Can goldfish live with kuhli loaches?

Verdict

No. Goldfish and kuhli loaches should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); kuhli loaches need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Kuhli loach75–86°F · pH 5.5–7

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); kuhli loaches need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.
Watch outWater chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.

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	Kuhli loach
Temperature	60–74 °F	75–86 °F
pH	7–8	5.5–7
Adult size	10.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for kuhli loaches

All kuhli loach tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with kuhli loaches?

No. Goldfish and kuhli loaches should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); kuhli loaches need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both goldfish and kuhli loaches?

None. Goldfish need 60–74 °F and kuhli loaches need 75–86 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do goldfish and kuhli loaches need together?

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