Hey, guys I feel like I know you from reading all of your posts for the past two weeks and finally I can finally ask some questions myself. I have a 55G with six gouramis, two bala sharks (only about four inches now,) two fancy goldfish, one tetra, one glass fish, and one black ghost knife fish (about four and a half inches). Just to defend myself on selction of fish I got this tank fully stocked and for free. The fish all seem very happy on one side of the tank (for some reason they all stay primarily on one side of the tank.) Anyways, I am looking for a good ground cover. I want something about one inch tall or less that will look good covering about one quarter of the tank, and will creep to cover more. If any of you have a specific plant that will work with these fish please let me know. I am also looking to add a couple of rams when my tank is a little more planted and I get everything set the way I want it.
Rookie wants tips on plants
- Thread starter storm99
- Start date
Java moss will get longer than one inch. Most ground covers require pretty good light to thrive. So...how much light do you have? What kind of substrate?
Well, welcome to the forums! 
You should post this in the aquatic plant section of the forums, you'll get a much better response to your question. It might get moved by a moderator anyways.
Goldfish won't allow you to have a planted tank because they'll eat them all except for java fern IME.
A small ground cover plant would be glosso, but it needs very bright light, say around 4 wpg (watts per gallon) and at those light levels, you'll need co2 and supplements, etc...
HTH,
Serg
You should post this in the aquatic plant section of the forums, you'll get a much better response to your question. It might get moved by a moderator anyways.
Goldfish won't allow you to have a planted tank because they'll eat them all except for java fern IME.
A small ground cover plant would be glosso, but it needs very bright light, say around 4 wpg (watts per gallon) and at those light levels, you'll need co2 and supplements, etc...
HTH,
Serg
Most of the ground cover plants need high light, mainly because they are so far from the light source. Also , you need low light plants and most grow slowly. Java moss will cover a wide area fairly quickly and requires only minimal light but its not very attractive unless is is used well. It kind of rolls around the tank. I have it attached to drifteood and rocks. You could get some pieces of driftwood, lay them in the bottom and tie some anubias and java fern to them. Soon they will be covered in java fern. Java fern dislikes being planted in gravel.
I'd edit your fish population. Bala sharks get over a foot long. Goldfish are cold water. Glass fish need to school and need at least 4-6 individuals.
I'd edit your fish population. Bala sharks get over a foot long. Goldfish are cold water. Glass fish need to school and need at least 4-6 individuals.