Can a Fantail Goldfish Live With Koi?

Keeping fish as pets can be enjoyable and easy as long as you know which fish can or cannot live together. Certain types of fish require a specific kind of environment which shouldn't be shared with other types of fish. It is important that fish which live together are both docile, meaning that they adapt well and are calm together.

  1. Fantail Goldfish

    • Fantail goldfish feature a split tail fin and come in a variety of colors; some are metallic and others are more matte. These small fish live in cold water in open areas where they can swim. They also like plants which should be placed in the aquarium, in addition to grains. Fantail goldfish are easy to breed as long as they are well fed and have a comfortable environment.

    Koi

    • Koi come in a variety of colors, such as white, yellow, red, blue, green and even black. They will not hurt or eat smaller fish. The ideal environment for koi is one with lots of space and good filtration, since the koi tend to grow big over time, usually 12 to 15 inches in length. The water for koi should be anywhere from cool to hot, but not extremely cold.

    Differences

    • Koi are bigger than fantail goldfish but are not a danger to the smaller fish. However, these two types of fish may compete for food, and the koi will more likely eat the food faster than the goldfish will. Both the koi and the fantail goldfish belong to the same Cyprinidae family. However, koi grow larger in size while goldfish stay small. Some koi can grow up to 2 feet in length, while goldfish grow up to 6 inches in length.

    Sharing an Environment

    • Fantail goldfish can live together with koi in the same pond or aquarium as long as the environment is acceptable to both types of fish. Fantail goldfish prefer cold water, while koi prefer warmer water, so the water temperature should be somewhere in between. Both fish are considered docile, and docile fish can live together with other docile fish.