About Dangerous Artificial Plants in Aquariums

Artificial plants are used by many aquarium owners to add a place for fish to hide and also to decorate the tank. The problem with this is that if the plants are not used correctly or are not taken care of correctly, they can be dangerous to the fish and overall health of the tank. Choosing the right plants and caring for them in the correct manner can make artificial plants a viable option for those who do not want to use live plants in their tanks.

  1. Identification

    • Artificial plants come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from less than an inch in height and width to several feet tall. Most artificial plants that are meant for aquariums come with some sort of base on them that can be filled with substrate to keep them from floating on top of the tank.

    Dangers

    • There are many dangers associated with using artificial plants in an aquarium. One of the biggest problems is plants that contain metal somewhere in them. Over time the metal within the plants can rust and the rust can pollute the tank, which is not good for the health of the fish within it. Aquarium owners must be sure that after cleaning plants or upon first use that they do not have any contaminants on them that will pollute the tank. Soaps or cleansers are easily left on the plants in trace amounts with chemicals that could cause the fish to become ill. Artificial plants may seem easier but one drawback of them is that they don't absorb toxins the way that live plants do. In a case where toxins are in the tank, the artificial plants would not help to remove them from the water to protect the fish, which could become dangerous.

    Choosing the Right Plants

    • Choose plants that are not only safe for use in water and with livestock, but plants that fit your tank well. Over crowding the water space with too many plants may not allow for fish to move about freely, while some fish will have a hard time if you don't have enough plants. Finding the perfect balance is something that you may have to experiment with but a good rule of thumb is to have enough plants for each fish to hide during resting times but still leave 50 percent of the water space for swimming.

    Benefits and Drawbacks

    • While there are dangers associated with choosing the wrong plants for your aquarium you will find that there are also some benefits to choosing the right plants for your tank. Some of these advantages include the fact that artificial plants will not create waste when the plant dies, won't transfer parasites to your aquarium and are usually easy to clean. Artificial plants don't require any special lighting. Drawbacks associated with artificial plants include the inability to absorb CO2 nor do they give it off. Artificial plants also cannot be used as a source of food and they will not carry healthy bacteria or absorb unhealthy bacteria.

    Proper Cleaning

    • The best way to clean artificial plants to avoid contaminating the tank is to remove all of the plants from the tank and clean them with nothing but water. First place each plant under running water. Next, fill a sink or bathtub with hot water and let the plants soak for an hour to aide in the removal of any algae on the surface of the plants. Run them through running water again to remove any remaining algae and then let them air dry. Replace plants in your tank at this time.