Subtropical tankmates?

[squidsquiggle]

Hello, everyone! I'd like to apologize in advance for the length of this question. I've done so much research online the past couple of weeks I feel like my eyes are going to pop! Hopefully you guys can help out!

I have a 36 gal bowfront, lightly planted, with a single ryukin goldfish. My ryukin is about three years old and is 3 inches long, 5 including the tail. The 36gal has been set up for two and a half years and has two Penguin 200 Biowheel filters (400gph of filtration) and always has great readings. I sadly lost the only other occupant, another ryukin, to a tumor a short time ago, and I've started thinking about getting my lonely guy some other tank mates. I know goldfish like their own, and as much as I love the one I have, I'm not really interested, nor equipped, for more goldies.

The first fish that always comes up as compatible for goldfish is the wcm minnow. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure my ryukin is big enough to see those as a snack. I thought danios looked a bit bigger, and it seems there are a few varieties that are subtropical. I also came across loaches while looking for snail control options, so my first thought was to have something like:

9-13 zebra or pearl danios
3 golden weather loaches
1 ryukin

But will the loaches get too big? I've read everything from "no bigger than" 4 inches to 2 and a half feet. And then there's the fact that they're apparently huge escape artists - with the way my hob filters fit, it sounds like it would be a nightmare to try and plug up every tiny hole. Now I'm thinking more along the lines of rosy or gold barbs, or a shoal of peppered corys, though I'm getting mixed signals on the aggressiveness of those specific barbs. Maybe I could do:

6 peppered corys
5 gold barbs
1 ryukin

Or some other combination of the above mentioned? Are there any other subtropical fish I'm overlooking? I'm having a hard time finding fish that are subtropical, small enough for a 36, yet big enough not to be goldfish food. My tank stays around 73 deg F. in the summer (sometimes I actually have to open the lid and point fans at it to keep it under 75), and I could easily add a heater to keep it in the low 70's during winter, so that might broaden my options. I'd also like something that doesn't spawn easily. I've had platies before that took over three tanks before I could find new homes for them, and that was after separating the males and females, so I'm hoping to avoid another situation like that.

Sorry again for the huge info-dump and thanks for any opinions or suggestions!

 

[LyndaB]

I have wcm and they really aren't that small. I originally bought them for my 16 gallon and, after observing them for a while, decided they might prefer my 46 community. Now, they school with my rummies.

Can't really help with your other options as I'm not a goldie person, but wanted to toss that in there about the wcm.

 

[squidsquiggle]

I have wcm and they really aren't that small. I originally bought them for my 16 gallon and, after observing them for a while, decided they might prefer my 46 community. Now, they school with my rummies.

Can't really help with your other options as I'm not a goldie person, but wanted to toss that in there about the wcm.

Thanks! I'll keep wcmm in the running, then. I thought some of them at the lfs looked like a decent size, but it's so hard to tell unless they're in the same tank. Thanks for the help!

 

[abrahamavelar]

u could add some gouramies and some mollies the bigger kind

 

[Coursair]

Any of the Eel like fish are escape artists.
You can get MALE Platies , fry problem solved.

Barbs? Many can be fin nippers. I love Cherry Barbs, but they might be too small for you ?

 

[squidsquiggle]

Can platies tolerate the cooler water?
And I thought the cherry barbs got to be pretty big, do you mean to start out with? Yeah I was hoping to find something that started out a little bit bigger.

I had gouramis before and really liked them, but I thought they were strictly tropical.

Thanks for the opinions!

 

[bruinsbro1997]

If it's a ryukin I would recommend something peaceful that will leave the ryukin alone. Rosy barbs or white cloud minnows are good options. Gouramis prefer warmer temperatures IMO. You could try weather loaches at the bottom. Or you could try PMing jsoong, he is a moderator and a goldfish guru that would gladly help you out.

 

[Coursair]

Cherry Barbs get about 2". Supposedly they can go down to 72f. I've kept mine at room temperature for years without a heater. Mine are 5 years old.

None of my tanks are currently heated.

 

[squidsquiggle]

If it's a ryukin I would recommend something peaceful that will leave the ryukin alone. Rosy barbs or white cloud minnows are good options. Gouramis prefer warmer temperatures IMO. You could try weather loaches at the bottom. Or you could try PMing jsoong, he is a moderator and a goldfish guru that would gladly help you out.

Thanks! I'll look into the cherry barbs for sure. And thanks for pointing me to jsoong, I'll have to drop him a line later!

 

[squidsquiggle]

Cherry Barbs get about 2". Supposedly they can go down to 72f. I've kept mine at room temperature for years without a heater. Mine are 5 years old.

None of my tanks are currently heated.

Thanks! That's good to know. I think I was thinking of rosy barbs and how big they get. Cherries are a pretty fish, I'll be sure to look for them at the lfs. Are they less nippy than most barbs, or pretty typical? Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[Coursair]

Thanks! That's good to know. I think I was thinking of rosy barbs and how big they get. Cherries are a pretty fish, I'll be sure to look for them at the lfs. Are they less nippy than most barbs, or pretty typical? Thanks for sharing your experience!

As long as they are well fed they are the most peaceful AFAIK. Mine lived w a Fancy Guppy male. If his tail got nibbled I knew I skipped too many meals. Usually feed that tank twice a day.