Many hobbyist love to keep different types of fishes within the same tank. Well, it is definitely a fantastic idea – as long as you choose the right species, that can live together.
In this article, we are going to talk about goldfish and neon tetras. Both of them look attractive and are some of the most preferred choices for hobbyists. Some of you might also be planning to bring them home, but before that, it is important to understand whether they can live in the same tank or not.
Well, the clear answer to this is ‘NO’.
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Is it good to keep Goldfish and Neon Tetras in the same tank?
Experts do not provide advice to keep them together because they need different living conditions and environments. Moreover, the goldfish may even grow big soon, and it may end up eating your beautiful neon tetras.
In simple words, it is an unsuitable combination because they cannot be the best partners; especially when placed in the same tank.
Those who are looking for detailed information on why these two lovely creatures cannot survive together are advised to go through the detailed article below.
Quick highlights:
- Neon Tetras need a warm environment to live whereas goldfish like the comparatively cooler temperature in the aquarium. At one side where you may need to keep 28 to 30 degrees temperature for better survival of Tetras, the goldfish enjoy a healthy life at 23 to 24 degrees.
- A well-grown goldfish is more likely to eat all your neon tetras.
- Goldfishes produce a considerable amount of waste, and they need time to time tank maintenance. Opposite to this, neon tetras are very sensitive to even small changes in the water, and they need an established tank to survive longer.
- Some studies reveal that neon tetras can pass some serious diseases to the goldfishes.
- Both these creatures live with unique social habits.
- So, these points may have cleared most of your doubts. It is now easier to understand that keeping goldfish and neon tetras in the same tanks means you are just inviting some headache to yourself.
- For detailed information, just keep reading below.
Size of the tank and living conditions
As already discussed, both these species have unique temperature requirements. Tetras are warmer creatures whereas goldfishes are not tropical species. The water temperature plays a significant role in creating a healthy living environment for these species.
The warm water can help goldfishes to grow faster and larger. They may even achieve a size of one foot long. The chances are that they may outgrow the size of your tank and you may have to shift them to the bigger aquarium.
Tetras, on the other side, are social fishes, and they love to go along with any fish. It is even a great idea to nurture a large group of tetras; but of course, not with the goldfish as these larger species may end up eating them all.
Goldfishes are very aggressive in nature. These omnivores can fit anything into their mouth. With there ever-growing appetite, they may even consider your lovely tetras as a snack in the aquarium.
Messy Vs clean environment
We all love to have a beautiful, neat, and clean aquarium. It should be full of healthy fishes that require lesser maintenance and care efforts.
But the difference in the living environment of goldfishes and neon tetras make them incompatible to each other. The goldfishes are known to create a messy environment with their lots of waste. They also like to swim a lot while searching for some food. You may often find them messing with the tank decorations, ricks and uproot plants as well.
For a tank containing goldfish, it is important to execute frequent maintenance and cleaning routines.
On the other side, tetras cannot tolerate all such mess. These tiny fishes produce very less waste as they eat up very less food. Moreover, they are not able to tolerate frequent or drastic water changes, which is a common trouble with messy goldfishes.
There is no doubt to say that goldfishes and tetras both are social fishes but in their own way. Tetras are better known as community fishes, and they survive better when nurtured in a group of 10 to 15 tetras. There is no point in schooling less than six. If you try to raise them in smaller groups, they may feel stressful and threatening. Ultimately, they are more likely to develop poor eating habits or may catch some disease.
Goldfishes are also social, but they can live alone as well. They don’t form schools; however, they must be migrated from time to time. You will be surprised to know, but it is true that a group of goldfish can be trouble for owners.
Other than this, neon tetras are easy-going and peaceful fishes. If they are kept with a bigger fish, they may get less active due to stress and fear.
What if you have two tanks?
Well, this could be a great idea, especially if you are in love with both of them. It is even possible to keep them together in the same tank for the first few months when they are tiny babies. But as the goldfish starts growing big, you can shift it to a different tank.
Tetras are tropical fishes, but goldfishes are not. When you have separate tanks for them, they can definitely survive well. Moreover, when living separately in favourable environments, they can also have great disease resistance and live longer.
It is also important to mention that goldfishes are very specific about their eating habits.
They cannot digest food which is not meant for them. As they do not have real stomachs, they are more likely to face digestion problems. Being tropical fishes, tetras can digest a variety of food items, which are difficult to consume for goldfishes. Hence, while nurturing them, you have to be more careful about what you feed them.
Facts About Tetra
There Are More Species of Tetra Than You Can Count
Tetras are a captivating and various institution of fish that consist of such things as piranha and pacu [which look similar to piranha, but can reach up to 55 pounds and tout large, human-like teeth],” stated Dr. Gregory Lewbart, Professor of Aquatic, Wildlife and Zoologic Medicine at North Carolina State University, “and there are over 1100 species withinside the family.”
They Like the Buddy System
Tetras want to stay in schools (be grouped with different fish), and might get confused if they’re alone, showed Lewbart. “I even have visible tetra tanks with actually masses of fish,” he said. Therefore, this species normally does nicely with the corporation of at the least 5 to seven different tetras of the equal variety (called a shoal) withinside the tank. Purchasing 3 or extra tetras from the equal tank will assist lessen pressure and sell a more healthy transition to your private home tank.
Tetra Love to Chow
In the wild, the neon tetras are omnivorous, eating each meat and plants. They feed upon insect larvae, algae and different tiny invertebrates, stated Lewbart. In captivity, tetras appear to do nicely with clean flake meals, he stated, citing the significance of usually discarding boxes of flake meals older than six months.
“There is mostly a lack of dietary value [in flake food older than six months], and freezing maintains the meals (and contained vitamins) brisker longer,” he stated. “Freeze-dried blood worms and brine shrimp also are a pleasing treat.
Can You Keep Neon Tetras Together?
Yes, in truth Neon Tetras do higher while they’re saved together.
If you’re making plans to hold a faculty of them, you have to hold at the least 15-20 of them. An aquarium this is at the least 20 gallons is wanted for this variety of them.
As a widespread rule the bigger the faculty the greater snug your Tetras will be.
goldfish facts
All types of goldfish are the same species.
There are masses of various sorts of goldfish across the world, however they all descended from a species of East Asian wild carp, Carassius auratus gibelio. Today, you’ll locate types and goldfish breeds like lionhead, bubble eye goldfish, veiltail, fancy goldfish, not unusualplace goldfish and fantail fish. These unique breeds are the end result of selective breeding.
It’s a myth that goldfish have a three-second memory.
Scientific studies have revealed that goldfish actually have a memory span of three to five months.
Goldfish are hypersensitive to overfeeding because they do not have a stomach.
They have only an intestinal tract. Ingesting excessive amounts of protein can be lethal to a goldfish. Instead, stick to a quality fish food and only feed the recommended amounts, no more.
