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When you’re setting up an aquarium for your Platy fish, plants are one of the many things that spring to mind. It doesn’t matter what size tank you need for your fish, or whether you are going for a specific theme or not, plants play a part in your decision making. But do Platys really need plants?
The simple answer to this is yes. Platys prefer, and benefit from, having a planted aquarium. Because even though Platys are lively little fish that spend a lot of time darting around the tank, they love having places to hide for a while. There are many reasons why your Platys want to take time out of the main tank activity and a planted aquarium lets them do just that. But should the plants be live or artificial? And what exactly are the benefits of a planted tank for Platy fish?
Why Do Platy Fish Need Plants?
Although Platys are known for being a very active little fish they often need to take a break away from their tank mates. So being able to find a secluded spot amongst the foliage and rest awhile is important. After all, we all need a breather now and again.
Also a pregnant female Platy will need a quiet, secluded spot, for when she’s ready to give birth to her fry. A space away from the main and lively part of the tank will be perfect for this. Plants are a simple way to provide this quiet space for your Platy mum-to-be.
And Platy fry themselves need small hiding places to avoid being eaten by the adult Platys if they’re going to have any chance of survival. Being eaten at birth is a real danger because Platy parents have no protective instinct for their offspring.
Plants are also a simple way to create a more natural environment for your Platy. Particularly if some of the plants sway gently in the water current of your aquarium.
They make your tank look great too!
What Plants Are Best For Platys?
There are so many freshwater aquatic plants available it can be hard to choose ones that your Platys will like.
So what plants do Platy fish like best?
Here’s A Few Plants Often Recommended For Use In A Platy Tank
- Java Moss
- Java Ferns
- Hornwort
- Duckweed
These are all considered easy maintenance aquarium plants.
But, if you go for the Duckweed it’s best to choose a larger leaf variety. Or you’ll end up with a tank surface that looks like it’s covered in slime.
What Are Easy Aquarium Plants?
There are loads more easy to care for aquarium plants that you can use in your Platy tank.
You might want to consider some of the following ones
- Cryptocoryne Wendt (Red) and Lutea
- Marimo Moss ball
- Anubias (Various)
- Jungle Val
- Aponogeton Crispus
- Dwarf sagittaria
- Bacopa Cardiniana
I know the ‘proper’ names for these plants can seem a little overwhelming (or is that just me?). But at least if you know what you’re looking for you’ve got a head start. And a good stockist can give you advice and also help you to choose the ones that are right for you.
Even easy to care for live plants may need a little attention now and again. So whether it’s the use of fertiliser, a regular trim, or their lighting requirements, it’s best to know what the plants will need from you before you head to the checkout.
Are Live Plants Good For An Aquarium?
Live plants not only look good they also play an important role in keeping your tank environment healthy.
You don’t have to have fancy or high maintenance plants to get the benefits. Even the easy to care for aquarium plants will benefit your tank environment.
One of the roles they play is oxygenating your aquarium. Live plants convert the carbon dioxide in the water into oxygen. Which is great for your fish.
Live plants help to keep the tank clean. They use your Platys’ waste as fertilizer and also help to filter out the harmful chemicals that fish waste produces.
Reduction in algae growth is another benefit of having a live planted tank. And because algae growth can become a problem in the aquarium any reduction is good news.
Add to that the hiding and resting places that these plants provide for both adult Platys and their fry, and it’s easy to see why live plants are good for an aquarium.
Do Platy Fish Eat Live Plants?
I have to admit that I don’t have live plants in my tank. My tank and my Platys are temperate and the plants are artificial.
But please bear with me on this one.
I do know that tropical tanks benefit from having live plants. Live plants in a tropical aquarium help to improve the water quality. And at the same time they create an attractive and a more natural environment for the fish.
The same goes for live plants in a temperate tank.
So if you have Platys in either a tropical or a temperate tank, with lots of lovely live plants, will your Platy fish eat them?
I can’t speak from experience on this one.
But because I would love some live plants in my tank I checked it out.
This is what I found out about Platys eating live plants
The main thing I realised was that the answer to the question ‘Do Platy Fish Eat Live Plants?’ was a Yes and No answer.
It seems to depend on personal experience and the personality and tastes of your own Platy fish.
There seems to be a general agreement about Platys eating algae and tiny bugs/insects off the plants. Which is not surprising as the Platy fish is omnivorous and loves both veggies and meaty things.
It’s when it comes to eating the plants themselves that people’s opinions tend to differ.
Some Platy keepers say their fish don’t eat the actual plants and some say they eat the plants to destruction.
While I couldn’t track down specific aquarium plants that Platys definitely eat I did come across a general theme.
The aquarium plants that seem to get eaten most often are of the soft leaf variety. Juicy tender leaves appear to be at a higher risk from a hungry Platy intent on a snack. The tougher, coarser leaved plants seem to be less of a target for Platy and so are more likely to be left alone.
So if you don’t want your Platy fish to strip the leaves off your plants, making your tank look like a wasteland, then choose the tougher, coarser types of aquarium plants.
You’ll stand a better chance of your plants surviving this way. Although with the Platy fish there is no guarantee.
Are Artificial Plants Okay For Platys?
Not everyone wants a live planted aquarium. So it’s handy to know that Platys do well in a tank that has artificial plants instead.
The plants will still provide much needed shelter for fry, and places to hide or rest in for the adult Platys.
There’s a huge range of artificial plants that you can choose for your tank. Whether you want a more natural look, or a bright and colourful theme, there’s no shortage in artificial aquarium plants for sale.
Artificial plants are a great way of enhancing the theme of your tank. Particularly if you’re going for a specific look or colour combination.
A word of caution though.
Avoid artificial plants that have spiky or rough edges. By doing that you will reduce the chance of injury to your Platy fish as they dart around the tank and through the plants. A flesh wound can lead to infection or worse.
So check the texture of the plant before you buy it.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t have ‘spiky looking’ artificial plants in your aquarium. It just means that you need to do a risk assessment on them first.
Better safe than sorry.
Can You Have Both Live And Artificial Plants For Platys?
There’s nothing to stop you from combining both live and artificial plants in your Platy aquarium. You’ll get the water quality benefits of the live plants and the additional aesthetic look from the artificial ones.
Even if your tank is predominantly live planted you can enhance the look by adding some artificial aquarium plants too.
What combination of live and artificial plants you use is completely up to you.