Can goldfish live with red tail sharks?

Verdict

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

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Red tail shark72–79°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); red tail sharks 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	Red tail shark
Temperature	60–74 °F	72–79 °F
pH	7–8	6.5–7.5
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	One per tank
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for red tail sharks

All red tail shark tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with red tail sharks?

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

What temperature suits both goldfish and red tail sharks?

72–74 °F. Goldfish need 60–74 °F, red tail sharks need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do goldfish and red tail sharks need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the red tail shark. Add space for each extra fish.