Aquarium plants
Aquarium plants come in two broad types — live and artificial — and the right choice depends on your lighting, the fish you keep, and how much maintenance you want to take on. Live plants do more for water quality but need more looking after; artificial ones need almost none but do not offer the same benefits.
What live plants actually do for a tank
Live plants help oxygenate the water and can absorb some of the waste products fish produce, which supports overall water quality alongside filtration rather than replacing it. They also give fish places to hide, rest and feel more secure, which matters for reducing stress in a busy or brightly lit tank.
The trade-off is that live plants need appropriate lighting, and often a suitable substrate, to actually thrive rather than slowly decline. A plant that is dying rather than growing can do more harm than good to water quality, so matching the plant to your tank's setup matters more than picking whichever looks best in the shop.
When artificial plants make more sense
Artificial plants need no light, no substrate and no feeding, which makes them the simpler option for a tank without the lighting set up to support live growth, or for an owner who wants the look of a planted tank without the ongoing care.
They also hold up better with fish that like to dig, uproot or nibble at plants — goldfish are a well-known example — where a live plant would need frequent replacing. A well-made artificial plant is soft enough not to damage fins, which is worth checking before buying.
Choosing what suits your tank
Think about your lighting first, since it is the biggest factor in whether live plants will actually establish rather than sit and fade. A tank with strong, appropriate lighting and a nutrient-rich substrate can support a genuinely planted look; a tank without either is better served by artificial plants or a small number of low-light live species.
Consider your fish too — species known to dig, graze or uproot plants will treat a live plant very differently to a species that mostly swims around it, and that difference is worth planning for before you buy rather than after.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Supa Plastic Plant
An 8-inch plastic aquarium plant that adds cover without touching the water chemistry
£3.59
Supa Plastic Plant Polybag
A 6 inch plastic aquarium plant that will not fade, rot or carry anything into the tank
£2.99
Large Aquarium Maintenance Set
A 48-inch condensation tray, a 22-inch glass scraper, a digital thermometer and 250ml of AquaSafe for a big tank.
£32.49
Supa Aquarium Net
Supa aquarium nets in coarse and fine meshes for fish catching and tank maintenance
From£1.65
Marina Digital Aquarium Thermometer
A digital aquarium thermometer that mounts on the outside of the glass and reads easily
£3.49
Marina Deluxe Aquarium Scraper
A four-in-one aquarium tool: two pad faces, a scraper blade and a planter fork
£8.79
Marina Floating Aquarium Thermometer
A floating aquarium thermometer with a safe-zone marker for tropical fish
£3.49
Supa Condensation Tray
A 48-inch aquarium condensation tray, shielding the hood's electrics from tank water
£11.49
Aquatic Roman Gravel Jet Black
2kg jet black aquarium gravel, inert and colourfast for coldwater, tropical or marine tanks
£3.99
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Natural Lakeland
Natural Lakeland-tone aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical or saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Common questions
- Do live aquarium plants really improve water quality?
- They can help, by oxygenating the water and absorbing some waste products alongside your filter, but they are a support to good filtration and regular water changes rather than a replacement for either. A tank still needs proper maintenance whether or not it is planted.
- Are artificial plants safe for fish?
- Good-quality artificial plants made with soft materials are generally safe and will not harm fish. Cheaper or rougher plastic plants can occasionally damage delicate fins, so it is worth checking the material and feeling the edges before adding one to a tank with long-finned fish.
- Why do my fish keep uprooting live plants?
- Some species, goldfish being a well-known example, naturally dig and graze around the substrate and will disturb or eat live plants as part of normal behaviour rather than because anything is wrong. Artificial plants, or specific hardy, deep-rooted live species, tend to cope better with these fish.
- Do I need special lighting for live aquarium plants?
- Most live plants need more consistent, appropriate lighting than a tank kept purely for fish typically has. If your setup is not geared towards plant growth, artificial plants or a small number of genuinely low-light live species are a more realistic option.
- Can I mix live and artificial plants in the same tank?
- Yes, plenty of keepers do exactly this — a few hardy live plants where lighting allows, filled out with artificial ones elsewhere in the tank. It is a practical middle ground between full maintenance and no live plants at all.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.