Live plants are a better choice than synthetic.

[Tinthalas Tigris]

Today, I brought home, in addition to many things, some Java moss to add to my 28 and 10 gallon aquariums. As I took out the last of my plastic ornaments, scooped in more play sand, and arranged Shale, Slate Granite and Driftwood to look their finest, I let my java moss sit in a cup at the bottom of the 28 gallon in order for it to stay wet and fresh.

My female King Betta decided to explore this miraculous transparent cup and fuzzy plant inside it, dove right into the bottom, and pushed its way in and out of its intricate, tight, and sticky, busy nodes while I toiled at the ways I could pile my rocks just right. My many glassy Ghost Shrimp stared on from beneath rooted amazon swords plants with caution, waiting for their new caverns to be finished so that they could explore them as well.

I lifted as many of my rooted plants I felt necessary, perhaps seven or eight, to avoid them damage and let them float at the top of the water line, while the rest of my aquarium's inhabitants rested in the freshly floating foliage like they were sunbathers languidly lounging on aqua noodles in a swimming pool, who just patiently relaxed while I finished my endeavor.

It reminded me of when I would sit in my bedroom on the computer, and take a break from blasting bad guys, and stare out at my dad, toiling away at the rose garden, with my mother's cats resting coolly on piles of inert dirt, unknowing of his task, but all the same, enjoying their own spoils, their fish tank, while I looked in from my own.

Although, the larger a tank, distinctly the better and easier to manage an intricate aquascape becomes, but just the smile that seems to radiate from them after having a new live plant to ruffle their fins through is so much more rewarding than the languid stares they used to give the silk plants I had in with them before.

I hope everyone who thinks twice about it decides to go with live plants. They are such a wonderful addition to any aquarium, and at least to me, so much more interesting than you average run of the mill day to day maintenance you get from house plants.

i hope to have pictures of the finished tank up soon.

[TigerLily]

Wonderful post! It really makes me want to go pick out some live plants for my own aquariums. I would love to see pictures of them in the tank.

[Hadouken441]

Ya lets see these pics yo!

[Tinthalas Tigris]

just waiting for the dust to settle and the filter to clear out the rest.

I'll be taking pictures tonight.

[Kittles]

Buhh. Don't you hate that? You spend all this time aquascaping only to have kicked up so much dust, and clouded your water to all hell, that you can't fully enjoy, let alone take a picture of, it for an eternity.

[xxabc]

Tigris, do you use any type of fertilizer/substrate?

[lartiste]

I was actually wondering that topic at the pet store a couple of hours ago! I have a 1,5 G. tank... and (of course), 3 littles synthetic plants.

Are live plants THAT better (for a little tank)? I hadn't found any (at Wal-Mart and the local pet store). What are the goods for a live plant?


Btw, nice story Tigris!

[Kittles]

If you're having to do frequent water changes, especially since you've got a tank of that size (1.5G), you shouldn't invest in live plants. Constant uprooting will ruin them, unfortunately.

[Mister Sparkle]

Ah, hell! Java moss/fern aren't going to root in your substrate anyway! Root them into a piece of driftwood, and you can remove it or clean around it at will!

[Hadouken441]

You can go as little as possible. You wouldnt believe the tanks ive seen. Heres an example

None of these are my work and are the work of the user name Diego on APC