Equipment Review and Discussion :: Fake Plants... Silk vs. Plastic

[kinetic]

now that loki is back in a glass aquarium (his rubbermaid home started to leak) he needs some better hiding, im going to put some plants in for him to hide behind and such and im curious if they should be silk or plastic or does it matter?

[SpotsMama]

I like real plants and put them in the tank every few weeks but Spot eats them immediately so they don't last. To make the tank look pretty and give him something to play with I use plastic. I don't see how you'd keep silk ones clean and I don't know how you'd stop your turtle from eating them.

[daredevilgirl013]

Silk ones are very very very hard to clean..and they get frayed and tattered looking. Go for plastic!!!

[marisa]

It doesn't really matter as long as they're the ones made for use in aquariums, but personally I use plastic---more durable and easier to clean.

[BullDog]

I had a few silk ones that were attached to an ornament, and Ralph picked the leaves off the plastic veins. So those are gone!
I've got a plastic one in there, and I really like it! It looks nice and vibrant, and so far Ralph hasn't been able to chew it.

Speaking of which, he uprooted it earlier this week, and he's been waiting for me to stick it back down. He likes it on the bottom because it's the right height for him to reach when he's taking a breather, but he also likes to be a brat and make things difficult for me.

[SpotsMama]

Rascal Ralph!

I stick my plastic plant to some river rocks with aquarium silicon. It weights it down so Spot can't tump it over. He can - and does - move it around but it stays upright on the bottom.

[iac637]

We have tried real plants in both of our tanks they distroy them they don't eat them they just like to "prun" them. They think they are to large.

[Erica&spikey]

I cant put any plants in my tank...they try to eat all of them...real, silk, and plastic......its just not safe for my girls.

[Cripm88]

I use plastic b/c it is just easier upkeep.

[Turtle addict]

I use real ones weekly, we make a trip and get all the ucky ones from several stores here. 1/2 price and they get eaten right away so it works. I have plastic plants in the smaller ones tanks, they seem to need to hide in them at night. The larger ones eat fake plants so i take them out when they are over 4 inches. I tried silk and fabric ones and they really don't seem to last in the water, they turn black fast. I have used some fabric ones to kinda hang over the side of a tank and give the turtle a little area where people can't be right over her, she seems to feel safer with that. Also I used fabric to block the front of a tank when there are issues with a bigger one never learning to bask, it's a stage where they feel hidden but can see out and we can see them.

[Cripm88]

lol nice setup