FishProfiles.com Message Forums

If the profile of a fish states that the ideal tank should be heavily planted, do the plants have to be real or would the fish be just as comfortable in a tank which is heavily planted with fake plants? Does it depend on the species? If so, I am thinking along the lines of killifish.

I believe in this situation that they are talking about live plants.

However, that doesn't mean that you couldn't keep killies anyways. It would just be the preferred method of keeping them.

---

Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

i don't think it matters, but if the fish eats plants then i would guess that it would have to be real plants.

usually the fish just needs a lot of plants for cover to hide in and feel safe. some need it for eating. some just like them. I have one who is a bottom dwelling fish who prefers darker, murkier water and a heavily planted tank helps to provide him with necessary dark areas, it allows the other fish to have cover, and they just like swimming and playing in them. Plus, live plants have the added benifit of helping improve your water quality by using nitrates and other harmful things in the water. hope this helps.

p.s. I have two tanks with a lot of live plants and still prefer the look of fake plastic plants. its just a quirk

foj1428

I depends on several factors.
Some species will dig live plants up.
Personal coice.
Cost and upkeep.
Plastic plants never change and can become very booring after a time
Finally the type of aquscaped tank you are aiming at.

Personally I prefer a fully planted using the mininm plant species and having it develop its own style like a jungle.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

[font color="#000080"] Real plants DEFINITELY improve water quality, and if i was a fish, i think i would like them better... however, in every tank i have ever had, my fishies nibbled my plants to death, i would give them vegetables and fruit flies and all kinds of non-aquarium plant foods, but still they ate them, and judging by the green poo, there was usually more than one culprit... but if you aren't planning to keep any grazers then you should be ok.

Note to self... buy replacement plant... again... maybe a different variety? [/font]

What kind of plants were you using, Alexandre?

There are some kinds of plants, such as Java Fern and Anubias, that very few fish will bother.

---

I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

The light in my tank is not fantastic so I'm going to go with mostly fake plants but maybe with some Java fern added to help keep the water quality in check. My LFS has some floating Amazon frogbit so I might also get some of this to add some shady areas.

I believe in the case of killifish the plants are there more for the purpose of breeding. When I got my gardneris from ACIDRAIN, I asked him how to get them to breed. He said something along the lines of: "Just stuff, literally stuff, hornwort into the tank and that's where they'll lay their eggs."

If you want your killis to breed, I'd suggest you do that. You'd have to research the specific type of killi that you're looking into just to be sure, though. If breeding isn't your goal, plastic plants should be just fine. Of course IMO real plants look better, but it's your tank and your call

><>Dani<><

[font color="#000080"]Cory Addict,

I believe that the type I usually plant is Egeria Najans. My fishies seem to love it~ and it flourishes, but as soon as i trim it back they start munching on it... mostly my goldfish do, but i have caught others participating in the feast. I have had this strange experience in 5, 10, and 20 gallon tanks, and I usually provide my fish with a variety of food beyond their regular flakes.

Any thoughts? [/font]

I have only kept one type of killie: Fundulopanchax gardneri, N'sukka . I have a pair in a 12 gal. Started out with no plants..only a few fake..a bubble strip that was somewhat off the bottom (and the male killie took to living here). After I realized they had already spawned twice..and not many fry survived (hadn't realized they had already spawned)..I added some floating hornwort. The bottom of the tank is large river sized gravel, and the smaller fry get down in it. But this type of killie needs some kind of cover, if not live plants, fake..for the female to get a break from the male..and for the fry to survive, in a natural way (without a mop).

Alexandre,

Goldfish are notorious plant munchers and the soft Egeria in particular is like a Waldorf salad to them.

Try tougher varities like Java Fern and Anubias, these are also easy to keep and have no special requirements for light etc.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.