What Kind of Aquatic Plants Do Fish Love in Ponds?

Aquatic plants in a fish pond

Aquatic plants have many uses in ponds. Some pond plants grow submerged in the water, others grow to the top and produce blooms while some grow vertical in shallow water. Your pond fish will love the benefits and protection that aquatic plants provide.

Types

Three types of aquatic plants commonly found in ponds are oxygenating plants, water lilies and floating plants. A fourth type of plant, called marginal plants, are commonly planted along the edge of ponds in the shallow water.

Effects

Fish love oxygenators like hornwart and water violet because they add oxygen to the pond water for fish to breath and fish love to graze on them. Floating plants like water hyacinth and water lettuce protect fish from sunburn, provide a hiding spot when birds appear and provide roots for fish to graze on.

Benefits

Water lilies, oxygenator plants and floating plants remove toxins from the water that fish waste creates. Fish will live happier in clean water.

Other Functions

Water lilies are a hardy, hard to kill aquatic plant and fish will love hiding from the sun under the beautiful lily pads. Marginal plants do not provide much function other than decoration, but they do attract insects that fish enjoy eating.

Warnings

Koi fish love to graze on, and uproot, plants. Put the plants in pots or plant baskets topped with rocks to avoid uprooting. Many pond owners will only grow marginal plants and water lilies because koi cannot kill them so easily.

References

• Encyclopedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish; David Alderton; 2005