What Aquatic Plants Are Good for a Goldfish Tank? Recommended Suitable Species
Aquatic plants generally refer to herbaceous plants that can grow in water. Many goldfish keepers have a habit: they dislike keeping goldfish alone and always like to add some aquatic plants to the tank. Colorful goldfish paired with green aquatic plants instantly raise the ornamental value of the whole tank. So let's take a look at what aquatic plants are good for a goldfish tank!
Water Lily
The water lily is a perennial aquatic herb of the genus Nymphaea in the family Nymphaeaceae. It likes sunlight and good ventilation, so tropical and hardy water lilies that bloom during the day close their flowers at night and open again in the morning. It is not strict about soil and can grow normally at pH 6 to 8. The most suitable water depth is 25 to 30 cm, and it must not exceed 80 cm at the deepest. It prefers loam rich in organic matter. In the Yangtze River basin it sprouts from late March to early April, forms buds in late April or early May, blooms profusely from June to August, has yellow leaves from January to November, and enters dormancy after November. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in many park water bodies.
Anubias
Anubias is a type of aquatic plant in the family Araceae distributed in the West African region. Compared with other aquatic plants, it can be said to be very tough and easy to plant, but if it is planted carelessly at random, rhizome rot and dwarfing will gradually appear, eventually leading to withering. It likes plenty of sunlight, water hardness should be slightly higher, nitrate content should be low, and the substrate must have enough base fertilizer. The suitable growth temperature is 22 to 30°C.
Amazon Sword
Amazon sword, also known as Amazon sword plant, crown plant and so on, is a large aquatic plant of the genus Echinodorus in the family Alismataceae. Its leaf stalks are thick and strong, its leaves are broad and beautifully shaped. The largest Amazon sword can grow nearly a hundred leaves, with a maximum leaf length of up to 50 cm and leaf width of up to 8 cm. It is called the king of aquatic plants. It is suitable for growing in weakly acidic and neutral water, likes warmth and light, and the water temperature must be above 24°C, with 26 to 28°C being most suitable.
Java Fern
Java fern is a fern of the family Polypodiaceae. Its leaves are green, 20 to 40 cm long, with sporangia on the underside of the leaves. It has strip-like rhizomes, with black or dark brown adventitious roots growing below. It has strong adaptability and is easy to manage. It is often used in aquatic plant landscaping and can also be grown above water in high-humidity environments. Because its leaves are tough and have a bitter taste, it is suitable for beautifying aquariums stocked with herbivorous fish.
Hornwort
Hornwort, also known as fine grass, fish grass, soft grass, pine weed and so on, is a perennial herbaceous submerged aquatic plant of the genus Ceratophyllum in the family Ceratophyllaceae. It has broad requirements for water temperature but is relatively sensitive to freezing, dying within a few days in ice. It likes nitrogen and grows better when the inorganic nitrogen content in the water is high. It can grow normally in water at pH 7.1 to 9.2, but pH 7.6 to 8.8 is most suitable. It grows rapidly under 5 to 10% light intensity, but strong light will cause hornwort to die.