Can goldfish live with zebra loaches?

Verdict

No. Goldfish and zebra loaches should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); zebra loaches need 73–79°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Zebra loach73–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); zebra loaches need 73–79°F. They overlap only at 73–74°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	Zebra loach
Temperature	60–74 °F	73–79 °F
pH	7–8	6–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 5+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for zebra loaches

All zebra loach tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with zebra loaches?

No. Goldfish and zebra loaches should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); zebra loaches need 73–79°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both goldfish and zebra loaches?

73–74 °F. Goldfish need 60–74 °F, zebra loaches need 73–79 °F.

What size tank do goldfish and zebra loaches need together?

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