Ornamental Fish Production and Management

6.1.1 Importance

• Aquarium plants give natural look to aquarium.
• They provide food for fishes. Herbivorous fishes directly eat the plants. Other fishes eat the organisms attached on the leaves.
• They provide shelter, shade and hiding place for smaller fishes.
• They serve as spawning site for certain fishes.
• Plants and fishes have symbiotic relationship. The fish waste is used as an excellent fertilizer for plants. Plants in turn remove nitrate and CO₂ from water.
• Plants are best filters and thus help to maintain water quality.
• Some of the plants are believed to reduce pH of water which is suitable for breeding of certain fishes like tetra, angel etc.