# What plants does the fancy goldfish eat?



## omega (Apr 1, 2004)

I really want to keep some small fancy goldfish in my tank but I don't want them eating my plants. I have Bolbitis heudelotii, Blyxa japonica, Cryptocoryne x willisi, and Hemianthus callitrichoides. Do goldfish eat these plants?

Also, what is the SMALLEST fancy goldfish?


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## csfish (May 19, 2005)

My goldfish (fantails, lionheads, moors) have eaten just about every plant I've tried. That includes java fern, java moss, watersprite, hygrophila (poysperma and difformis), anubias (nana and barteri), crypts, swords, saggitaria subulata, vals (large jungle and cordscrew), and others.... The only plants that have reasonable success surviving my goldfish are watersprite and the large vals, because they grow faster than my fish can eat them! Other people have great success with plants and goldfish; I'm finding that my fish are exceptional plant-eaters.
All goldfish have the potential to grow to the size of a softball, if not larger. My smallest has a body length of about 3" with the same length tail. My largest is about 10" altogether. You need to allow about 10-15gals per goldfish to keep them healthy, otherwise they quickly foul the tank water and pollute themselves to death. See https://goldfishconnection.com/ for their articles on how to care for goldfish (also see how big these things can get when they're healthy!). Check other goldfish websites as well.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Omega, Here is a site that will be of help... http://www.aquascapingjournals.com/journals/goldfish_article.htm


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## czado (May 26, 2005)

I have a ~3" Ryukin that doesn't eat anubias and marimo/cladorpha balls. It only nibbles on select strands of anacharis, and I haven't figured out why it likes some strands but not others, and the plant grows quickly enough to outcompete that I've thought of floating it as part of the fish's diet. Hope this helps some.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

As the others mentioned, GF do need several gallons each since they're such huge waste producers. What size is the tank you're thinking about keeping them in?

I'm pretty sure they would eat the plants you have listed.

I finally overwhelmed my Silver Dollars (who are also notorious lawn mowers) by packing the tank with clippings of various things that would have otherwise been tossed out each week. I now have a pretty full tank of plants, even though they are only things like Java Fern, Anubias, Giant Hygro, etc. It's still better than plastic.... [smilie=k:


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