5 Best Aquatic Plants For Your Goldfish.

Every beginner goldfish parent needs these five beginner-friendly aquatic plants for their fish tank or bowl.

In the world of taking care of fish, goldfish is perhaps the most beginner-friendly of all the pet fishes out there. People who want to start raising fish friends will need to set up their fishbowl or aquarium to raise happy and healthy goldfishes.

Even young kids can easily take care of a goldfish.

While plastic fish tank plants are affordable and easy to get, they can be toxic for your fish. Don’t fret because there are affordable aquatic plants you can put in your goldfishes’ tank. Here are five of them: 

Anubias

Anubias plants are one of the easiest aquatic plants to take care of. They have bright green leaves and can grow on driftwood or rock. However, you can find unique aquarium planters to secure them and prevent your fish from digging into your plants.

Anubias.

These plants are low-maintenance as they can grow with low light. In turn, you don’t have to worry about installing pricey tank lighting to keep them alive. While they are hardy and easy to care for, anubias plants prefer environments with little to no algae. Regularly clean your tank to keep your fish and plants alive.

Marimo Balls

Marimo balls are cute, puffy green mosses that are popular as pets for some people. While you can raise them as aquatic pets/plant babies, they are great companions for your goldfish. Just place them in your fish or tank to let them grow with your fish.

Marimo Balls.

Marimo balls are pretty small and grow slow. Due to their size, they are suitable plants for smaller fishbowls. People renting apartments in Parañaque can now raise goldfish with a few Marimo ball friends without taking up a lot of space in their bedroom or living area.

Java Fern

Java ferns are another beginner-friendly plant you can put in your goldfishes’ habitat. Their leaves look similar to anubias plants but are longer and slightly narrower. Attach them to driftwood, rocks, or special planter to keep them from moving around your tank or bowl.

Java Fern.

You can also propagate your java ferns to create smaller plants for when you expand your tank. Trim off a leaf or two, let them float in your water vessel, then wait for plantlets to sprout from the ferns’ black spots. You’ll never have to buy new java fern plants for your other goldfish tanks or bowls.

Amazon Sword

If you plan to grow your goldfish in a TV-sized aquarium or a pond, amazon sword plants are excellent greens as decoration and habitat.

Amazon Sword.

Their tall green leaves provide aesthetics and protection for smaller fishes. Note that these plants are pretty tasty for your fish; however, amazon swords grow fast and have a stable root system that prevents any fish from nibbling on them.

Bolbitis Fern

Most aquarium plants have tall, bright green leaves. So if you’re looking for greeneries that look different from the usual fish tank plants, consider getting Bolbitis ferns. They have textured, emerald green leaves, making them unique decorations for your goldfishes’ habitat.

Bolbitis Fern.

Bolbitis ferns require higher water pH and hardiness to thrive. You might also have to invest in tank lighting as these special ferns prefer low to medium light to grow beautifully and healthily.

Overall, choosing the right plants for your goldfishes’ habitat is crucial to their health and survival. These five aquatic plants provide shelter and nutrition for your fish and water and aesthetics for your tank. Check your local pet store and see which plants you can get for your new goldfish kingdom.

How to Keep a Garden in the City.

It's been more than a year since I moved out of our ancestral home and started living in the city. And while I do love and enjoy the convenience of living in a place where everything is easily accessible - supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, even my son's school - there are a few things about our ancestral home that I miss from time to time. 

For starters, there's my niece and nephew, who lived next door to our old place. I miss their noise and laughter, and being able to see them, play with them, and shower them with hugs and kisses everyday. I miss my grandmother, who also lived in another house next door to mine. I miss going through her fridge and pantry, hanging out in her bedroom, and talking to her about random stuff. Most of all, I miss our sprawling garden, which was one of the best, and my most favorite feature of our ancestral home. Our garden had all sorts of plants - ornamentals, shrubs, climbers, creepers, trees even. My grandmother was the 'plauntie' of all 'plaunties', and she tended to her plants lovingly despite her chronic back pain. 

Sunshine and laughter - my mother and my grandmother in the garden.

When we moved to our new place here in the city, it never really dawned on me to start keeping a garden, let alone grow a plant indoors. But then COVID-19 happened, and this whole gardening craze started because people were confined to their homes and turned to all sorts of recreational activities to cope with the pandemic. I was one of them.

I started with a small Adolphi plant that I got as a gift from my sister-in-law, and the next thing I knew, our tiny apartment became some sort of urban jungle. My boys are not complaining, though, and they find it really funny whenever I'd come home with a new plant, new pots, or gardening tools on the rare occasions that I would leave the house to run errands or do the groceries.

The succulent that started it all.

If you're thinking of starting your own urban garden, here are some tips:

Size Up Your Space

Whether you have a tiny hallway, a small patio, a bit of a balcony, or an entire rooftop, you need to measure how much space you've got to give you an idea of how large your garden can be. For instance, majority of the houses for sale in Toronto have yards that are perfect for container gardening. Another option is vertical gardening which work well for apartment dwellers or people living in small spaces.

Pothos varieties.

Pot 'em If You Can't Plant 'em

Potted plants are the best option if you don't have gardening beds. In choosing the perfect pots, consider the following - what plants will you grow, how many pots do you need, will you grow multiple plants or different plants in one pot. Self-watering containers are a good option if you're a gardening newbie or a busybody that can't stick to a regular watering schedule. If you have limited space, you might want to consider using hanging pots or windowsill pots as well. 

Choose Your Plants Wisely

When choosing or shopping for plants, you always need to keep in mind how much space you have at home. Don't overcrowd your plants, and don't dream of growing plants that are too big for modest spaces. Choose plants that grow up rather than spread out. If you're leaning towards vegetables and herbs, only plant those that you will actually eat. Some urban gardeners grow plants that go together with their favorite dishes - like tomato and basil for their pasta, and rosemary and thyme for sauces, soups, and stews. 

Aglaonema varieties.

Follow the Sun

Make the most out of your gardening space by choosing plants that can thrive in different locations. Flowering plants love the sun, and will grow well in a patio that basks in sunlight or a bright windowsill. Plants with bright or variegated foliage are most suitable near bright windows, but out of direct sunlight. Snake plants, ZZ plants, and peace lilies are great for growing indoors, as they are known for their resilience and ability to proliferate even in dim corners.

Have Fun

Gardening is an activity that's good for the mind and body. It's a great stress-reliever especially during these times, and it's a fun and relaxing way to get in touch with nature, get some sunshine, and even work up some sweat. It's also a wonderful learning experience, especially for the first-time gardeners. Mistakes are inevitable, and you might end up killing a plant or two along the way, but you can always try growing them again.