8 Reasons Why You Should Add Live Plants to Your Fish Tank and 8 Reasons You Shouldn't!

Hello Everyone,
In this video we take a look at eight reasons you should add live plants to your aquarium and eight reasons it might be easier not to add them!

Want more information on live plants? Check out these videos!

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For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics

If you want to see all the cool stuff Joanna does with other types of scapes check out her channel!

#fishkeepinghobby #fishtank #aquariumfish

[PrimeTimeAquatics]

Want more information on live plants? Check out these videos!


Want to become a Prime Timer and see behind the scenes fish room videos? Consider becoming a member:

For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics

If you want to see all the cool stuff Joanna does with other types of scapes check out her channel!

[robertjohnston]

I prefer neither, but often will go with fake if I desire some green. I enjoy taking care of my fish in their health and don’t mind changing more water. Dealing with the life of plants is just an added layer of life to maintain.. I don’t want to stress about algae growing on the plants or them dying from lack of light or nutrients.. it’s just another layer of fish keeping I havnt begun to tackle yet 😝

[dreamwench]

Awesome debate! Love how you didn't just discount the artificial plants.Thank you for your content. I have only just started to get into this hobby and haven't even set up my first tank yet. You've both helped me so much. Thanks to Joanna, I am no longer intimidated by the idea of working with aquatic plants!

[I_Six_Pennywise_Fnaf]

I use pothos / bamboo and sweet potato slips - their stems / roots are submerged and the leafy parts are out of the water... I also have pennywort ( that I do have fully submerged ) .. I use silk fake plants as decor.. So, you can use both, and have the benefits of each, not just one or the other.. 🤫☺

[lewashcliffe]

Great video! I am a total fan of live plants. I can't even conceive of wanting fake plants or of having fish that destroy live plants. I find almost more pleasure in seeing my plants grow and propagate than in the fish. It's such a joy to see that aquarium thriving! Thanks!

[jaclyncritesJesuslovesyou]

You both make my Monday’s brighter!!!! Excellent video from you both!! I have all real plants in my big display tank, and live/artificial both in my other tanks. I do both but definitely appreciate my real plants!!!! My main display is looking like a jungle so I’ll be doing some trimming soon!! 💞

[Trevorstonge]

I will always only use real stuff, if we’re going to keep fish we might as well make their homes as natural as we possibly can. With a fully planted aquarium you’ll see way more different behaviors from your fish that you won’t see in an aquarium with artificial decor

[juliohernandez]

Not gonna lie. The video was kinda fun to watch.
I'm a live plant guy. I love the gardening watching the plants grow, etc.
The video is well done.

[colinfowkes]

Real plants for sure, I love watching the "environment" grow and change and evolve rather then just having the same set up continuously, it gives you more to look at.

[Whips_World]

You two are hysterical, even when you're droppin' the knowledge! I hope to be just like you when I grow up!

[valiaudet]

Artificial come in handy. Presently I have Artificial with real growing slowly. I'd tried real but they didn't last till I found that swords, java ferns and anubius do well with my fish. The artificial give good hiding places and are hidden almost, behind rocks, driftwood and real. Lol. I was so happy to see the bare tank at the end. Been there done that. I like the videos that cover things like this and the cold water one you did was what I needed too

[CarolS]

I am just considering getting a Tank for the first time. As a beginner I am a bit overwhelmed with all the thing to keep in mind to maintain fish healthy, therefore if I start I would do it with fake plants since it would be maybe too much to do it with real plants. However, if everything goes well maybe I will considerate it in the future. Thank you for the video, since the majority of other content creators tended to only talk about the good things of real plants that it even made me think that maybe having fake ones would be bad for the fish or the tank.

[InTheEndTruthWillOut]

Great video and interesting to compare the two options. Jason- love the color description on the purchased “plant”.

[rockyandmiles]

Great fun video that had me laughing quite a bit 🤣😂 So, how I solve the dilemma of which type to use is to use both! 😆 My 6 tanks are primarily live plants, however almost all have at least one or more fake/silk for a pop of color. I’m not experienced enough to keep fancy colored plants alive so fake it is!! 😄 I get lots of compliments on my “scapes” so I guess it’s working ok! I’m careful with the betta tanks that mostly have banana plants and Anubias but some silk is ok too. That’s my 3 cents 😉🤓 🤣

[rickbooher]

There was a timeI used both at the same because live aquatic plant availability didn't have the variety options you have now. By mixing them it gave the benefits of both. And if done right it made telling the fake from the real a little harder. It also allows using fake plants for plqnt that have intense/high light and co2 requirements; thus combining them with low light plants it brings variety and color to the aquarium you may not have success with using all live plants. Adding fake plants in dark water aquarium makes it far easier than using live plants in this type of environment. And in a goldfish aquarium plants are a real challenge but using good quality fake plants with the right type of light to focus on the fish and less on the plant helps to give the security to fish by breaking up the line of sight and places to hide. However live plants are safer on the fishes body and fins as fake plants are not as soft and forgiving to flowing fins and delicate scales on the body. However some silk plants help resolve that some what but silk break down over time and as fish nibble they could ingest parts of the silk causing them to get blockage in their intestinal track. However silk do give a more life like appearance. But if you remain alert you can remove and replace the silk plants before they begin to deteriorate. Maintainance live plants require much more care and fertilization, trimming to maintain shape an swimming space for you fish. Whereas fake planr are more set in place and enjoy the fish, no fertilizer required, no special lighting, no special equipment just an occasional removal clean and return to the same place. Bottom line there are positive and negatives for both types but in the end live plants wins with the most positives/pros over the negative/cons. Nevertheless I let the fish, the lighting, equipment, lifestyle and aquascape help me to decide and in some cases both is still a good choice. Just don't get your mind locked into one or the other or you will be limiting your creative and options.

[kenpachi]

I love how you guys do these back and forth videos. keep up the great work guys

[terrygorsch]

I have an Anubis jungle thanks to the small scape tips🐠

[johnlasco]

I'm hooked on my Anubias! When they really start growing and sometimes even bloom, it brings me joy. But my quarantine and hospital tank have some nice soft artificial plants.

[Eden_Rivers]

Team Real Plants!! I love them, and I love being able to propagate them and have them throughout many tanks. I do love more than other (water sprite ... Why won't you stick around?), but they do so much for the water quality, I wouldn't give them up.

[wendihamlett]

Good Morning! I do love live plants. With that said though I have one tank with the obligatory ship wreck and fake plants and (hate to admit it) I think it looks pretty cool. All my other tanks have live though. Great info!