Can kuhli loaches live with fancy goldfish?

Verdict

No. Kuhli loaches and fancy goldfish should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); kuhli loaches need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.

Kuhli loach75–86°F · pH 5.5–7

Fancy goldfish65–74°F · pH 7–8

What to watch

Deal breakerFancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°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

	Kuhli loach	Fancy goldfish
Temperature	75–86 °F	65–74 °F
pH	5.5–7	7–8
Adult size	3.5 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	All levels
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for kuhli loaches

All kuhli loach tank mates

Better tank mates for fancy goldfish

All fancy goldfish tank mates

Questions

Can kuhli loaches live with fancy goldfish?

No. Kuhli loaches and fancy goldfish should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); kuhli loaches need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both kuhli loaches and fancy goldfish?

None. Kuhli loaches need 75–86 °F and fancy goldfish need 65–74 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do kuhli loaches and fancy goldfish need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the fancy goldfish. Add space for each extra fish.