About Freshwater Ecosystems With Fish & Plants

Plants are an essential part of an aquatic ecosystem. They help oxygenate the water and remove harmful toxins from the water while at the same time providing shelter for fish. Fish provide fertilizer for the plants.

  1. Nitrogen Cycle

    • Fish waste, uneaten food and decaying plant matter produce ammonia which is broken down by beneficial bacteria into a less toxic form that is usable as fertilizer for plants.

    Shelter

    • Plants provide shelter for small and skittish fish as well as creating shaded areas to cool the water on hot summer days.

    Microorganisms

    • Plants provide a place for nitrifying bacteria and other microorganisms to grow that are the foundation of the food chain in the ecosystem.

    Fish Nursery

    • Fry need thickly planted areas to seek shelter from predators. Some fry can only eat microscopic organisms in the first week of life, and plant thickets provide the perfect environment for their culture.

    Algae

    • Plants remove the available nutrients in the water and out-compete lower order vegetation such as the undesirable unicellular algae by starving it out.