Plastic vs Live Plants Goldfish Aquarium
It might be exciting to come up with ways to spruce up your goldfish tank, but it can also be frustrating if your fish starts tugging decorations out of the substrate. The appropriate additions to your tank are crucial because goldfish are notorious for their fondness of pulling down decorations and uprooting plants.
However, it might be difficult to even know what to look for when choosing plants for your goldfish. Since plastic plants are less likely to be damaged by rough goldfish, many people use them, but is this best for your goldfish?
Overview of Plastic Plants
You may find plastic plants in nearly any pet store you enter. In actuality, a lot of big-box retailers that sell pet products also sell plastic plants. Because most plastic plants can survive any punishment your goldfish may put them through, they are a good solution for goldfish. Since they are built to last, you may eventually save some time and money by using them.
But unlike actual plants, artificial plants don’t have the same advantages for cleaning water. Additionally, they could have jagged edges that harm your goldfish by catching on scales and fins. Also crucial to remember is that plastic, which has a negative environmental impact, is used to make plastic plants.
Options for Plastic Plants
There are a ton of options available when it comes to plastic plants. They come in pretty about any size, color, and shape you can imagine. There is a plastic plant for everyone, whether you want to give your tank a whimsical or realistic appearance. While silk leaves may be safer for your fish, certain plastic plants may have hard plastic leaves.
You may also like to read Why Don’t Goldfish Live Longer?
Overview of Live Plants
As the popularity of owning aquariums has grown, so has the selection of aquatic plants. However, aquatic live plants might be harder to find than plastic plants.
Selecting plants which will withstand your goldfish’s attempts to uproot and nibble on them is crucial because goldfish can be tough on live plants. The majority of live plants are safe for your goldfish and don’t have any sharp edges that could hurt them.
Options for Live Plants
Because they frequently reproduce faster than your goldfish could ever consume them, floating plants like duckweed and dwarf water lettuce are fantastic choices for goldfish tanks. Particularly in the case of duckweed. Goldfish generally do well with plants that grow attached to surfaces, such as Java fern and Anubias.
Other Things to Consider
Remember that compared to artificial plants, live plants do demand more time and work. While plastic plants don’t require special substrates or nutrient supplements, certain actual plants might.
In order to maintain the beauty of your living plants, you might also need to spend time on propagation or trimming. Live plants require specialized illumination, whereas artificial plants don’t.
Despite the additional work, live plants are much better for your goldfish than plastic ones. Additionally, because they leave a significantly lower negative environmental footprint than plastic plants do, they are better for the environment.
The Plastic Plant We Love
The 3 foot long bamboo from Marineland is a fantastic solution for your goldfish tank.
These artificial bamboo strands will assist fill up tank space while giving your goldfish an engaging atmosphere. Although it can float, it is designed to be fastened to the tank’s bottom, causing the long ends of the strands to float above the water.
Our Preferred Living Plant
Nothing is more suitable for your goldfish tank when it comes to live plants than anubias.
The thick, unattractive leaves of this plant are tough enough to be the last thing your goldfish should try to eat. They do a fantastic job of assisting in the water filtration process and can grow on to tank surfaces.
Conclusion
The best option for your goldfish aquarium is live plants. This is because they improve the tank ecology, eliminate waste products inside the tank, and give the tank a more natural appearance. Although plastic plants are durable, they are not good for the environment, they don’t help to filter the water in the tank, and they can have sharp edges that could harm goldfish.
