Keeping live plants with goldfish

Can you keep live plants with goldfish? Will they all get eaten? What kind of live plants are suitable for a goldfish tank?

The answer to the first question is a very definite yes! You absolutely can keep live plants with goldfish, and you don’t have to be an expert to do it. As long as you choose the right kind of plant then there’s no reason to avoid live plants in favor of plastic or silk fakes.

But won’t they get eaten? Yes, they will!

It is true that goldfish will eat almost anything, and that they eat a lot. That’s why we say that you need to choose the right kind of aquarium plant. Some plants grow quite slowly and will be completely eaten away before they have chance to grow… but others grow more quickly than goldfish eat, and can therefore survive a bit of goldfish nibbling!

Even with fast-growing plants though, one potential problem with keeping live plants with goldfish is that they may get dislodged from the substrate. Goldfish like to dig around in gravel and pull on plants, which can cause your nicely arranged display to become uprooted and float around the tank. However, this problem can usually be solved by attaching a weighted base to the plant or tying it to a rock or ornament.

Finally, all aquarium plants require a reasonable amount of light in order to survive. We discuss the lighting requirements of each plant in the following articles, along with other aspects of their care.

What are the best live plants to keep with goldfish?

In these articles, we look at some of the very best live plants for keeping with goldfish. All of these plants are relatively low maintenance and grow quickly enough to not be eaten away!