Choosing Between Live and Artificial Aquarium Plants
There are many options that aquarists, advanced and new ones, to decide on creating a beautifully structured man-made habitat for collected fish and aquatic creatures. One of the options is between live plants and inedible plastic or silk-made artificial ones.
Live plants, either marine or freshwater ones, can provide an appearance of natural habitat for fish, invertebrates and other sea creatures in an aquarium. They have symbiotic characteristics with other moving aquarium creatures. They can give off oxygen which is needed by fish and other aqua faunas inside a fish tank. They can harbor bacteria that can help in waste breakdown. Some marine live plants can inhibit the growth of algae and may help in neutralizing the toxins in the aquarium water.
Other species of organic and cultured aquarium plants can serve as food sources for fish. Green and red algae in saltwater fish tank are among the favorites of herbivorous fish.
Meanwhile, some individuals may have preferences for artificial aquarium plants. These plants lack most beneficial qualities of live plants. However, artificial aquarium plants can serve as hiding places for little fish and can cover the in-tank equipment and air stone. They can not be eaten by fish and can easily be removed when getting dirty.
Artificial aquarium plants can still provide attractive display to an aquarium without the worry of decomposition and uprooting that would otherwise be seen on live plants.
Moreover, artificial aquarium plants would require less or no lighting. However, lighting should still be a component in aquaria with invertebrates, corals and fish.
Artificial aquarium plants are not attractive to parasites. Hence, little or no parasites can be found in an aquarium with this kind of material.
It is important to weigh the pros and cons in deciding between live plants and artificial aquarium plants for placing in a fish tank. Obtaining them may require costs. Cost can be a consideration for preferring a certain type of aquarium plant over the other.
There are aquarium shops that sell both types of aquarium plants. It may be helpful to seek for advice on which one is better preferred for integration in an aquarium. You may have the choice of putting two types of plants simultaneously in an aquarium.
Creating a beautiful fish tank would require certain things not just the fish and the aquarium equipment. Although aquarium plants, whether real or artificial ones, can be placed as enhancements in an aquarium, they can make the appearance of a fish tank closer to what can be seen in an underwater environment.
