Enhancing Your Aquarium with Live Plants
Author: Vejay Anand
For many aquarium enthusiasts, the allure of a lush underwater landscape brimming with live plants is undeniable. While plastic plants may serve as a quick decorative fix, their colors tend to fade and become magnets for unsightly algae over time. The solution? Embrace the beauty and benefits of natural live plants in your aquarium.
Aqua Flora: The Basics
Aquarium plants come in a splendid variety of sizes and colors and can be easily acquired at your local fish store. Some plants exclusively thrive underwater and are typically bundled together, while others can grow both submerged and partially above the waterline and are usually sold in plastic containers. Opting for these container-grown plants ensures they are free from snails and parasites that might hitch a ride from store display tanks to your home aquarium.
When planting live aquatic flora, there's no strict formula or set of rules dictating how much coverage you should provide in a community aquarium. The primary goal is to offer adequate hiding spots for your fish to feel secure while creating a natural and comfortable environment for them to swim in. The idea is to provide a tranquil, harmonious ecosystem for your aquatic friends to thrive.
Choosing Your Greenery
While building your aquatic plant collection, consider adding a floating plant such as water sprite or hornwort. These plants lend a delicate aesthetic and gently diffuse light into the aquarium, providing the perfect haven for newborn fry. As fish feel more at ease breeding in this environment, fry can easily hide within the plants, significantly increasing their chances of survival. This presents an exciting opportunity for children to observe the life cycle of their aquatic companions, adding an extra layer of fascination to your community aquarium.
For taller plants like sword plants and anchors, position them in the substrate along the aquarium's back, sides, and corners. Smaller plants, such as hair grass and anubias nana, can be artfully arranged in front of these towering specimens. The central area of the show should be left open, ensuring that the fish have ample room to explore. You'll promote more active and natural behavior in your aquatic community by giving them this space among the greenery to dart into when startled.
A grand, leafy plant, or one perched on a rock or sunken log, can be a captivating centerpiece in larger aquariums.
More Perks of Real Plants
Besides enhancing the aesthetics of your aquarium, live plants offer various advantages. They can provide a supplementary food source for your fish and contribute to natural algae prevention.
In fish-only aquariums that solely feature plastic plants, the only food source for the inhabitants is the packaged fish food introduced once or twice daily. This dependence on human-provided nutrition can lead to potential health issues and heightened vulnerability to disease if fish don't receive a varied diet. With live plants, fish can snack naturally throughout the day. While not all fish consume plants, most enjoy picking at the leaves and the microorganisms that grow on them when no other food is available. A diverse diet can help maintain your community aquarium's overall health and vitality.
Algae typically proliferate when there are excess nitrogen and phosphorus-containing nutrients in the water, coupled with light exposure (even low light) and no competitors to absorb these nutrients. In a planted aquarium, live plants can outcompete algae for these essential nutrients, effectively helping to reduce the presence of algae. Once your planted aquarium reaches a balanced state, the live plants will assist in keeping algae at bay, minimizing the need for regular cleaning. Keep in mind that a bit of algae is standard and often consumed by some fish, further contributing to the natural beauty of your aquatic haven.
Ultimately, live plants will make your aquarium look extraordinary and help control unsightly algae growth.
