Seeking Advice On Coldwater Tank

[IAmATeaf]

I have a 200 litre coldwater tank housing a 5" Goldfish and 3" Paradise fish. Substrate currently is slate chips, the chips being on average around 1" and have a couple of fake plants. The Goldfish does make the tank messy so the slate requires a regular siphon/clean.

Now I want to introduce some more fish so was going to get some Minnows, say 4-6 but I want to know is is this a good idea and also what I need to change in the tank first.

I was thinking of getting rid of the slate and going for small gravel and getting some more fake plants as I don't think with the Goldfish and the regular need to clean the substrate I could go for real plants?

Any words of wisdom from the experts would be appreciated

 

[fluttermoth]

I wouldn't add minnows, tbh; the goldies will munch on them as soon as they're large enough and the paradise fish are probably too aggressive.

You can go for real plants, but you'll have to accept that the goldies will pull them up at treat them as their own personal salad bar! It's good for them though, both nutritionally and psychologically

Cheap, bunched, pond plants, like elodea or cabomba are probably your best bet (they'll grow left floating in the tank as well), though you could try Java fern attached to some wood or rocks (it will rot if planted in the substrate) as it apparently tastes quite bitter (though I haven't tried it myself ) and is left alone by most fish.

 

[IAmATeaf]

#40##, that's put a stopper on my plans to do more with my tank.

Any suggestions on what I can add, no Goldfish though