Goldfish and Lilies

[Kim]

I'm thinking about getting a water lily and i'm afraid my goldfish will eat the plant? The plants are potted and are fixing to start blooming. They have ate the roots off my water hyacinths and frogbit so i'm not sure if i want to spend the $25 for the lilies just for them to kill them too.

 

[Tula]

When I had gold fish they sometimes bothered my lilies, but nothing like my koi do. I'm having success with lilies this year, but I wrapped and zip tied the pots in deer fencing

 

[JBtheExplorer]

My shubunkins and Comets have never bothered any water lilies I've had. Most they'll do is pull algae off.

 

[Kim]

Ok so they don't bother nothing but the roots if not covered? I wasn't sure if they ate the stalk thing or the pads or flowers??

 

[addy1]

mine ignore my lilies, they just swim in among them

 

[haver79]

Same here, I only have goldfish, never bother the lilies.

 

[Kim]

I bought one today so with me luck!

 

[haver79]

Kim most put their lilies in the pond a little shallow if they are young plants and not many longer stems. I set mine on top of a milk create or a large nursery pot turned upside down till the pads reach the surface. Then they can be lowered to deeper water. But you can put them in deeper if you like, the pads will make it to the surface. I think more do that in the spring when the water is cooler though. Is your lily already planted in a pot? Dont forget to fertilize every month or so.

 

[Kim]

Yes it already came potted and has small gravel on top and I have it about 6 inches from the top of the pond.

 

[CometKeith]

My lilies are at least 3-4 feet below the surface, but I have had them a few years. It seem like they do better and don't get disturbed as much when your place them away from the perimeter of the pond and more towards the middle. Also the flowers last longer because they aren't disturbed as much in the middle. My goldfish don't bother my lilies but for that matter my goldfish don't bother any of my plants. It's the darn frogs that keep jumping back into the pond that bother my plants the most because sometimes they crush the little ones when they jump back in.

 

[j.w]

I have never seen my goldfish bother the lilies when they are putting up nice new pads and blooms but I have seen them rip apart the dead pads that turn mushy brown and actually eat them like crazy. I wish they would eat all the old pads as it would cut down on my having to pull them out

 

[Kevin Koloff]

So what plant(s) are best for goldfish food that won't overtake the pond?