[Mori]

Anyone have any recommendations for sturdy, large, and interesting plants for an unheated low-maintenance tank?

I have a 6' 120 gallon with decent (I don't know how much) lighting and mulmy sand as substrate. It has a couple anubius and a large amount of what is supposed to be jungle valisneria but is capping out at about 8" so I think it's something else. The anubius have been established for several years and the stubby vals for a few. Until recently I had a pothos stuck in the top resulting in a giant rootball in the tank. I removed it due to circulation issues and now the tank is empty and sad looking. The fish have grown mopey.

So I'm looking for something big and not demanding and sturdy--tank fauna is 2 large goldfish. They don't dig but they are incredibly klutzy.

Suggestions appreciated! Thanks

 

[Knotyoureality]

Sword plants, java fern and anubias are all pretty solid choices for gold fish tanks. I particularly like anubias and java ferns as options when wood or rock mounted as it means you can more easily lift them to clean under/around them and they can be re-positioned to refresh the look of the tank (or just add a bit of environmental stimulation for your fish). And there's different varieties of each so even if you only have a few plant types, you can still have some variety in leaf shape, texture, color and size.

 

[Mori]

Thanks! I'll check em out.

 

[duanes]

Vallisneria carolina (americana) is also good in cool water tanks, and is a fast grower.

 

[Mori]

Thanks for the V. carolina rec. It might look too similar to whatever I have, but I'd like to get some height in there, so it's worth considering!

 

[Betta Splendid]

Take a look at Hornwort/Coontail. If you bunch them together and plant it, they will branch out in all directions while growing towards the surface pretty quickly. They're often used in goldfish ponds to improve water quality.

 

[Mori]

Nice. On the list!

 

[duanes]

This is my vallisneria in a 125 gal tank, below same tank where their flowers have reached up to the surface

And below where it has reached the surface of a 24" tall 180 gal tank.

 

[Goodwood]

I have some cryptocoryne balansae and cryptocoryne spiralis that give great height and did well in my low tech tank. As mentioned before, Java fern and most Sword plants will work well too.

 

[duanes]

Oops I screwed up on tank height of the 180.

Water surface is @ 25", tank height is actually 29"

 

[Blackheart]

Crypts do great in my tank with no heater. I also have Rotala Indica which grows bonkers too.

 

[Mori]

Thanks all! Lots of options for me to check out.

 

[H.Bones]

Egeria densa likes cooler water so I’ve heard. It grows very fast and can float or be allowed to send down its rhizomes.

 

[somewhatshocked]

Pretty much every plant we keep in the hobby, with very few exceptions, can be kept in an unheated aquarium. Cool temperatures are fine. Source: check the Tank Journals section. Look for shrimp tank journals. You'll find thousands of us with no heaters & myriad different tanks that spread the gamut from low-tech moss tanks to high-tech, colorful Dutch setups.

Note that Egeria densa isn't a rhizome plant. It has roots.

 

[Mori]

Thanks. I do like E. densa but not half as much as goldfish. It's an excellent vacation food!

 

[martinphillip03]

Madagascar Lace Plant. Likes water around 72 degrees F

 

[Mori]

oooh those plants always make me look for the snails!