Hello;

I have a 30 gallon tank with two goldfish. One is 5" and the other is 3". Can I add a Placostemus (I'm not sure of the spelling so I spelled it the way it sounds) or Corydora (spelling again) cat fish to the tank?

Thanks,
Karen

Hi Karen, you can add the Placostemus its safe with goldfish and will keep the bottom pretty clean the Corydora should be fine as well depending on how many you put in the tank. But the Corydora might chase the goldies around so i would keep a close eye on everything. Just make sure your goldies are not small enough to fit in you placostmus or corydoras mouth.

im still pretty new so you might wanto wait for other comments good luck!

First - I am going to move this to "compatible" fish section. There, you will get more discussion - and there are some links that will help you.

But: A COMMON pleco is NOT compatible with goldfish. They clean dead waste from the bottom of the tank AT NIGHT. At night, a goldfish will sit, motionless on the bottom of the tank - or lodged in a plant. A pleco does not know the difference between a sleeping goldie and a DEAD goldie. They will eat the goldfish - killing or maiming them. They are NOT compatible in a goldfish tank. (They can also quickly grow to 12 inches plus!)

Cories are fine - for most tanks. You do need to be exceedingly careful - a goldfish will attempt to eat anything it can fit into its mouth - and anything it even THINKS it can fit in its mouth. THere have been numerous posts of emergency situations when a goldfish has swallowed - or attempted to swallow - a cory. Cories have a series of spines on their backs - and when they are swallowed head first - they are impossible for the goldfish to get back out. They can only go one way - down. And if they are too big to be swallowed - they stick in the goldfish's throat. Even chopping up the cory to try to remove it from the goldfish often does not work - and you lose both fish.

ALage eaters such as a cory or a bristlenose pleco are facinating fish - and truly a wonderful pet. Be aware that they should be considered more as an interest and a fun fish to own - for they usually do not do as much "cleaning" as people seem to think they will do! They will only eat a portion of the tank's waste, produce their own waste (and must be counted as a fish - 10 gallons per) and must usually be supplented with food - adding still more waste.

OMG you should get a Golden Loach. The things are so witty and quick to adapt. Though they won't clean the algae off the sides, they'll certainly eat what they can from the bottom.