# Plants for Goldfish/cold water?



## Seedreemer (Sep 28, 2008)

I don't know a lot about goldfish, but have you tried googling it? I googled "planted goldfish tank" and came up with several sites. Below are a couple. There are also some videos on YouTube. 

http://thegab.org/Articles/GoldfishPlantsLowTech.html

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/PlantYourGoldfishTank.html


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## chilligirl (Feb 9, 2008)

for goldfish, anything thick leaved is your best bet.

How cold is your tank? If it's around 70, most plants will be just fine.

In my goldfish tank, I have giant valisneria, a couple of sword plants, anubias, and some java fern. There's also cabomba in there, as a "fancy salad bar". Surprisingly, my goldies don't do much with the cabomba other than to repeatedly pull it out. What they do eat (in small amounts) are the vals. However, they grow fast enough that they're pretty forgiving.

I've heard onion plants are also good for goldfish.

Depending on your substrate, a lily/lotus might do well too.

Yes, you can use moss as a carpet. I'm planning on trying this in my community tank downstairs. Apparently, you do it the same way as making a carpet of riccia: spread the moss in a layer over a piece of slate or some cross stitching plastic, wrap a hair net around it, then weight down the edges with rocks and wait for it to grow in. You have to keep trimming, then putting the pieces you trimmed under the net.

Good luck!


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Seedreemer: i've googled it a billion times over, and read most of the sites atleast twice. The thing is, most sites concentrate on plants the goldfish _wont_ eat, when i want plants that they will. Fancy salad bar and all


chilligirl: technically i have a heater set for around 70, but it feels warmer than that, my thermometre dissapeared to somewhere during a move, so i have to get a new one :\

I was considering some giant vals acctually, so it's good to hear that they're working for you (camboba would also be nice as i really like the look, especially red camboba, but alas, i doupt i gould get a high enough light settup for that)

And i'll definately look into (dwarf?)onion plant

thanks for the moss carpet tip, i guess i'll do it the same way as my moss wall, with window screen


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Java Fern is always an easy alternative and it's too tough for goldies.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

my goldfish actually ate all the java fern i've put in the tank, it wasnt that great a specimen in the first place, but i've just never had good luck with it.


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## Seedreemer (Sep 28, 2008)

Dollface said:


> The thing is, most sites concentrate on plants the goldfish _wont_ eat, when i want plants that they will.


Ohhhhh.......duh, I missed that detail. :icon_redf


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## h2osanity (Sep 19, 2008)

Ha ha, I was going to say get some duckweed....

Goldies won't eat anything to order...you can put stuff that they "supposedly don't like" and it will either be eaten or die because they uproot it....that is the big challenge..

Goldies uproot everything even if they don't eat it unless it is capped with rocks too big for them to budge. You may have to be content with planting a bunch of stuff they won't eat with a rock cap and then throwing in some fast growing surface plants for them to snack on.

They'll tear apart mosses and destroy marimo balls (they really, really like marimo balls), uproot everything that might have some mulm at the base....

IMO -Rocks, crinum, vals and crypts and lotus. Only way to go with goldies and then throw them some victims...I mean edibles.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

I *WISH* I could get some duckweed going in that tank, I've gotten bunches of it the size of my fists from my LFS and the fish have eaten _all of it_, withen 2 hours. :|

Is there any way to cap stem plants with rocks so they cant uproot it? The fluorite in the back is pretty deep and heavy, and kept the anacharis in place okay when i first put it in. Even with godzillafish going completely insane. 

Oh god, Marimo balls, I got one of those along with the tank, and they absolutely destroyed it. I finally had to gather up the remnants this past week and toss it out. 

the pictures of crinum look gorgeous, but i'm a little worried about slow growth (i guess that'd go for crypts too. I'm especially tempted by Beckettii, will goldfish be more or less tempted to eat red plants?


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## h2osanity (Sep 19, 2008)

salvinia lasts longer and they won't eat it if you are looking for something aesthetically pleasing.

but you need some light for that too.

Not necessarily a colour thing...try some hornwort or foxtail in the colder water...it grows like stink and they won't eat it but they will tear it out by the roots...it can float too so that isn't necessarily a bad thing.


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## mysticalnet (Dec 2, 2007)

I have a planted goldfish tank, I have anubias in there, some vals, and some broad leafed hygro.


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## h2osanity (Sep 19, 2008)

I use river pebbles sold by the bag at the nursery, used them in the pond for the potted plants and the koi (8-10") never disturbed them.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

do you just place the pebbles around the stalks then? 

I think if i'm going to get into decorative floating plants that arnt for the fish to eat, I'd like somthing like fairy moss maybe, or somthing with an intresting root structure


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## fishsandwitch (Apr 20, 2008)

Dollface said:


> I *WISH* I could get some duckweed going in that tank, I've gotten bunches of it the size of my fists from my LFS and the fish have eaten _all of it_, withen 2 hours. :|
> 
> Is there any way to cap stem plants with rocks so they cant uproot it? The fluorite in the back is pretty deep and heavy, and kept the anacharis in place okay when i first put it in. Even with godzillafish going completely insane.
> 
> ...


 want about a soccer ball sized amount of duckweed? Pm me.


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## vance71975 (Jun 4, 2008)

Since no one has said this ill say it, a 50/50 Bulb is normally used in salt water. You might consider finding a good 6500k bulb for your fixture. Other than that i wish you the best i had a monster gold fish and he ate ANYTHING that went in the tank, including fish small enough to fit in his mouth, heck he even tried eating my arm when i was cleaning the tank, and plants forget it they were ate within mins, mine wasn't picky he ate anything.


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## Cocobid (Feb 25, 2007)

Hello there~~~
I have had aquariums for over 30+ years and for most of those it was salt, long story short I took a hiatus from tanks for a few years and my Mom was starting a decline and would go by the fish store to decompress before I came home and before I knew it we had Goldfish. We have a 60 Cube and 55 G. I originally went planted I too wanted a lush plant environment. The soil retained way to much of the waste which they produce. So I went the container route and driftwood. I have tried everything. Literally LOL 

Here is the top list Anubius, Java Ferns, Red Lotus, Crypts and I do have one sword they will not touch. I tried keeping the water on the cool side but it brought its own problems also. So I heat my tanks to about 76 and everything seems happy. Look go over to the Gab, and you will be very welcome and really learn what keeps a goldfish tank healthy. Over filtration and 75% water changes are a must!!!! Go look at the link by my avatar and you can look at some of the GF tanks that we have. Bare bottom is really the best. My water quality issues disappeared after going that route. Plants actually thrive in our tanks with the ammonia that they suck up, we are 2+ watts per gallon and they love it. Anubius blooming like crazy.
If I can personally help you with this let me know I would be more than happy.

What type of Goldfish did you buy??


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

vance71975 said:


> Since no one has said this ill say it, a 50/50 Bulb is normally used in salt water. You might consider finding a good 6500k bulb for your fixture. Other than that i wish you the best i had a monster gold fish and he ate ANYTHING that went in the tank, including fish small enough to fit in his mouth, heck he even tried eating my arm when i was cleaning the tank, and plants forget it they were ate within mins, mine wasn't picky he ate anything.


It was the bulb that came with the fixture, one white tube and a blue tube, I dont remember the exact K rating, but it was the closest to 6500k i could find out of the selection that they have

Is there a better bulb i could use for that fixture? (coralife 30", 60watt)

It wasnt my larger fish that pulled that, but one of the smaller common goldfish tried to eat a snail that got dropped in the tank once, nearly choked on it. 

Cocobid: Thanks for all the advice, I'll definately check out what you said

The only goldfish i bought was my black moor, all the other fish (including godzillafish) were just fair prizes, though i'm not entirely sure of his origins, we've had him going on a few years now. 
I kind of want one more fancy goldfish, But if possible i'd like a bigger tank for that, and finding one on the cheap is not gonna be easy


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## thepresidentsdaughter (Aug 7, 2008)

Have you checked out this source, yet?
http://www.azgardens.com/habitats_goldfish.php


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## h2osanity (Sep 19, 2008)

Yes to answer your query about the pebbles. I figure out the scape, plant the stems, bulbs or roots in their spots and then gently place the pebbles over them...I'm talking about larger pebbles now, 1" or bigger. I think they are called polished river rock or somesuch. *Not the 'river' gravels* you see in LFS (Estes is a common brand that has these gravels) but the larger stones that you see in gardening centres for landscaping purposes. They look like 'stoney beach' stone. 

You don't have to cover the whole bottom of the tank in it, in fact it wouldn't be recommended as they do tend to accumulate detritus so just the areas where the plants are.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

thepresidentsdaughter said:


> Have you checked out this source, yet?
> http://www.azgardens.com/habitats_goldfish.php


No, I havent seen that yet actually, intresting plant list too. Dwarf sag never occured to me for this tank but now that i think about it, it would be an excellent mid/foreground plant, thanks!

h2osanity: Okay, that's what i was figuring but i just wanted to make sure. You wouldnt happen to know if they come in black, would you?


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## vance71975 (Jun 4, 2008)

Dollface said:


> It was the bulb that came with the fixture, one white tube and a blue tube, I dont remember the exact K rating, but it was the closest to 6500k i could find out of the selection that they have
> 
> Is there a better bulb i could use for that fixture? (coralife 30", 60watt)


Not sure i was told when i bought my light fixture by a trusted friend who owns a SW only fish store to avoid PC lights and go with T5 lighting, PC (power compact) lighting which is what i believe you have, is fading due to the fact that T5 uses less electricity and puts out more light.Couple that with the fact that there are literally hundreds of different T5 bulbs on the market and it sounds like its time for a new light fixture! 50/50 is normally half Antinic and Half White(10,000k) but it depends on the bulb maker. It is normally used for corals hence the name of the fixture *Coral*ife.Im no lighting expert by any means just repeating what i have been told.


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## Cocobid (Feb 25, 2007)

Dollface about keeping comets and fancies generally that is not advised. Comets are very fast swimmers & fancies are not and will quickly get 6-8". A male comet and a female fancy is real trouble for the female, she will be just worn out or injured. IMO Comets are harder on plants than regular fancies. I rescued a comet at Christmas that was about 2" by June he was well over 6" and out to the pond he had to go.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Cocobid said:


> Dollface about keeping comets and fancies generally that is not advised. Comets are very fast swimmers & fancies are not and will quickly get 6-8". A male comet and a female fancy is real trouble for the female, she will be just worn out or injured. IMO Comets are harder on plants than regular fancies. I rescued a comet at Christmas that was about 2" by June he was well over 6" and out to the pond he had to go.


I'm quite aware about comets being fast swimmers (i'm pretty sure they can accelerate faster than most cars, by this point) and they're very hard on plants D:
the comets and the fancy get along quite well though, i'm pretty sure the comets atleast are all females, so as long as they're in the larger tank they've been doing fine
I do plan to eventually move the fancy into another tank, but right now i just dont have the money for that


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## h2osanity (Sep 19, 2008)

Personally not seen them in straight black but there were some dark grey/blackish pebbles in the bag. If you want black...buy some slate tile at home depot and smash them up. Not rounded pebbles for sure but goldie proof for certain!!

PS, just smashed some slate for a planted breeding tank...looks really cool.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Smashed slate sounds like it would be really cool. that might end up with some sharp edges though, but i guess i could always sand that down


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

> The thing is, most sites concentrate on plants the goldfish _wont_ eat, when i want plants that they will. Fancy salad bar and all


 
It seems like you want it both ways and its contridictory. If you just want fish food, chop up some anacharis and throw it in your tank. Its just luck, chance, circumstance as far as what plants they may eat or not eat if you are not trying to prevent them from doing so. It is possible to have a beautiful, lush, fully planted tank with goldfish, but apparently you do not want that. Its very confusing! Betty,at the goldfish forum, (GAB) is an expert at growing plants with goldfish, you should be talking to her.

I guess what you are saying is you want plants that they will eat, but just nibble on without destroying the plant? Thats basically what happens when you keep a healthy PLANT tank with goldfish. Good luck with that! :icon_eek:


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

I dont see how it's contradictory to want to have a heavily planted tank that i can keep the goldfish in, without having to resort to the default 'plants for goldfish'. 
Most of the plants suggested are pretty much suggested because they're like living plastic plants, and I dont want the look of that.


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