Home aquariums arent just for keeping fish and other water-loving creatures. They are also for keeping live aquarium plants. Sometimes, people prefer to not deal with the fish or snails and just keep live plants as an unusual indoor garden. And live aquarium plants are more easily available to the hobbyist than ever before. Back in the 1970s, only a few plants were available in pet stores. Now youre spoiled for choice. But, live plants need more work than plastic plants. Are they worth the bother?

The Advantages

Live aquarium plants do offer advantages for your tank. They absorb nitrate and ammonia and produce oxygen. They act like natural filters to help keep the chemical balance of your tank water healthy. They also are visually pretty and quite vibrant, being able to fit in with any interior dcor. Some plants need to just float on the top of the water, which makes maintenance easier. And there is no danger from any strange paint or chemical leaking from a plastic plant seeing into the water. Most live aquarium plants cost just about the same as plastic plants.

The Disadvantages

Most fish, like goldfish, like to eat live aquarium plants. Since live aquarium plants tend to reproduce rather quickly, the fishs appetite can be advantageous. You need to choose plants your fish will not like to eat, as they can eat really quickly. You also need to check the plants daily, like you do the fish, for any signs of ill health. They need light and proper food.

They also can carry snails. While snails are cute, they also are prolific breeders. Soon, youll have more snails than you know what to do with. Check with the seller of the live aquarium plants. Some, such at PetSmart, come individually wrapped and are de-snailed. But it is good to quarantine the plants in a tiny tank or even a bucket with gravel and water treated as you would for your tank. Live aquarium plants can bring diseases to your other live aquarium plants.

Fish and changing the water in your tank can easily uproot a plant. If they are uprooted for too long, they are cut off from their food supply and will starve to death. You can tie them down or concentrate on floating plants. Some hobbyist recommend buying several types of live aquarium plants at once to see right away what ones work with your fish and what ones dont.

BIG 40 MANGROVES MANGROVE SALTWATER AQUARIUM REEF TANK CORAL FILTRATION PLANTS    US $53.00 48 4 ft T5 Lighting Aquarium Light Hood Freshwater Fish Plant Discus 162W Timer    US $93.95 48 T5 HO Aquarium Light Hood Freshwater Plant 216W New    US $94.95 96W 24 T5 Aquarium German Reflector Light Fixture Fluorescent Freshwater Plant    US $82.95 36 78W T5 HO Aquarium Light Hood Fish Freshwater Plant 2X39 Fluorescent Lamp CE    US $58.95 New Pro 300w LED Aquarium Fish Tank Coral Light Blue White Plant Grow    US $314.99 5Pc Aquarium Plant Tools Set STAINLESS STEEL SCISSORS TWEEZERS gravel Leveler ph    US $56.97 120w LED Aquarium Coral Light Blue White Plant Grow Fish Light    US $149.48