Joey2619
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hello, Ive got a 72g bow with 3 golds in there, id like to take the two pictus form my 30 and put them in the 72. Will they get along right and is that a safe thing to do? Assuming the temperature and pH are right.
Pictus Cats and Goldies together?
- Thread starter Joey2619
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shayfish
Aquarium Advice FINatic
The main consideration in keeping goldfish with any other type of fish I think is temperature. Golds are much happier in cooler water.
Joey2619
Aquarium Advice Activist
Im talking about big goldfish, like 5inches without tails. Is it really that bad, where the cats will start attacking the goldies?
Joey2619
Aquarium Advice Activist
Don't all fish have slime coats? They don't both the large angels in my comm tank. Would I be better off taking them to a reputable LFS? These cats are very healthy, but they are going to outgrow the tank and they aren't very compatible with other fish.
Goldfish seem to have an extra appealing slime coat. Anyway, I'm sure you'll try keeping them together. And it WILL work out for a while. There is no set time limit for something to happen. Some people have a pleco or sucker fish of sorts in with goldfish for over a year with no problem. Then one morning the wake up to a dead goldfish and the pleco or whatever feasting on it. And for as many of those instances, there are other people who have problems right away. The problem is that the ones who manage to keep them together for a year without problem, spend that entire year telling newbies that the two species can be kept together fine. Which to me is one of the most irresponsible thing, because as long as the fish are still together, there is still the potential for one to become a snack. I guess your stocking depends on how much you like your goldfish. Try it out if you want.
Jman17H
Aquarium Advice Activist
Since when do Pictus Catfish eat slime coats? A pleco maybe but a Pictus (not a type of pleco!) is not eating anyone's slime coats. It may annoy lazy fish to death or suck down smaller fish!
I am not a goldfish by any means expert but I would think the temparture preference would be the bigest obstacle.
I am not a goldfish by any means expert but I would think the temparture preference would be the bigest obstacle.
courtnee
Aquarium Advice Freak
Pictus I can not see eating a slime coat. They do not have a sucker mouth and when they do damage to another fish it is not slime coat but actually eating them. They are a high drive predator.
I agree 100% with Jman that they may annoy lazy fish. I know one of my pictus cats rubbed its belly on my apple snail for several days until it got bored, tried shoving its nose in the snail's shell etc. Also since they are the same size as my pleco they tend to chase him out of their hiding spot as well.
You can not be 100% sure they will not try to get the Goldfish. I think pictus cats are hit and miss like male bettas in a community tank. I have 4 of them 2 of which are four-lines and growing rather quick and big. Yet they bother nothing in the tank. All that is in with them are tetras that are 1-2". I dont worry much at all about mine bothering the other fish in the tank.
However, on this board I think it was someone said someone pictus killed a full sized barb. Mostly you hear of them getting small fish like neon tetras though.
Pictus cats also, as many sites report can live in tanks that are 72-78F is what they like. Gold fish skirt the bottom end of that range. You may find a happy medium at 73-75F? I dont know much about Goldfish.
My tank recently got down to 68F when my heat went out and my tank heater didnt keep up as it was well below zero out. My pictus didnt have a problem at all and made it through it. My tank was 75 and below for several days as my heat kept going out and eventually I got it back up to 80F where I keep it. I was happy they made it through it and was thankful that pictus cats can go down to the low 70s LOL
I do have a four-line that is not much for temp changes in a hurry as I messed up on temps on a PWC. He was fine when my tank dropped when the heat went out as it was more gradual.
I agree 100% with Jman that they may annoy lazy fish. I know one of my pictus cats rubbed its belly on my apple snail for several days until it got bored, tried shoving its nose in the snail's shell etc. Also since they are the same size as my pleco they tend to chase him out of their hiding spot as well.
You can not be 100% sure they will not try to get the Goldfish. I think pictus cats are hit and miss like male bettas in a community tank. I have 4 of them 2 of which are four-lines and growing rather quick and big. Yet they bother nothing in the tank. All that is in with them are tetras that are 1-2". I dont worry much at all about mine bothering the other fish in the tank.
However, on this board I think it was someone said someone pictus killed a full sized barb. Mostly you hear of them getting small fish like neon tetras though.
Pictus cats also, as many sites report can live in tanks that are 72-78F is what they like. Gold fish skirt the bottom end of that range. You may find a happy medium at 73-75F? I dont know much about Goldfish.
My tank recently got down to 68F when my heat went out and my tank heater didnt keep up as it was well below zero out. My pictus didnt have a problem at all and made it through it. My tank was 75 and below for several days as my heat kept going out and eventually I got it back up to 80F where I keep it. I was happy they made it through it and was thankful that pictus cats can go down to the low 70s LOL
I do have a four-line that is not much for temp changes in a hurry as I messed up on temps on a PWC. He was fine when my tank dropped when the heat went out as it was more gradual.
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
While I have never heard of pictus catfish eating slimecoats, entire small fish yes, the temp is the problem IMO. While some goldfish may acclimate to around 74 and the pictus also may acclimate to around 74, that doesn't mean it is the best choice for either fish. If you do decide to try it, please make sure you have a backup plan to move the pictus back to the original tank and acclimate both species slowly to the temps.
