A fish tank is not only a home for your pets, but also a decor item and source of entertainment. It may be difficult to find live plants that are easy to adapt and care for within your tank, so fake plants may be a better solution. In order to arrange the plants to allow fish to hide, you will need to know how to place and anchor your plastic or silk plants at the bottom of the tank.

Placement

Place your plants in groups of two or three to allow your fish to have a place to hide. Fish like to hide from people, and other fish--it's a natural instinct. Place fake plants throughout the tank in a way so that they do not overcrowd and block your entire view of the rest of the aquarium. Place them about an inch or two away from the front and sides of the tank so that you can still see fish swim by. Use plants of the same kind within each cluster so that the tank looks more natural.

Anchoring

Anchor your plants in place by adding weight to the base. Most plastic plants have a plastic base with a "scoop" shape to allow you to put tank gravel inside to hold it down. Also consider placing your plant near another tank ornament if you have any so that the sides of the tank ornament will provide support to the plant. If your plants appear unnatural when placed on the usual base, eliminate the view of the base by piling more rocks into the bottom of the tank. If you want to remove the base completely, replace it with a suction cup that can be suctioned to the bottom of the tank. To attach the suction cup, cut the base from the stems of the plant and use hot glue to attach them to the top of the suction cup. Allow the glue to dry before anchoring the plant to the bottom of the tank.

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Aqua Articles: Plastic Plants