new tank - advice?

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eja206

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
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163
Location
Southampton, UK
I WON A NEW FISH TANK ON EBAY! collecting it next week, so my 2 little fancy goldfish will be moving to a 20 gallon long this summer! i was thinking of doing a planted tank... i have always had live plants in my tanks, but only a few. any ideas of what live plants would be good for the fancy goldfish? and how heavily planted would they like?

another question, would white cloud mountain minnows be suitable tank mates for my fancies?
I know the fancies will get larger in time, but they are still quite small at the moment.

thanks xx
 
Yes, white clouds are good with golds ... with one caveat - large golds may treat small white clouds as snacks. You would be better getting the biggest one you can find (or grow them out in a separate tank until at least 1"), and get a school of 6+ (there is strength in numbers). Having some hiding place (like a clump of dense plant) also help in their survival.

Planted tank & golds are tricky ... since golds like to eat or uproot your plants. It is a matter of trial & error, and a lot depends on your fish. Although many have kept plants with golds, don't expect Amano style perfection with a couple goldies in there! :)

Some tips:
1. Plant unpalatable plants first - so your fish don't associate the plants with food. <Some go as far as using plastic ... & gradually replace the plastic with real plants to fool those little piggies.>
Some less palatable plants: Java ferns, Anubias, hornwort.
2. Have a lot of plants (& fast growing ones - eg hornwort, green hygro) so that the plants grow faster than your golds can mow down. You do need some room for the gold to swim in, so you can't pack the tank with plants .... maybe 50% open space is a good compromise.
3. Feed your golds well, so they don't go eating your plants. Also, feed sinking pellets over an unplanted area (I have a large flat rock for this), so the gold won't go digging in your plants. <My fish sitter daughter made the mistake of under feeding my golds last summer, and the gang demolished my hygro jungle (almost 1/2 the tank's worth) in under a week .... and now that they got a taste for the hygro, they are chowing it down faster than the plant can regenerate ....>
4. Get plants that can be tied to rocks or driftwood (Java fern/Anubias) so they can't be uprooted. Cover rooted plants with rocks (I use 1" pebbles), or try planting rooted plants in pots (2-3" clay pots work well).
5. Most of all ... have fun ..... and remember that fresh veggies are good for goldies. :)
 
How much light do you have for that tank? This will pretty much drive what kind of plants you will be able to keep in your tank.
 

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