Can goldfish live with pictus catfish?

Verdict

No. Goldfish and pictus catfish should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); pictus catfish need 72–79°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Pictus catfish72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); pictus catfish need 72–79°F. They overlap only at 72–74°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

	Goldfish	Pictus catfish
Temperature	60–74 °F	72–79 °F
pH	7–8	6–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 3+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for pictus catfish

All pictus catfish tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with pictus catfish?

No. Goldfish and pictus catfish should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); pictus catfish need 72–79°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both goldfish and pictus catfish?

72–74 °F. Goldfish need 60–74 °F, pictus catfish need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do goldfish and pictus catfish need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the pictus catfish. Add space for each extra fish.