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Goldfish and a plant tank

1971 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  crazy loaches, 
C
Whats everyones take on keeping a planted Goldfish tank? The plans right now are a 150 XH, with 3 or 4 shubunkins, a couply of calico faintails, and a group oif atleast 6 dojo's. Not sure what other coolwater species may be compatable as well, but I dont want to push the stocking too much. More than likely will do oveflow and sump filtration (DIY, probably a sump of around 50g).

I know its extremely rare, but I heard of a couple folks with heavily planted tank and goldies, co2 injection and all. I also know goldies tend to eat plants (?) so that a high growth tank with co2 might be better there. But what about doing a low tech with goldies? That would allow me to do a wet/dry.

Just looking at my options. I already have another big tank in the works, but figured I would try to get as much info and planning done now before I start building.
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C
Hi!

It's greatful to know that people try to keep goldfish with plants. From my point of view, I am sure that this is possible and your case is a good example. However, I belive that a heavy planted tank is quite difficult to keep with big fishes. Some plants are weak and their stalks or leaves break easily when an adult koi or carassius moves itself between them. Perhaps, fishes can pull the plants up by the roots too.

If we have got in mind the parragraph above, I think that we have to choose strong plants such as Vallisneria gigantea, Crinum, Microsorium pteropus, Ceratophyllum demersum or similar.

It's my opinion;).

Yours faithfully,

Crypto
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danepatrick
i'm seriously considering housing two goldfish in my 20H. i've been thinking about making it a low light tank with crypts, anubias, ferns, and mosses.
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C
Yeah I'll definately choose plants carefully, I just first must decide between low tech or high tech (high light & co2).
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danepatrick
i have sitting next to me two bags of aqua soil. however, i'm starting to reconsider using them as the substrate since i am just going to be attaching many things to driftwood. substrate will not be as crucial as a tank with rooted plants. what do you have in mind for your project?
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aelysa
I'm sure you know this already, but make sure your gravel is larger than your goldfish's mouth... They love to redecorate. I have java moss, a mangrove tree, and some naja grass in with my grandma's goldfish, thought it's not planted, it's just kind of stuck to the mangrove tree and to the filter ;) . I had hornwort in there a while ago, but it grew so fast and thick that I had to get rid of it. We have fantails, so they aren't very active.
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danepatrick
yes, i know they love martha stewart.
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F
Our Goldies uproot anything we plant. We have floaters every morning that need to be weighted down. If you bunch them together you will have better success than spreading them out. It is not so much them digging them out but more so them yanking them out.
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Hypancistrus
Goldfish tanks are no problem as long as you stick to goldfish with the compact body type (oranda, ryukin, etc.). You should be able to grow any plant except for very fine leaved ones (like hc for example). Crypts, swords, aponogetons, valis, and pretty much all stems work great.

Some people try to maintain that goldfish and plants don't go together and they have all been proven wrong. The ideal tank for goldfish is a planted one.
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F
I have a goldfish planted tank and have had no problems, as long as you leave some open ground the goldfish will forage there and leave the plants alone
also regular feedings
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C
Thanks for the advice. yeah, like I said I will be choosing plants accordingly. If I go with the big tank, since its 31" tall I'll definately be doing several bigger swords (already got a large colony of Red Rubins on hand) and aponogetons and large crypts. I also have a couple large pieces of driftwood covered with java fern. Perhaps a crinum as well. Anyone have any thoughts on Crypt spiralis, or jungle val? How about something like anubias for somewhat of a ground cover?

Has anyone done goldies with pressurized co2?

I have already decided on the Shubunkins, that is I already have them and they are who I am making the tank for (and the dojo's that need to get out of my tropical tank). So does anyone know how the shubunkins are with plants? Since we really like the coloration of the shubunkins, we were also thingking about the calico fantails / ryukins for a couple more. Thinking about thier adult size though, I definately dont want more than 6 total in the 150.

More than likely the tank will be flourite, since my 75 has that now. I might use some other filler, maybe an inch of sand on the bottom, and some more decorative looking stuff along the front of the tank, I dont know. Or I could get a few more bags of flourite.
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