Fake Aquarium Plants

I prefer fake aquarium plants for many reasons. Allow me to list some of them for you:

• Fake plants require no additional sunlight, which can cause the aquarium owner to constantly battle against algae.
• Fake plants require no additional C02, which saves the aquarium owner the need to buy a C02 set up.
• Fake plants will not die and decay, fouling the water and causing spikes in dangerous chemicals.
• Fake plants cannot be eaten by boisterous, hungry fish such as cichlids.
• Fake plants will not be uprooted by the aforementioned boisterous fish.

Don't get me wrong. I think a planted tank is a beautiful thing. However, if you're a beginner, if you have large fish, or if you simply don't have the time to maintain a planted aquarium, there is no shame in buying and using fake aquarium plants.

The choices of fake plants are usually plastic or silk. Plastic plants are cheaper, though they look much more fake than silk plants and are tougher too. If you have delicate fish with flowing fins, like Bettas, you may find that some plastic plants are too much for them. The old fish keepers trick is to drag a pair of pantyhose over the plant. If the pantyhose snag, there's a chance your fishes fins will snag too.

Why Do I Need Plants In My Fish Tank?

Why bother with plants at all? Well, fish like them for starters, they provide cover and they break up the monotony of the tank. It's the difference between sitting in a bare room and sitting in a room with some furniture in it, no, you don't absolutely need it, but it makes you feel happier and reduces stress.

Fish can survive in bare tanks and some people do keep them in bare tanks, but most fish will prefer a variety of rocks, caves and plants to create a more natural setting.

How Much Do Fake Aquarium Plants Cost?

Plastic plants can start off at just a couple of dollars and go up from there depending on the size and quality of the plant. If you have a larger tank, I recommend buying several of the same type if you like it. It is very hard to have too many fake plants, and if you do, by some chance, end up with a few too many, you can always put them away into storage for later. Unlike real plants, they won't die and rot.

I'm personally a very big fan of plastic grass mats which come in long and short variants. They can create a lovely 'grass carpet' illusion in your tank, and if you lump the substrate up under them here and there, you can also get a lovely 'undulating hills and valleys' look to your tank.