My tank has all fake plants in it. Is this bad?

[Fuzzy Fins]

I am new to the fishkeeping hobby. I recently got a 30 gal tank and it has danios, a molly, a guppy, and a platy (I plan on getting more mollies, guppies and platies). Anyway, every plant I've put in there is a plastic one. Is this a bad thing? I've heard the fish eat the plant and stuff, and the plants help with the water...but are they nessisary? I was just wondering..

 

[Punkymom]

No. They aren't necessary. They do help with the water quality and oxygen, but the fish don't really know the difference. They don't care if the plants are green, or neon pink, either. HTH!

 

[TankGirl]

I agree. I do think plants are something to consider in the future, but they have all their own requirements and if you are new to this, concentrating on the needs of your fish is enough! It does aid in the processing of waste, but I have never had a problem keeping water quality pristine in a tank without any live plants. I guess if you have a molly, a guppy and a platy and plan to get more, then you will be having baby mollies, guppies and platys to deal with!

 

[Terry]

Tankgirl,
Your the person that has to look at it, your the person that has to maintain it. If your happy and your fish are happy then there is nothing wrong with what you have.
I like your way of thinking, you are looking to the future and that is good. when you feel you are ready for real plants then that is the time to have them. patience is a key, there is nothing wrong with starting with plastic plants and when you feel ready for real ones then go for it.
I hope you have many enjoyable years of fishkeeping.

 

[Terry]

Sorry got the name wrong i meant Fuzzy Fins.

Sorry Tankgirl i apoligize for that .

 

[LondonGman]

I have loads of fake plants. The type with “fabric” (not plastic) leaves and found that the algae grow on the fake leaves faster than it does on the glass. Maybe it is just me. Get a pleco to deal with it.

 

[peterp]

Another thing to keep in mind is they type of fish you keep.

With some fish keeping live plants is not a good option, as they will either eat the plants, shread them or dig and move your substrait around a lot making keeping plants tough.

The fish you currently have are OK with either live or fake.
If you do decide to go with live plants you will also enter the wonderfull world of tank plant fertilizer, the joys/horrors of flourite red, and probably need to upgrade your tank lighting, a 30 gal planted tank needs 60-75 watts of light to grow properly. (2-2.5 watts a gal).

Fake plants are much easier to keep, but harder to grow and propagate.

 

[TankGirl]

I like to use fake (silk, mostly) plants to fill in areas and cover up intake tubs and heaters, and as my real plants grow and I decide where I want them I move them over and move out the silk ones. I do have one tank that has no real plants at all, and with the way they are making the fake ones these days, I think it is lovely.

Terry, no apology necessary. I hope I have many years of enjoyable fishkeeping too!