Owning a fish tank with live plants has a lot of advantages. They can improve the water chemistry by adding more oxygen to the water. Additionally, live plants can provide food and shelter to your fish. Last but not least, live plants give your fish tank a real, authentic look. With that being said, it is important to note that not every plant can survive submerged under water. This is especially true for many different types of house plants that you might have sitting around. While your curiosity might lead you to putting random house plant sin your fish tank to perform your own experiment, it is important to have a good understanding of what plants can and cannot live in a fish tank. In today’s article, we are going to discuss whether or not your can put a spider plant in a fish tank.
Can I put a spider plant in my fish tank?
Yes, you can put a spider plant in your fish tank, but the leaves cannot be submerged under water. During normal photosynthesis, the job of the leaves is to trap enough light in order to convert carbon dioxide into glucose, which the plant uses to grow. When a spider plant has its leaves submerged underwater, the plant is unable to trap enough light energy, and will therefore starve and die. Interestingly enough, the roots of a spider plant actually thrive in underwater environments. This is because the roots of a spider plant can naturally hold a lot of water. If you keep the roots of a spider plant in the fish tank, and let the roots grow out of the top, the plant will certainly survive and actually grow very fast. The ideal ecosystem for a spider plant is an aquaponic system where the roots are in a waterbed and the leaves receive direct sunlight. You are essentially creating this when you keep the roots of a spider plant in the fish tank and let the leaves grow outside on top.
A fish tank can also be a great place to grow a spider plant because the waste from the fish and other plants provide a lot of natural fertilizer to help the plant grow. A spider plant can actually grow very quickly in a fish tank, so it is important that you have a fish tank that is big enough for the plant. You don’t want the spider plant to take up the whole fish tank. In order for your spider plant to grow properly, it is important that you provide an ample amount of light for the plant so that it can undergo photosynthesis and survive.
If you have a spider plant sitting around your house and you are feeling adventurous, you can definitely try growing the spider plant in your fish tank. We recommend starting with only a small portion of the roots, since the spider plant will likely grow very fast.
