No, Goldfish cannot live with Angelfish because both of them originate from different areas and require different environments to thrive. Additionally, both fish have totally different personalities.
It’s always tempting to combine two beautiful fish in a tank regardless of their species. That may not be the brightest idea when it comes to Goldfish and Angelfish. These species are not meant to be tank-mates, and it’s easy to notice why.
Why Goldfish And Angelfish Cannot Live Together?
Whether you’ve found out through trial and error, or you’re trying to figure it out beforehand; goldfish and angelfish should not live together.
They have similar health and environmental needs, but they vary just enough to create incompatible living conditions.
The main factors that make these fish incompatible to live with each other are:
- Living Conditions, and
- Their Temperaments.
Goldfish and Angelfish Living Conditions
They may seem compatible at first glance as both goldfish and angelfish are freshwater swimmers, but angelfish are tropical fish and will thrive in warmer waters, while goldfish are not, and they prefer cold water.
Also, most goldfish will require bigger tanks as they tend to outgrow their home aquarium.
Angelfish may not grow as much. Also, angelfish are very sensitive to water conditions, and goldfish are huge waste producers.
There are many living conditions and health requirements that differ between these two species making it near impossible to successfully keep them in one tank.
The main ones are:
- Aquarium Temperature,
- Aquarium Size,
- Diet, and
- Aquarium pH Level.
Aquarium Temperature
As stated before, goldfish are cold-water fish and angelfish are tropical fish.
This means that goldfish thrive in water temperatures between 62 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit and angelfish thrive in water temperatures that are over 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the fish are not kept in proper water temperatures, the goldfish or angelfish can begin to:
- Stop eating,
- Get ill,
- Become aggressive, or
- Die.
This alone should be the reason to keep these species separate and allow each to live in an environment that is kept at their preferred temperatures.
Aquarium Size
It may be tempting to keep your goldfish or angelfish in a small tank or aquarium, but these can restrict their growth and lead to dangerous health problems.
Each species requires plenty of space to roam and grow.
Angelfish do not require as much space as goldfish.
They generally only require about four gallons of water per fish.
Goldfish, on the other hand, requires on average five gallons but can need up to ten gallons of water per fish.
Goldfish can grow very large, much larger than angelfish, and can require twenty to thirty gallons of water per adult fish.
Putting the two species together will quickly lead to overcrowding.
Diet
Most freshwater fish can be fed the same type of food, but although angelfish and goldfish can eat many of the same foods, they have different protein requirements.
Both species are omnivores, and they can each have:
- Bloodworms,
- Brine shrimp, and
- Mosquito larvae.
Angelfish will require more, as they need a little bit more protein in their diet than goldfish.
Goldfish will do better when they eat chopped vegetables in higher quantities than angelfish. They can have:
- Mustard greens,
- Collards,
- Broccoli,
- Corn,
- Kale,
- Lettuce,
- Shelled peas, and
- Cucumber slices.
They can also have certain fruits when served in a specific way, such as:
- Orange slices.
- Watermelon slices, and
- Skinned grapes.
Feeding them improper portions or types of food can lead to malnutrition.
This can lead to illness and make them more susceptible to infection.
Aquarium pH Level
Aquarium pH levels greatly affect your fish, and a sudden change or improper level can be detrimental to the health of both these species.
Unfortunately, goldfish and angelfish have different preferred pH level.
Goldfish are sensitive to the pH level of their water, although they can withstand some variation.
They thrive in water with a pH level that is maintained between 7.2 and 7.6.
Angelfish are tough and can tolerate a wider variety of pH levels in their water.
They prefer water that is softer and slightly acidic with a range from 6.5 to 7.1, with 6.8 being the best level to encourage breeding.
Goldfish and Angelfish Temperaments
Combining multiple species into one tank does not only rely on the health and environmental aspects of the fish, but also the way they interact and their personalities.
Goldfish and Angelfish have very contradicting personalities and can be hazardous when put into the same tank.
While Goldfish generally have no issues, Angelfish can be extremely detrimental to a Goldfish’s health.
It may not be true for every single fish out there as all personalities may vary, but most fish personalities will remain the same throughout their species.
That is why it is extremely important to make sure whatever fish you place in your take are compatible in all ways to avoid situations where they may become hostile.
Goldfish Temperament
Goldfish are one of the most non-aggressive breeds, typically only acting aggressively when a new fish is introduced into their tank when it has not been altered in a long time.
Generally, goldfish are social creatures that like to interact peacefully with other fish, and even show that they are not afraid of their owners.
They often anticipate our arrival at home when we are out for work!
The only downside is that their temperament and attitude do not rub off on other fish, and when placed with a fish that has an aggressive temperament, they do not commonly fight back.
Angelfish Temperament
Angelfish are often believed to be the perfect community fish, meaning that they can live with many different types of tropical fish.
Sadly, this is only true when they are young and change once they mature.
Once Angelfish grow older and mature, they become more territorial and aggressive towards other fish in their tank, which is why it is recommended that they only live with their own kind.
Even then you should keep a watch out.
Angelfish are also carnivorous, so without proper feeding, they will turn on their own for nutrients.
Not only is their aggression an issue when placed in a tank with goldfish, but it also increases when they are not in their preferred environment.
This applies more when their temperature is off.
Dealing With Ich
Placing an angelfish and a goldfish in a tank together is not only harmful but can be deadly.
It places them in tight quarters wherein if one is dealing with an infection or disease, the other could catch it easily.
One such disease is Ich.
Ich disease, or sometimes mistakenly called “Ick disease”, is a parasitic disease most commonly found in aquariums.
This disease has also been nicknamed “Goldfish Ich” because of their tendency to contract it and what it does to their body.
Angelfish are also more susceptible to Ich than other fish. It can develop in fish whenever the conditions are right.
If it begins to develop, it starts to spread throughout the aquarium spelling disaster for both the angelfish and the goldfish.
Ich develops in fish that are not in their proper environmental setting or are in one that is not beneficial for any fish.
This can include any situations such as:
- Overcrowding in the aquarium,
- Poor water conditions, or
- Improper diet.
All of these conditions would exist in a tank that has angelfish and goldfish because creating the perfect conditions for one fish would mean messing up the other’s environment.