Ok, let's get controversial.
There are millions of dollars, pounds, Euros (take your pick) being invested in producing beautiful artificial plants for freshwater aquariums and what a waste of time and effort.
What do they do for the fish? Absolutely nothing! I haven't yet met a fish that is happy on a diet of plastic.
Sure they look pretty, sometimes, and the colours set off the fish nicely, sometimes, but I bet your fish would look more colourful in a planted tank with healthy plants using up the nitrate and oxygenating the water.
If we are fish keepers, don't we owe it to the fish to produce as natural an environment as possible for them? Fish have evolved over millions of years to thrive in their natural environment.
Their natural environment includes plants, real live plants, not silk or plastic.
Real plants help to manage the water quality, they add oxygen, they provide cover and spawning ground for fish, they provide food for some species.
Fish in a planted aquarium are happier and often more brightly coloured and more active than fish kept with artificial plants.
So like I said why bother? Grow real plants, sure it's a little more effort but like gardening it is relaxing and rewarding.
Challenging and frustrating at times and yes, you'll have to do some research to find out exactly how to look after your plants but hey, it's worth it.
There are a lot of aquarium plants out there which are really easy to keep.
Buy yourself six or seven varieties, mix up the large with the small, add a couple of pieces of bog wood and a rock or two, some laterite in your substrate and then sit back and wait.
Okay, it's not that easy but it isn't difficult either.
If you have house plants, why not have house plants in your aquarium and keep your fish happier and healthier? Silk and plastic - So last year!
There are millions of dollars, pounds, Euros (take your pick) being invested in producing beautiful artificial plants for freshwater aquariums and what a waste of time and effort.
What do they do for the fish? Absolutely nothing! I haven't yet met a fish that is happy on a diet of plastic.
Sure they look pretty, sometimes, and the colours set off the fish nicely, sometimes, but I bet your fish would look more colourful in a planted tank with healthy plants using up the nitrate and oxygenating the water.
If we are fish keepers, don't we owe it to the fish to produce as natural an environment as possible for them? Fish have evolved over millions of years to thrive in their natural environment.
Their natural environment includes plants, real live plants, not silk or plastic.
Real plants help to manage the water quality, they add oxygen, they provide cover and spawning ground for fish, they provide food for some species.
Fish in a planted aquarium are happier and often more brightly coloured and more active than fish kept with artificial plants.
So like I said why bother? Grow real plants, sure it's a little more effort but like gardening it is relaxing and rewarding.
Challenging and frustrating at times and yes, you'll have to do some research to find out exactly how to look after your plants but hey, it's worth it.
There are a lot of aquarium plants out there which are really easy to keep.
Buy yourself six or seven varieties, mix up the large with the small, add a couple of pieces of bog wood and a rock or two, some laterite in your substrate and then sit back and wait.
Okay, it's not that easy but it isn't difficult either.
If you have house plants, why not have house plants in your aquarium and keep your fish happier and healthier? Silk and plastic - So last year!