| Yes, you can actually grow live plants in your | | | | There are more and more bulb-type plants |
| freshwater aquarium! In fact, it's better to | | | | appearing on the market today. You can find |
| landscape your aquarium with live plants. For one, | | | | some at your local fish store, but be sure to |
| they offer nutrients to your fish. They also offer | | | | check the internet for a wider variety. And live |
| hiding places, especially for babies, "fry", as they | | | | plants in general are not very expensive. To plant |
| are called. And they make the aquarium healthier, | | | | bulbs, you'll need to leave the top half of the bulb |
| often adding more oxygen and cleaning the water | | | | exposed, the bottom half will be buried in the |
| of toxins. So even if you prefer plastic plants, you | | | | substrate. Usually bulbs will grow more little bulbs |
| might want to give live plants a try. They're more | | | | and form groups, which can later be separated |
| interesting, and aren't hard at all to grow. | | | | and spread around your aquarium. |
| The general rule of thumb is to landscape your | | | | Floating Plants |
| aquarium with plants that would probably be | | | | Floating plants are really wonderful and require |
| native to your fish's original environment. Even if | | | | zero care. They just float on the surface of the |
| your fish have never actually been in his native | | | | tank, and in the water, too. Fish love to hide in |
| habitat, this is true. The following is a quick course | | | | them and eat in them, and you don't have to |
| in some of the live plant trade secrets of | | | | plant them. A lot of floaters will be resemble ferns |
| successful aquarists that you'll need to know to | | | | or even moss. Great to have around for the "fry" |
| accessorize your freshwater aquarium. There are | | | | (baby fish) and for your other shy fish. If you're |
| several main types of aquarium plants that have | | | | wanting to make your tank a little dimmer, if it |
| been found to be successful in tanks. Each group | | | | seems too bright, floating plants might be a good |
| has different planting methods that will be best | | | | answer because they'll filter the light and also |
| for them to grow healthily. | | | | keep your aquarium cooler. |
| - Bulbs | | | | Rhizomes are similar to bulbs, but the bulb-like |
| - Floating plants | | | | root area needs to be planted totally under the |
| - Rhizomes | | | | substrate. The leaves will grow above the |
| - Stem plants | | | | rhizome. These plants are also easy to grow. I've |
| - Other types of freshwater plants | | | | just gone over a couple of types of live aquarium |
| I'll go over a few of these types here. The first | | | | plants here. These are easy to keep, and require |
| category of plants is bulbs. Bulbs will usually grow | | | | almost no care, and will add a more "live" |
| rather large plants and will not be for all aquariums. | | | | environment for your fish to live in, and they'll be |
| You'll probably want to grow them in larger tanks. | | | | happier and healthier. |