Mixing live and fake plants?

[Stef]

Is it taboo to mix live and fake plants?  I set up this new 6 gal cube with some mini rotala look alike plastic plants in the foreground. The tank also has a live rotala in the back right corner. 
 

I think/hope as the tank ages the plastic will get some algae and not look so pink and plastic-y. Curious to see your mix and match aquariums. 

[HH Morant]

There are no rules  Whatever rings your bell.

Your tank looks great. I think the plastic will age as you hope.

[lefty o]

i dont, but have in the past mixed live, and fake. your tank, your rules.

[Guppysnail]

My niece had plastic ones that looked very similar to those. They aged nicely and lost the plastic look. Hers did grow algae and it looked nice. She gave me a piece for my nerite to snack on the algae. 😁

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I think fake plants add nice color and good options when your plants are growing in. Mix away! (to me it's no diffferent than adding any sort of decor like caves, castles, rocks)

Edited January 9, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Torrey]

The only issue I have with fake plants is the plastic ones tend to tear up fins on bettas, angels, and other 'longer' finned fish.

So I use silicone options, and the fish love the way the silicone feels... or feel safer wrapped in silicone anemones for sleeping 🤷‍♂️

[Cinnebuns]

I mix both. 

[Levi_Aquatics]

I would think that the plastic plants will age well and look great in that aquarium.  I agree with @Torrey that they might not be great for your bettas fins if they are indeed plastic and not silicone. So maybe make it so your betta can’t get to them and hurt himself. 

[Streetwise]

I spent many years as a youth with fake plants. I would encourage you to add real plants to replace the old facsimiles. The biological benefits are amazing.

[Patrick_G]

In some cases it’s the best option. I’m setting up a brackish puffer tank for my daughter. Most plants won’t grow at the salinity levels I’m planning. I hope to find some quality fake ones that aren’t to hard on the pocket book. 

[lefty o]

On 1/9/2022 at 3:34 PM, Streetwise said:

I spent many years as a youth with fake plants. I would encourage you to add real plants to replace the old facsimiles. The biological benefits are amazing.

there is much truth to this, but even the fake ones can give BB a lot of surface area to grow on.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I agree with @Torrey, I usually buy my fake plants in person and give them a good hand test to make sure there isn't anything that would hurt my fish or snails. You'd think nowadays that wouldn't be a thing but it is. This is the same thing you should do with new wood, rocks and other decor though too!