Can Money Plant Grow in an Aquarium?

-- By Carol

The Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum) is a common indoor plant that many people grow inside their homes.

The plant can be grown in glass bottles, fish bowls, and home aquariums as well.

Adding a money plant to the house aquarium is beneficial because it will absorb nitrates that are used to produce food.

Money plants can also remove indoor pollutants such as xylene, formaldehyde, and benzene. Did you know that it has been said that adding a money plant to the house can reduce anxiety and stress?

In this article, you will learn all the basic information needed for growing and taking care of a money plant in a fish aquarium.

Table of Contents

Growing Money Plant in an Aquarium

The money plant is installed by placing the leaves on top of the aquarium and the roots below the water. The roots grow inside the water allowing the money plant to thrive.

Money plant leaves cannot be submerged underwater. The leaves need to be kept above the water level. The money plant will die if you submerge the leaves in the water.

It’s important to remember that the money plant consumes a lot of nutrients from the water along with the nitrates.

This can result in your pet fish being deprived of nutrients. So, you should keep hardy fish inside the aquarium.

Some of the fish that you can have inside the aquarium along with the money plant include guppies and goldfish.

Guppies and goldfish can thrive in harsh water conditions. But make sure that you supplement the fish diet with vitamins and minerals to ensure that they grow healthy.

Also, you should change the water at least every three days as the water can get dirty quickly when the money plant is grown inside the aquarium.

Additionally, you should use a strong filter to keep the water clean.

Another important point to remember is that the house plants are toxic to dogs and cats.

You should not grow a money plant if you have a feline or canine pet inside the house. They could die if they ingest the money plant.

How to Grow a Money Plant in an Aquarium?

To grow a money plant in an aquarium, you should have the stems of the plant on top of the fish tank and leave about two nodes and roots inside the water.

You have to cut about 15 cm cuttings from a money plant with up to 5 modes. Remove the leaves and put them inside the container with water.

You should let one or two nodes inside the water to promote root growth.

If the conditions are right, the money plant will start growing in the water.

Best Condition for Growing Money Plant in a Fish Tank

Money plants grow in wetlands.

You need to recreate the environment to ensure that the plant thrives inside the aquarium.

Here are some tips that will allow your money plant to grow inside the aquarium.

Soil

Soil for the money plant should be aquatic with a pH value ranging between 6 and 6.5. Moreover, the soil should also be well-draining.

But soil is not necessary for the growth of the money plant. You can also grow the plant solely in water.

Re-Rooting

Re-rooting the plant is important to ensure that the plant remains in good condition.

You should consider rooting the plant again during the summer months and spring season.

At the time of transplanting the tree plant, you should tie the trailing stems to prevent them from getting in the way, when you are transplanting the money plant.

Pruning

Pruning is also important to ensure the proper growth of the plant. The plants can grow up to 60 feet in the native land.

While the plants won’t grow to such lengths indoors, you should still prune them as it ensures proper growth.

Trim the stems of the plant by pinching or pruning up to one or two nodes.

Regular pruning will also keep the plant looking neat and tidy.

You can also trim back the stems by pinching up to two nodes for desirable length and improved growth.

Temperature

For the ideal growth of the money plant, the temperature should be between 500F and 900F.

The plant should be kept away from cool or hot drafts. This means you should keep the plant away from cooling and heating vents.

If you keep the aquarium outdoors, the plant will grow the best in Zones 10 and 11.

As the temperature falls below 490F, you should bring the plants indoors to protect them from the cold winds.

Light

Money plants require sunlight for optimum growth, but the plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight. The plants grow the best when they receive indirect light from the windows.

This makes the plant ideal for both the home and office aquarium.

Plant with dark-colored leaves requires less light. They can tolerate low light from indoor lighting.

Out of the different varieties of money plants, the variegated ones require more sunlight.

The leaves of the plant will become dark and lose their spots in low light conditions. In contrast, the jade money plants can thrive in lower light conditions.

Braided Trunks

Sometimes stems of the money plants can braid together.

This does not cause any harm to the plant in any way. So, you don’t need to separate the stems.

Some aquarists prefer the look as the braids improve the attractiveness of the money plant.

Best Placement for Money Plant In the Aquarium

You can place the plant anywhere inside the aquarium.

The plant will adapt to moderate light conditions. You can also place the money plant in a fishbowl, which can be placed on a table or in your cubicle.

But for the best growth, you should place the aquarium near the window in the west or south-facing window.

You can also use a special grow light in case the room has low light conditions.

Common Problems with Growing Money Plant in a Fish Tank

A money plant can be grown in an aquarium without much difficulty.

But there are certain problems with the money plant that you need to be aware of.

Here are some of the common problems you may face when growing money plants inside the aquarium.

Yellow Leaves

Leaves become yellow due to using tap water. Tap water contains fluoride and chloride that cause the leaves to become yellow.

Tap water is not recommended for fish as well as it can cause health issues.

You should dechlorinate the water when adding to the aquarium.

Another option is to let the tap water sit in a vessel overnight and use the upper 3/4th for the aquarium.

Falling Leaves

Leaves falling indicate a lack of sunlight. Money plants should receive adequate light.

You should place the aquarium in a place where it receives indirect sunlight.

Placing the aquarium near the windows or a patio door with transparent glass is recommended for optimum growth.

Brown leaves

Sometimes the tip of the leaves of a money plant turns brown.

Lack of humidity is a cause of dryness in the leaves. Misting the leaves of the plant will prevent leaves from drying up.

Root Rotting

You should check the plant for root rot as it causes the leaves to become dry and brown.

Stems of the money plant usually rot due to a decrease in temperature.

This typically happens due to low room temperature. The money plant should not be kept at temperatures below 400F.

Pests

Pests can also attack money plants. Garden pests such as spiders, scales, mites, and bugs may feed on the leaves of the plant.

To eradicate the pest problem, you should use neem oil and insecticidal soap to treat the pest problem in money plants.

Summing It All Up

Growing a money plant inside an aquarium is not that difficult. But you need to take care since the water can turn dirty quickly.

Make sure that you change the water at least once a week. Ideally, you should change the water twice a week to ensure that the water remains clean, which is important for plant growth.

The root of the plant requires oxygen, thus dirty water will prevent the proper growth of the plant. It will also prevent fish inside the aquarium to survive.

Additionally, you should not use tap water. Instead, always use chlorinated water. In case the plant does not grow well, you may also need to add a liquid fertilizer.

Add dilute liquid fertilizer of about quarter strength every six weeks.

Lastly, you should place the aquarium in a proper location. Avoid placing the aquarium in direct sunlight as it will burn the plants.

The best location is a place where the aquarium receives indirect sunlight.

Have patience after planting a money plant in an aquarium. It will take about a few weeks for the root to grow.

The plant will greatly improve the ambiance of the room once it starts growing. The fish inside will benefit since the plant will act as a filter. Moreover, the plant will also work its magic in cleaning the air inside the room.

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