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Home » Articles » Using Fake Plants and Corals
 Sometimes we get really into our hobby and want to make everything as natural as possible. Real sand, real rocks, real plants, real corals and hopefully real fish. But sometimes using fake decor items such as fake plants and corals can accomplish the same effect without much effort. Ofcourse there are times when using fake decor is a good thing…such as a fish-only tank (where using real plants or corals would be an expensive way of feeding your fishes) or those who don’t have the time or passion to be fully-vested into this hobby and want a nice looking tank.
Pros:
– inexpensive way to have a “real” looking tank
– less maintenance
– no need to worry about the fake decor dying like real ones
– less tank requirements (lighting, Co2, etc etc)
Fake Plants
The past few years I’ve seen the quality of the fake plants decor get better and better to the point where they almost look real and will last for a very long time. I currently use 2 groups of fake plants in my goldfish tank. Goldfish eat everything and anything. If i inspect the fake plants carefully, I’ll notice chunks of plastic eaten by the goldfish.
Fake Corals
Fish-Only Tanks are also really popular in the saltwater section. Fishes such as triggers and other coral eating fishes will pretty much eat every coral you have within a short period of time. In come fake corals that can withstand these types of abuse. Inexpensive compared to real corals, these can make a Fish-Only tank look much more natural.
Fake Fish
haha. okay. I guess I’ve yet to see a fish tank with only fake fish. It would remind me of those fish tank screensavers.
Fake Decor Fake Plants Fake Corals Fake Fish?
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I prefer silk plants to plastic ones as they just look much more real. I try to use real plants where I can but having enough light to have real plants in all my tanks would send the DEA to my house thinking I was growing something I shouldn’t be. I also have some plant eaters. The sevs and the heros rip apart the silk plants so I constantly have to replace them.
I used to use fake plants when I had a freshwater tank. But As pure said Silk plants look much more real. Now when ever I see fake plants in a tank, I just try to ignore them or look away. If you want plants in a tank then go live otherwise don’t do plants. Thats what I think!!
Fake Plants are also easier to maintain and they usually stay looking the same way.
I like to use the silk “background” plants – the ones that clip to the back wall of the tank. They hide my filter intake and heater very well, and look better than just seeing the bare wall and draped electrical cords behind the tank. I use live plants for all the middle and foreground stuff.
My mother uses fake coral, anemones, kelp, etc in her freshwater tank because she doesn’t want to spend the money and time to get a reef tank set up. So, fake coral with platys swimming around is her “reef”. 🙂
id’ like to see a picture of her “reef” tank! 🙂
I’m looking for plastic fake fish for my out door pond – maybe koi and gold fish.,…the live ones didn’t last long because of herons! Something I could anchor down. Thanks – I wait for your comment!
Hi Nancy,
i’d try asking the question on our forum (see link above). i’m sure someone will be able to help you!
Thanks!
Johnny
Well it’s not the plants and rocks I’m worried about, every summer we go to Mexico or Florida, Iveing some chips of coral or a few fancy rocks from the beach there. But there’s a lager EVERYWHERE! The water vacuum doesn’t help. We have to clean our tank every half a week and constantly more water conditioner and new water. Sorry I couldn’t did a article on-topic enough this is the closest I could get