"LeighMo" wrote in message
...

However, you will note that he says the only plants he can keep in the
tank are
hornwort and one species of Val, because the goldfish "destroy" any other
plants he puts in.

If you must keep goldfish in your planted tank, it's possible. They don't
generally eat anubias, and java fern is sometimes safe, too. But it's not
easy, I don't recommend it for beginners. It's awfully frustrating to
have
goldfish eat all your expensive new plants. And worse, if no plants grow,
algae will take advantage of the "natural" light and all that goldfish
poop.

After more than a year experimenting with goldfish and plants, I have made
the following observations:

1) Gold fish prefers fish food; fed reasonably well, they leave the plants
mostly alone;
2) Do not start with a few plants; start with many plants, and that gives
them all a chance to grow well;
3) Forget delicate plants (such as Ambulia);
4) Be prepared to replant often; goldfish will dig plants out;
5) Fertilisation definitely required.

I currently have Spiral and Corkscrew Vals, Microsorum (normal and
Windolov), Anubias, Ceratopteris, Elodea, some sort of Sword (supposedly
Amazon, but I'm not so sure) and some Crypts (although most melted when I
moved them). This is a relatively low light tank(1.5W/US gal), and the
Corkscrew Vals, Elodea and Ceraptoteris are taking off (weekly 20% removal),
the Anubias and Microsorums are doing very well (several divisions done for
both), although the Windolov isn't doing as well. Swords are hanging in
there, although did flower once. But if I fail to fertilise, the Microsorum
and Anubias show deficiencies very quickly (probably out competed by the
faster growers).

I had more problems when I was trialing things, as plants kept getting eaten
and dug out, but now with heavier planting, the problem is not as great
(except one of the swords got dug up today). Ambulias lasted two weeks
(goldfish evidently liked them), Hornworts grew well, but are messy plants,
and tended to get "top heavy", Lileopsis were regularly dug up; I should
have used finer gravel.

My currently problem seems to be yellowing new growth in the Anubias, and
some Microsorum, whilst the nitrate is at 20ppm; not quite sure what gives.
And algae on the glass (working on that with Bristlenose Pleco; will try
Ottos again after several deaths).

--
Cheers,
Poe

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