Keeping GoldFish from eating plants

R

R.A.W.

AC Members
Mar 6, 2010
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Deepwater, Missouri
My mom has a tiny fantail goldfish (1/2 inch) in a betta bowl with a plant. It's been about a week and already the plant's gone.

If she supplements it's diet with peas or buys a vegetable based supplement food will it stop eating the plant?

Someday, when it gets too big, it'll probably be mine and I'd really like for it to not eat all my plants.

Any help would be appreciated.

I've kept goldfish before and I've never really had this problem. It just keeps eating ...
 
I'm going to address JUST your plant question...nothing else in your post.
No. The goldy will eat just about anything plantlike you put in the *shudder* bowl. there are however plants that are hardier and not as tasty as others out there.
 
Well if it's in an unfiltered bowl, I doubt it's going to live lone enough to get any larger.
 
Goldfish need to have a combination of protein and vegetable matter to stay at optimal health. Mine get oranges, zucchini, spinach and cukes from time to time. Yours, however, is a juvie, so I would say supplementing the diet is a good idea.

I would also add that FF has shown remarkable restraint in responding. :) Goldfish need minimum of 10 gallons per fish. Perhaps if you bought your mom a betta she would trade you for the goldfish? (although bettas, too, do better in at least 3 gallons)
 
Sorry FF. I know it's in a bad condition but there's really nothing I can do for it. The fish is a couple of hours away and right now I'm working on a brackish tank.

It was a 'prize' from my little brothers school festival ... hate that too. Poor fishes.

My mom holds onto everything he gives her ... she won't give up the fish until she gets bored or it gets too big. Though I agree with you FF, that it probably won't live long enough for me to give it a better home.

I just wanted to know how to get it to stop eating the plant ... it's only source of oxygen ...

Again, I apologize on behalf of my mother for the poor goldfishes unacceptable living conditions ...
 
No need to apologize for something you have no control over. You aren't going to stop a fish from doing what comes normal to them. As suggested, there are plants that are tougher and more bitter to fish and they won't eat as much of it.

As an example: my cories and guppies like Sunset Hygro so much that they ate every single plant I had and yet left the anubia, sessiliflora, and anacharis alone.

My cichlid tanks are all unplanted since they like to uproot everything.
 
Honestly, not all goldies eat every plant, either. The best thing to do is put in some edibles in a planted tank. I have found that they will snack on them and leave most of the others alone. The exception seems to be tasty, young shoots from sword plants. They are toast in my tanks. Good luck with the fishy!
 
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