Can Freshwater Fish Live With Any Plant?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Fish tend to feel safe which encourages them to stay out in the open and develop more vivid colors

. Plants encourage many types of fish to spawn and give newly-hatched fry a place to hide while they grow.

Do freshwater fish need live plants?


Freshwater aquarium plants are an essential item to add to your aquatic habitat

. While some pet parents opt for plastic plants for their freshwater aquarium, adding live aquatic plants can provide environmental benefits their fake counterparts can't.

Can fish live with live plants?


Adding live plants in your aquarium helps recreate a natural ecosystem in miniature, and may be one of the most beneficial ways to keep your fish healthy

. Plants provide shelter and security for the fish. Because they compete with algae for nutrients, they can help to reduce algae growth.

Can you put any plant in a fish tank?

All that said,

there are some marginal plants that hold up well in a fish tank

. Bog plants such as Amazon swords, crypts, and Java fern will survive submerged, although they will do better if allowed to send leaves up out of the water. However, aerial leaves usually get burned by aquarium lights.

Can I plant aquarium plants in gravel?


Gravel size between 3-8 mm thick is recommended for aquarium plants

as large gravel tends to block root growth, whereas small gravel can easily damage fragile plant roots. It is also widely suggested by plant experts that substrate soil should be mixed with gravel.

Do fish need fake plants in their tank?

Can plants make fish sick?


Plant Rot and Ammonia

Rotted plant material can decay in your aquarium and build up ammonia in your tank. As ammonia builds up, the ammonia turns into nitrite. Nitrite, in high levels, is toxic to your fish.

Are my plants killing my fish?



An overabundance of aquatic plants can strain a pond's ecosystem and potentially lead to a fish kill

,” said Pattillo. “During daylight hours, plants produce oxygen and raise the water pH, yet at the same time the plants respire, removing oxygen and adding carbon dioxide and lowering the pH.

What do you need for live plants in a fish tank?

Layer the bottom of the aquarium with 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm) of

aquarium gravel (that's about 11⁄2 pounds of gravel per gallon of water), or other substrate designed for plants

. Add aquarium-plant fertilizer according to the instructions on the label. Fill the aquarium halfway with water. Add plants.

What plants can I grow in my fish tank?

  • Moneywort.
  • Hornwort.
  • Rotala Rotundifolia.
  • Pygmy Chain Sword.
  • Hygrophilia Polysperma.
  • Cryptocoryne Wendttii.
  • Anubia Nana.
  • Java Fern.

Can succulents grow in a fish tank?

Though

succulents can be grown using hydroponic methods, you can't just take a soil-growing succulent and immerse it in your aquarium substrate

. Equipped with a Tetra 3i filter to keep your tank clean and provide a perfect environment for small tropical fish.

Do fish eat plants?

In their natural environment,

both herbivorous and omnivorous fish are adept at finding edible plants

, and “domestic” fish like fish plant food as well. Whether your fish are in an aquarium or a pond in your backyard, you can provide plenty of aquatic plants for fish to munch on.

Can I put a spider plant in my betta tank?

Some popular species of these plants are the Peace Lilies and Bamboo we mentioned above as well as some ivy, Philodendrons,

Spider Plants

, Water Clover, Sensitive Plant, Violets and many more.

Can you leave aquarium plants in pots?


It perfectly ok to leave your aquarium plants in pots

or even add them in bigger containers instead of pacing them in a substrate, attaching them on driftwood and rocks, or even floating them.

Can aquarium plants grow in LED light?


Yes, aquarium plants will definitely grow under LED as long as the light emits in the right spectrum

. Regular white LEDs are great and will allow your plants to thrive.

Can aquarium plants grow without soil?


Anubias barteri ‘nana'

has been a long staple in the aquarium trade. It is hardy, and often sold attached to driftwood wood which allows easy placement in fish-only tanks as it doesn't require soil to grow. This also means that it can be moved around for alternate tank arrangements.

How often should you change live plants in a fish tank?


2-3 times per week

will help reduce the risk of algae outbreaks during the most fragile stages in the life of your aquarium. Your tank will mature over time and only then should you reduce the frequency of water changes each week.

Can you add plants and fish at the same time?


You can add live plants at any point

. When you are setting up your aquarium, you can add plants directly after you added the water. If there is a substrate, the water will still be cloudy. In established tanks, you are free to add plants whenever.

How long do live plants last in an aquarium?

Aquarium plants can live

up to 3 days without light

, but for more fragile plants I would definitely recommend keeping it under 2 days. Leaves will turn pale quickly, and can in turn weaken the plan.

Is it hard to keep aquarium plants?

So, are aquarium plants hard to keep?

No, aquarium plants are not hard to keep

. But you do have to provide them the ideal environment i.e. you have to maintain the ideal water parameters (temperature, pH, and hardness). And you have to provide them the ideal lighting conditions and regularly feed them fertilizers.

Are water plants good for goldfish?


Anubias plants are ideal for goldfish tanks

since they prefer to grow outside of the substrate. Their root systems are adapted to take nutrients directly from the water column and will rot if buried in the substrate.

Do plants carry ich?


New plants can carry Ich

. During part of its life cycle Ich falls off the fish and most of them land on the floor of the tank. But not all. Some of these Ich will land on plants, rocks, driftwood and ceramic merpeople.

Are live plants good for goldfish?

Keeping live plants in your goldfish tank has a ton of benefits though, including improving water quality by increasing oxygenation and reducing waste products, providing shelter for fry, and creating an overall enriching and natural environment for your goldfish.

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.