Can goldfish live with hillstream loaches?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Goldfish and hillstream loaches can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown goldfish may treat small hillstream loaches as food, especially at night.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Hillstream loach68–75°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown goldfish may treat small hillstream loaches as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 68–74°F.
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

	Goldfish	Hillstream loach
Temperature	60–74 °F	68–75 °F
pH	7–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	2.5 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 3+
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for hillstream loaches

All hillstream loach tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with hillstream loaches?

Yes, with care. Goldfish and hillstream loaches can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown goldfish may treat small hillstream loaches as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both goldfish and hillstream loaches?

68–74 °F. Goldfish need 60–74 °F, hillstream loaches need 68–75 °F.

What size tank do goldfish and hillstream loaches need together?

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