Top 10 Plants Suitable for Goldfish

If you want to buy a goldfish aquarium, you need to think about suitable plants. Plants are required so that your aquarium does not look empty.

Goldfish are tough fish and require special maintenance, and these fish are not suitable for all types of aquarium plants.

Goldfish likes when there are a lot of plants in the aquarium. In the wild, goldfish live among many plants. So, the owner of the aquarium should create an environment close to these conditions.

Also, these fish like to eat various vegetation from the aquarium. Sometimes fish eat everything, and then you will have to buy new plants.

The abundant presence of plants in the aquarium with goldfish will provide them with a place for rest and tranquility; under the leaves or bushes, they will be able to retire from their neighbors in the aquarium.

Best 9 Aquarium Plants for Goldfish

Here is a list of the 9 best live plants for goldfish:

1. Amazon Sword

One of the best plants to place in a goldfish aquarium is the Amazon sword. Under its leaves, goldfish can safely hide. Besides, fish like to eat these plants, so you may need to buy new ones over time. Don’t worry about this, because the leaves of the Amazon sword grow at an average rate and can reach up to 16 inches in height. The rapid growth of this plant can quickly overtake the eating of its leaves by goldfish.

An additional advantage of the Amazon sword is its root system. It is very securely fixed in the substrate of the aquarium. The requirements of the Amazon sword to the properties of water are the same as those of goldfish, so there will be no problems.

And most importantly, the Amazon sword will be a beautiful decoration for your goldfish aquarium.

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2. Java Fern

Java fern is an aquarium plant that is great for goldfish. This plant is ideal because it has medium hardness leaves, and fish do not like to bite them.

With these plants, you do not need to worry about the fact that your fish will eat all the aquarium plants. Also, the Java fern does not need to be buried in the substrate, and it will be enough to tie or wrap their roots on rocks or snags.

The conditions for keeping Java fern and goldfish are also the same, and you won’t have a problem with it.

READ MORE: Freshwater Aquarium Plants Guide

3. Java Moss

Java moss is actively growing and fills the aquarium. Goldfish can eat this moss, but with enough care, it can increase fast enough to compensate for the leaves eaten.

The root system of moss develops better near rocks or snags. This reduces the chances that your fish will pull the roots out from under the stones.

The care of fur is minimal. It survives both in cold and warm water aquariums.

4. Duckweed

Duckweed proliferates and, after a while, can fill the entire aquarium.

It is a floating aquarium plant with tiny round leaves. It does not need special care and quickly grows because it does not require soil, substrate, or snags. Duckweed grows on the surface of aquarium water.

Goldfish like to eat delicious and soft duckweed leaves, which can well compensate for the active growth of duckweed.

5. Water Sprite

Goldfish like to eat this plant; they like the taste and softness of the leaves. A sprite can grow large. Under ideal aquarium conditions, water sprites can overgrow, and you will still have to trim them.

Taking care of a water sprite is quite simple, it can grow roots in the substrate.

The water sprite is ideally compatible with goldfish in terms of the temperature of the aquarium water and its other properties.

6. Wisteria

This aquarium plant grows by its roots in the substrate. The origins of Wisteria quickly grow into a dense root system. Combining Wisteria and goldfish in an aquarium should not cause any problems.

The growth rate can reach 2 inches per week, compensating for the leaves bitten by the goldfish.

7. Vallisneria Spiralis

This plant is similar to a lawn, but the leaves of Vallisneria are broader and thicker than those of ordinary grass, and they can grow up to 30 inches tall or even more.

Some owners of aquariums may not like that the Vallisneria spiralis needs to be cut frequently. Goldfish like to eat these leaves, so you will need to cut the grass less often.

7. Water Lettuce

This plant proliferates and may soon become large, so you need to monitor it.

Water lettuce is a floating plant that can quickly grow up to 5 inches in diameter. Water lettuce can block out a large amount of light and absorb a large enough amount of oxygen from the water.

Despite this, Water lettuce is an ideal option for a goldfish aquarium. 

8. Hornwort

These plants have a different texture than other aquarium plants. Therefore, goldfish will not want to eat it if they are not hungry.

Hornwort grows fast and high. Even if your goldfish eat it, it can quickly compensate for this. Also, goldfish will regularly relax under the leaves of Hornwort. Requirements for the environment of goldfish and Hornwort are similar.

As a rule, owners of aquariums have to systematically trim the leaves of Hornwort, so that they do not become too large. The root system of Hornwort grows in the substrate.

9. Anacharis

The peculiarity of this plant is that all goldfish will eat it. This plant proliferates, but this growth rate is sometimes not enough to compensate for the leaves eaten by goldfish. On the other hand, you do not have to regularly and even periodically trim the excess leaves of this aquarium plant.

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What Aquarium Plants won’t the Goldfish eat?

Goldfish will eat almost all types of aquarium plants. But there are several types of plants that goldfish will not eat – with coarse and thick leaves. The rough texture of the aquarium plant will not appeal to goldfish, nor will they eat it.