Adding Fish to Aquarium

[Bangin]

Besides, I've never been able to keep a plant alive, why would an aquarium plant be any different.

Aquarium plants' needs are different for each individual plant. Your lights aren't sufficient enough to successfully grow most plants. That portion of the hobby is very rewarding and also very expensive. I wouldn't wait for the plants to die to remove, because they'll add to the ammonia/nitrite levels..etc.

Also, I noticed that you have a mystery/apple snail. I wanted to let you know that they enjoy eating weighted down zucchini. The most common reason for mystery/apple snail death is starvation. I've seen this happen way too many times at pet stores and especially at Wal-Mart. Don't let this happen to your snail. Give him some zucchini, cucumber or even certain lettuce to prevent starvation.

 

[Dallionz]

Bangin - Thank you for your advice. I will start getting some plastic plants in the next few days and start replacing the real ones. I feel bad for the plants as they are very pretty - for now! And I'll be sure to get some cucumber or lettuce to keep the snail fed. I've noticed it's been munching on the plants, but once the live plants are gone there'll be little for it to eat. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[konrad05]

it's not too late dallionz, if you really want to keep live plants, its as easy as getting a double 4 foot fluorescent strip. It'll only give you 80 watts, but that will at least let you keep low light plants like anubias, ferns etc. I tried at the store, and the long light strip fits over top of the two holes.

 

[luxum]

The amazon sword leaves are starting to fade and look clear. And the mondo grass is going from green to brown at the tips. I think you're right and they aren't going to last long.

The problem is with your choice of plants, not the idea of having them. Amazon swords are heavy feeders and need a rich substrate, and they need pretty high light levels. Mondo grass is not actually an aquatic plant, and while it will hold out for a few months submerged, eventually it will die. If you want to go with live plants get some that are less demanding. For a basic setup, go with slow growing, low light plants. Good choices that are fairly common in the trade are anubias species, java fern, java moss, and crypt species. You can make a gorgeous aquascape using only those species and you won't need high lighting or a special substrate although either or both will make the plants grow better.

Unless you are keeping fish species that uproot, eat, or otherwise demolish plants, i highly recommend live plants in the aquarium. They assist you in your efforts to maintain good water quality and they make fish more at ease, especially nervous fish, and they are pleasing to the eye. Many fish show their best colors in planted tanks where they can feel comfortable.