guppies. Goldfish also has a different temperament compared to guppies, they are more peace-loving. You may need to prepare a bigger tank if you want to put them together. Remember, though, that guppies tend to nip on the fin of the goldfish, this won’t do if you want to have happy fish.
- Goldfish are known to generate a lot of waste, and this can cause the water to change quickly, spiking the ammonia, which can be harmful to your guppies. You may need to replace part of the water weekly to ensure that this won’t happen if you keep them together.
This will take a bit of work, and you need more time to be there for your fishes as compared to keeping compatible fish inside the tank.
High-Capacity Filter
It will require bigger filters when you place these two together. You will clean the water often, and a larger or stronger filter will have a strong current that may not be ideal for your guppy.
They may require to swim away from the current, and this may be too tiring for your guppy.
This may indicate weakness, and your goldfish may take it as an opportunity to make your guppy his next meal.
You May Need A Larger Fish Tank
This will give these two fish their territory, and in one part of the tank, you can place the water heater directly, then the other area will not have any heater to make your goldfish comfortable in his environment.
A larger fish tank will also provide you with enough space to place decors and live plants to give your guppies a comfortable place to hide in. You can also place some live plants near the area for your goldfish, as they are also appreciative of plants that they can nibble on.
Plants will also help remove nitrites and nitrates in your tank, which can help maintain the ideal water quality for your guppy.
You Need More Time To Observe And Watch Over Them
If you are keen on keeping them together in one tank, you need to be certain that you have the time to give them what they require since they have different requirements to thrive, it will need more of your attention.
Cleaning the tank more often is one, making sure that you feed them the right quantity, keeping the water quality healthy, checking that the water temperature is ideal for both, among others.
You May Need To Spend More
This is another possibility when you place these two together cause you will buy a bigger aquarium, you need to provide the right heater, a better filter, and spend more on decor and plants.
You may also require the help of a professional fishkeeper for guidance and tips when you like to make this work.
These ideas may give you enough reason to not keep these two in one fish tank, but if you have the patience, time, and money and it will make you happy doing so, then it is still up to your preference.
