# gardening goldfish?



## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

My question is why are my fish, I think its mostly the goldfish, ripping off leaves off my wisteria at first I thought they where dieing ones falling off but then I just witnessed the goldfish ripp off 2 healthy green leaves, I atleast have to pull out 5 leaves a day floating around or stuck to my intake cover, its like they are pruning it for me cause they only take the older leaves more near the lower part of the plant, in a way I dont mind cause it grows so fast that they are kinda helping me but at the same time its weird that they only seem to do it to the wisteria, anybody got any ideas?


----------



## AvocadoPuffDude (Jan 20, 2011)

Sounds like normal behavior to me.
Some fish like to pick at plants, to get algae or even the green leaf itself. If it's picking the bottom ones that are dying, it's probably because they're partially broken down and easier for the fish to eat and tear off the plant.
I wouldn't worry, it's healthy behavior for a fish to eat plants.
I suppose one solution might be to use artificial plants, but if you think about it, eating the leaves is good for the fish, and to me, that's what it's all about - good fish keeping practices, doing what's best FOR THE FISH. 
So, even if it picks it to death, just go get another plant, they're not THAT expensive. Budget it under fish food if you have to.


----------



## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

ahh i could never go back to fake plants once you make the jump to real its so much better my tank stay clean and clear of algae it just looks more natural and thier always growing and changing unlike a fake plant, plus my fish seem to like the real plants they play and hide in them alot.


----------



## pinetree (Nov 29, 2009)

It's difficult to keep plants with goldfish because they love to eat plants. Some recommended plants to try with goldfish are: java fern, anubias, crypts and swords, hornwort, and anacharis. 

Goldfish also like to uproot plants so you may want to tie them to something or pot them.


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

I have my Barters Anubis and my goldfish completley ignores it. It also ignored my Red Telanthera, which grew VERY well when I had it under a grow light.

If the plants are new, it may also be eating snail eggs off of the plants. Back when I had two goldfish in a ten gallon (Wow, that was long ago!) They would attack the plants. One day I saw a snail on the glass, and their attacks on the plants stopped.


----------



## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

Ya I have plant weights on them that got thrown into the deal for buying so many plants, plus I got 4-5" of gravel in most areas so I made sure to burry them to the bottom with weights. and they dont bother the other plants just the wisteria and i gave it a test and let some leaves sit in thier for over a day and they have been eating them, so I might stop taking the ones they rip off out so they will eat them and not rip more off then they need.


----------

