Oxygen Plants For Goldfish

[Anthony DiMezza]

need some suggestions for a plant that will help with the oxygen in my 10 gallon goldfish tank

 

[Rtessy]

Hi there, goldfish are know for eating plants, some do some don't, but java ferns, java moss, and anubias are often said to be safe. Mine hates her veggies, so she's safe with any and all plants, and I highly recommend anacharis. It grows so fast it can take some nibbling.
That being said, the minimum tank size for goldfish is 20gallons, and another ten for each successive gallon. That's only for fancies though, single tails need more.
Again, that being said, most don't even get ten gallons so, hey, as long as you know about the nitrogen cycle your goldfish will get better care than most

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

Hi there, goldfish are know for eating plants, some do some don't, but java ferns, java moss, and anubias are often said to be safe. Mine hates her veggies, so she's safe with any and all plants, and I highly recommend anacharis. It grows so fast it can take some nibbling.
That being said, the minimum tank size for goldfish is 20gallons, and another ten for each successive gallon. That's only for fancies though, single tails need more.
Again, that being said, most don't even get ten gallons so, hey, as long as you know about the nitrogen cycle your goldfish will get better care than most

thanks and yeah im currently cycling a 20 gallon tank for them but until that is cycled my goldfish are eating bubbles and breaching the surface so they obviously aren't getting enough oxygen so i wanted to get them something to help them out until my 20 gallon is cycled. i was also looking at 's, how do you feel about those? and i also just ordered a java fern

 

[Rtessy]

Are you sure there's no ammonia? Do you have any surface flow? Plants won't help much at night if you don't have any surface flow because they end up taking in oxygen instead. Personally I haven't tried hornwort but I've heard it's messy, but it could work
Edit: there are three main reasons that goldfish will gasp at the surface in order of most likely to occur.
1. Ammonia poisoning: the ammonia harms the gills and doesn't let the fish absorb as much oxygen
2. Oxygen deprivation: no oxygen means breathing is hard
3. This doesn't occur often, but sometimes goldfish that are fed flakes for too long try to "scavenge" for food at the surface and accidentally gulp air. Long term this can contribute to swim bladder disorder

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

Are you sure there's no ammonia? Do you have any surface flow? Plants won't help much at night if you don't have any surface flow because they end up taking in oxygen instead. Personally I haven't tried hornwort but I've heard it's messy, but it could work
Edit: there are three main reasons that goldfish will gasp at the surface in order of most likely to occur.
1. Ammonia poisoning: the ammonia harms the gills and doesn't let the fish absorb as much oxygen
2. Oxygen deprivation: no oxygen means breathing is hard
3. This doesn't occur often, but sometimes goldfish that are fed flakes for too long try to "scavenge" for food at the surface and accidentally gulp air. Long term this can contribute to swim bladder disorder

i may have too much ammonia but i dont really have much surface flow just the water pouring out of my filter into the tank

 

[Galathiel]

How many and what type of goldfish do you have? 20 gallons is really only sufficient for one fancy goldfish. Depending on how many you have, it's more than likely ammonia issues in your 10 gallon. You may have to do large daily water changes (using Prime) on it until the fish can be moved.

 

[Rtessy]

Yeah, I'm going to have to agree, it's probably ammonia poisoning. Do you have any way of testing the exact amount? If you don't, I'd go ahead and do a 50% water change right now, because for mine the filter flow is sufficient, and mine is in a 10gallon QT, so I'd look at ammonia.

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

yeah i have an ammonia test kit which does say i have too much ammonia i was just hoping it would cycle sooner. i don't have fancy goldfish i have 2 regular long fin goldfish

 

[Galathiel]

If you could post a picture of your fish, it would help. Single tailed goldfish can grow up to a foot and really need around 100-125 gallons for two of them. Two "fancy" goldfish need around 30-40 gallons.

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

sure ill take a picture and post it either tonight or tomorrow. im currently at work and dont have a picture of them lol

 

[75g Discus Tank]

Also, what's the temp?

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

but i was also thinking the ammonia reading might be a false reading cause the male goldfish is chasing the female and trying to mate and i heard that the water in the tank has to be really good for that to happen but obviously i could be wrong cause as you can probably tell im new at this but i really like it and wanna get good at keeping my aquarium safe so i can maybe get other fish down the road.

Also, what's the temp?

temp stays between 69-72

so what can i do to increase surface flow? cause ill probably do that and get a plant

 

[Rtessy]

It's likely the reading is true, goldfish aren't that senstive and they'll try to mate in pretty much any water conditions. Go ahead and do a 50% today and tomorrow, and likely for a few more days. What's the exact ammonia reading? It should be at or under 0.25 during a fish in cycle, and should be 0 at all other times.

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

It's likely the reading is true, goldfish aren't that senstive and they'll try to mate in pretty much any water conditions. Go ahead and do a 50% today and tomorrow, and likely for a few more days. What's the exact ammonia reading? It should be at or under 0.25 during a fish in cycle, and should be 0 at all other times.

my ammonia reading is about 1.0 and i did a water change a few days ago but it didnt go down but i guess i have to do a few water changes once a day until it does down?

 

[Rtessy]

Yes, that's the best way to do it. Once you get it down you'll probably still have to do a 30% every other day, possibly more, possibly less depending on the levels. I hope it goes well for you

 

[75g Discus Tank]

Did you dechlorinate the water?

 

[Goldiemom]

Oh goodness. First, I am surprised your goldies are attempting to mate in a 10G tank. I would not spend a lot on trying to keep them in a tank either. Been there and done that. I had to move my comets to a 125G pond after less than 6 months. I moved them from a 10, to a 29, to a 55, and finally to the pond. They just don't work in a tank. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I am trying to keep you from making the same mistakes and wasting the same money that I did. Find them a pond. If you like goldfish (kudos to you because so do I), buy a couple of fancy goldfish and put them in a 29G or larger, larger is better. By the way, the only plants that I have found to work with goldfish are amazon swords, anubias, java fern and hornwort. I hated hornwort at first but now I love it for goldies. It helps suck up the nitrates too. Mine ate Anacharis like salad. All I would have were stalks sticking up with no growth on them. lol

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

Did you dechlorinate the water?

yeah i did everything to make sure the water was okay for them. i even tested the ammonia the first day i got them and it read zero

Oh goodness. First, I am surprised your goldies are attempting to mate in a 10G tank. I would not spend a lot on trying to keep them in a tank either. Been there and done that. I had to move my comets to a 125G pond after less than 6 months. I moved them from a 10, to a 29, to a 55, and finally to the pond. They just don't work in a tank. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I am trying to keep you from making the same mistakes and wasting the same money that I did. Find them a pond. If you like goldfish (kudos to you because so do I), buy a couple of fancy goldfish and put them in a 29G or larger, larger is better. By the way, the only plants that I have found to work with goldfish are amazon swords, anubias, java fern and hornwort. I hated hornwort at first but now I love it for goldies. It helps suck up the nitrates too. Mine ate Anacharis like salad. All I would have were stalks sticking up with no growth on them. lol

thanks, im new as you can tell and was obviously lied too by the pet store cause they said a 10 gallon would be fine lol but thank you, im going try and move them to a 20 gallon soon and hopefully that helps

 

[75g Discus Tank]

yeah i did everything to make sure the water was okay for them. i even tested the ammonia the first day i got them and it read zero

It was all zero when you got them because there’s wasn’t a source of ammonia. You have some ammonia problems so keep up the WCs.

Do you have the pics?

 

[Anthony DiMezza]

it’s not in there anymore[/QUOTE]

It was all zero when you got them because there’s wasn’t a source of ammonia. You have some ammonia problems so keep up the WCs.

Do you have the pics?

Igenore the heater it’s not in there anymore