Freshwater Plants for Aquariums Benefits

Freshwater plants for aquariums are essential if you want your fishes to live healthier and longer in the tank. You goal is to re-create their natural home as closely as possible. This makes fresh water plants an important element in decorating the fish tank.

Benefits of Fresh Water Aquatic Plants

Choosing natural over artificial plants is more beneficial to the health and life of your aquarium inhabitants. Plants are not only for decorative purposes, but they are part of the essentials for fish survival. Some of the benefits you can get from choosing fresh water plants for your fish tank are the following:

They are source of nutrition for your fishes. Aside from typical feed, natural plants give your fishes the essential nutrients they need to grow healthy and live longer. You will notice how they will nibble these plants as their food.

Plants boost oxygen supply. In fact, if your aquarium has enough of them, you would not need artificial oxygen supply. It is healthier for fish to get their oxygen from natural plants instead of getting it from an electrical device.

Natural plants help filter wastes and other toxic substances that can harm your fish. They absorb toxic wastes and grow good bacteria necessary for the health of your fish. All you will need is a back-up mechanical and biological filter. You can do away with chemical filtration.

Aquarium fresh water plants serve as natural protection for your fishes against stress and diseases. Unlike artificial plant decorations, plants have none of the risks that can bring harm to your fish such as sharp or pointed edges, or bacteria build-up.

They are your ally against algae. Although you can battle algae with a janitor fish and regular cleaning of your fish tank, plants are your key to keep them off, especially those algae that are too stubborn to remove.

Types of Natural Plants for Your Aquarium

Here are some of the best natural plants for your fish tank:

Floater – these types remain afloat on the water surface with dangling roots. They are the easiest to grow in fish tanks. They reproduce rapidly. Examples are Duckweed and Frogbit.

Rooting – these varieties bury at the bottom of the tank with appearance that resembles non-water plants. They can take on different colors, which make them good decorations aside from the health and nutritional benefits they bring to your fish. Examples are Crypts and Dwarf Sagittaria.

Non-Rooting – while these are similar to rooting plants, burying their roots at the bottom can cause their death. They do well when they are either wedged or affixed to any decoration in the tank to weigh them down. Examples are Java Fern and Anacharis.

Other natural varieties that are beneficial for your aquarium fish are the following: Hornwort, Creeping Jenny, Japanese Rush, Brazilian Pennyworth, Java Moss, Anubias, Vallisnerias, and Aponogetons or ‘Betta Bulbs’ among several others.

What is best about these freshwater plants for aquariums is that they are easy to grow and maintain. Why spend for artificial decorations when with a little creativity you can decorate your fish tank with natural plants to let your fish enjoy all the benefits?