The Best Fish for a Planted Aquarium

A planted aquarium employs the use of living plants to create an environment that more closely resembles a natural ecosystem. Certain fish are more beneficial to this mini-ecosystem, but you must consider the temperament of the individual species you select to determine whether they are compatible with other species you may be considering.

  1. Avoid Over-Crowding

    • When fish are overcrowded, you increase the risk of illness, upsetting the Ph balance of your tank and increased fighting between species. A widely accepted rule for populating your tank is 1 inch per gallon of water. Another, lesser-used, method determines the ideal number of fish by calculating surface area. Always plan your tank population before you start purchasing fish.

    Schooling

    • When choosing species that form schools, include no fewer than six per species to accommodate their natural behavior. Zebra Danios, Swordtails and most varieties of tetras are ideal schooling fish for the planted tank. They will add interest and movement to your tank, as they move in schools and spend most of their time in the top half of the tank.

    Cleaning

    • Once you have established your planted aquarium, the never-ending job of keeping algae under control becomes a big task. Add species known for their algae-eating ability. You may already be familiar with the bottom-feeding variety of algae eaters, but also remember to include species that clean algae from the top half of the tank, such as American flag fish, guppies, swordtails and oto cats.

    Size

    • Populate your tank with fish in accordance with the size of your tank. Use common sense: put larger fish in a larger tank and small fish in a smaller tank. Never put extremely small fish with fish large enough to eat them unless the larger species is strictly vegetarian.

    Behavior

    • When populating your planted tank, only combine fish that cohabitate well. Tiger barbs and most cichlids are known for their fin-nipping habits; especially avoid putting them in a tank with fish such as angels and guppies. These species' lovely flowing fins are more of a temptation than the tiger barbs can stand.

    Shrimp

    • Although shrimp are technically not a fish, some species make an interesting addition to the planted tank. The algae-eating ghost, Amano and red cherry varieties of this crustacean and have become widely available.