# Goldfish in Horsetanks



## Sincere (Aug 18, 2005)

I am asking this question for my mother. She has two horsetanks that are apporx. 75 or so gallons, and she keeps her goldfish in there. Now with them being in sunlight all day algae growth happens very quickly. Water changes are a breeze, but with how quickly algae grows in there are a headache to do so often. She tried some liquid algae cleaner from Petsmart, but without aeration in the tank, she lost quite a few fish, and it was almost a disaster. Now is there any option as far as fish to help this problem or is frequent water changes the only option?


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## Hamm35924 (Jun 13, 2005)

you could probably get an algea eater.


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## Sincere (Aug 18, 2005)

Hamm35924 said:


> you could probably get an algea eater.


The problem is, and I forgot to mention it, is that we would prefer something that could survive year round, and there is no heater in the tank. :fun:


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## Mari (Jan 24, 2005)

hmm...just how cold do the temps in the tank get in the winter? I believe plecos should be able to do fine with goldfish, I personally have a bristlenose in a 10 gal with no heater year round, but my temps don't drop below 75 due to the fact that my house is very warm. My bristlenose is doing great. I also know of a few others who don't have an issue with goldfish and plecos together, provided that the goldfish are in good health. Plecos are also pretty good about temperature drops...we had an unfortunate accident years ago when during wintertime the temps dropped tremendously, and all fish in the tank appeared dead and water temps were very low...can't remember exactly what they were, but the water honestly felt freezing. As we go to toss em, over half of them began to warm up , including the pleco, and he just so happens to still be alive today...Of course you don't want this to intentionally happen. just my 2 cents


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## Sincere (Aug 18, 2005)

Well see the water gets so cold that at times some of it does freeze. Now I don't know if that is crazy or bad or anything, but it doesn't seem to affect the fish at all.


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

The best thing to do for algae (most likely the free floating) is to have shade of some sort. In my Rubber Maid 300 gallon horse trough has Water Hyacinthes and a bit of Duck Weed to give a bit of shade (1/3 surface coverage). I've been told the Fresh Water Clams will eat the free floating green water, too. But I do wonder when the algae runs out will they die off? The algae that cling to the sides I'd use snails (Japanese Trap Door, Rams Horn) instead of Chinese Algae Eater (they get somewhat agressive). 

As for freezing it all depend on how long and how much. I had a tub with goldfish years ago that had about a 1/4" of ice but it didn't last more than a week or two. They did fine and that was in a 20/30 gallon tub.


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

If these containers are outside and freeze over in the winter, a pleco will not survive that. 
I do like the suggestion of adding floating plants best. Water hyacinthes and duck weed were mentioned by The Dark Saint. Water hyacinthes are a good one, but my goldfish would make short work of the duck weed. I grow duck weed in several of my tanks to feed to my goldfish and I have a hard time growing enough. They gobble them up as fast as I can throw them in. I would suggest water lettuce to go with the hyacinthes and maybe some water sprite. Those would take a lot of the nutrients away from the algae and that would cut down the algae growth. 
Snails may work, but again goldfish eat pond snails and applesnails will not survive the winter in freezing temps.
I would try the floating plants first. They of course also will not survive the winter, so until next year I personally would stick with the water changes and in the spring get a nice supply of floating plants (Home Depot sells them in my area as well as most pond supply stores)


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

If winter freeze is bad you can take a bucket and bring in the water plants with a bit of water. 

In California "Water Lettuce" has been banned (looked for some earlier this year and I was told that) but it might be different in other states. My goldfish don't seem to like to eat Duck Weed (they'll mouth it but they always spit them out) or they'll snack on some when I'm not looking.


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

A ban on water lettuce in California? Wow. You can get it all over Atlanta in the spring. I got a ton at the end of September last year at home depot (only cost me a few pennies) when they took down their pond display but I was told it would not make it through the winter. Wish I could give you some of mine. I grow it in my 75 gal and in my plant tank. But the water lettuce does not do as well in an aquarium and the plants stay relatively small, but they have survived the winter inside just fine, made it all through the year and the fish love to hide in the roots. I am thinking about getting some more this year again.


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

garfieldnfish; I'd ask you to send me some but I'd hate for any of us to have a visit from E.P.A. and get a trumpt up charge of some sort. I suppose one of these days I'll find someone who knows someone whos has some (makes me feel like I'm looking for dope). Hey, man got any "Water Lettuce" (with my best Cheech and Chong immpression:lol.


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