Can fancy goldfish live with clown plecos?

Verdict

No. Fancy goldfish and clown plecos should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); clown plecos need 73–82°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Fancy goldfish65–74°F · pH 7–8

Clown pleco73–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerFancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); clown plecos need 73–82°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What works

pH 7–7.5 suits both.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Fancy goldfish	Clown pleco
Temperature	65–74 °F	73–82 °F
pH	7–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for fancy goldfish

All fancy goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for clown plecos

All clown pleco tank mates

Questions

Can fancy goldfish live with clown plecos?

No. Fancy goldfish and clown plecos should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); clown plecos need 73–82°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both fancy goldfish and clown plecos?

73–74 °F. Fancy goldfish need 65–74 °F, clown plecos need 73–82 °F.

What size tank do fancy goldfish and clown plecos need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the fancy goldfish. Add space for each extra fish.