Silk Plants for My Aquarium With Suction Cups

Silk plants can provide a more natural look than plastic aquarium plants. Those silk plants look great in any part of your tank, but lining the back wall of your aquarium with silk plants on suction cups can be especially attractive. You can find these silk plants at your local pet store and use them to create a natural look and feel for aquariums of any size.

  1. Proper Placement

    • The placement of your silk plants is essential, since those plants are only as useful as the suction cups that secure them. Placing the suction cups along the back wall of your aquarium can create a natural look that mimics the appearance of a freshwater lake or stream. When placing those plants, however, it is a good idea to put them high enough so that fish digging in the gravel do not disturb them. Many fish, including cichlids, love to dig in the gravel, and that digging could disturb the plant and loosen the suction cups.

    Attractive Colors

    • When selecting silk plants for your aquarium, it is important to choose attractive colors that complement and accent the appearance of your fish. If you want a natural look, choosing silk plants in browns and greens allows you to faithfully re-create the natural habitat of your fish. If you prefer a more whimsical appearance, you can find silk plants in bright colors and add a bit of flair to your tank.

    Cleaning Techniques

    • Silk plants are very attractive, but only if they are cleaned the right way. Silk plants can attract and hold algae even more than plastic plants do, and that means they need to be cleaned regularly. The best way to clean silk plants is to soak them in a bucket of warm but not hot water. (Hot water could damage the suction cups or cause the colors to fade.)

    Mixing Plants

    • Plants with suction cups can be a good addition to your aquarium, but chances are, they will not be enough decoration on their own. Creating a natural-looking aquarium means adding a number of different plants and decorations to your tank, including live plants, plastic plants, silk plants, driftwood and other flourishes. You also need to add plants in a variety of heights for a natural look.