Can goldfish live with glass catfish?

Verdict

No. Goldfish and glass catfish should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); glass catfish need 75–80°F. No temperature suits both.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Glass catfish75–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); glass catfish need 75–80°F. No temperature suits both.

What works

pH 7–7.5 suits both.

Water side by side

The ranges do not meet, so one of them would always be too warm or too cold.

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

	Goldfish	Glass catfish
Temperature	60–74 °F	75–80 °F
pH	7–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	3.0 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for glass catfish

All glass catfish tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with glass catfish?

No. Goldfish and glass catfish should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); glass catfish need 75–80°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both goldfish and glass catfish?

None. Goldfish need 60–74 °F and glass catfish need 75–80 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do goldfish and glass catfish need together?

At least 40 gal, set by the goldfish. Add space for each extra fish.