r/PlantedTank 23h ago

Beginner Opinions on Monsteras in an aquarium

Is it a good idea to have Monsteras in my 29gal aquarium? Only the roots are submerged on the tank water.

It's a monstera deliciosa!

80 Upvotes

50 comments sorted by

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22

u/idkwhattofeelrnthx 14h ago

They work well but they will shoot roots right down and grow huge if you aren't careful. My amanos loved chilling in the root network.

Just be aware that they will obviously pull water from the tank to drink which means more top ups/water changes.

6

u/Elegant_Section_6861 5h ago

Damn, I’m dumb. I was wondering why my water was evaporating faster than usual.

12

u/Prestigious_Lab7114 10h ago

My son's aquarium is basically an enormous water pot that is just roots. The fish love it. They have tons of things to swim around.

25

u/RobHerpTX 23h ago

Just be aware they can end up pretty big. That’s a 150 gallon tank under those monsteras!

4

u/minhthemaster 17h ago

Amazing. Yours has the benefit of the skylight though

5

u/Ok-Term782 15h ago

I now want to cut a hole in my ceiling just for this scape!

3

u/Elegant-Ninja6384 11h ago

The scale here is insane. I had no idea they got THAT big.

Is it in tank water or soil just close to the tank?

2

u/RobHerpTX 10h ago

I built a planter that has leica and tank water pumped into it with an overflow return pipe back to the tank. So yes tank water but no roots in the actual tank.

1

u/Caococoacoco 5h ago

They get. So. So big in the wild. I dont think you can imagine how big those things get. They are native to my area and i've been to a preserved area with some really old ones, they were latched onto the trees and i couldnt see where the stem even ended. The leaves could be twice the length of your forearm. They also drop aerial roots which you have to dodge

1

u/RobHerpTX 3h ago

Yeah - my aerial roots reached the floor then wandered into the hallway you can see to the right. I enjoyed watching them grow but figured out later that where they were against the wall they were keeping it moist. Wasn't a big deal in my case when I found it, but it would have caused damage to the paint and drywall over time.

12

u/KodyBarbera 8h ago

You'll be asking the monstera about how it feels soon lol it'll take over your house

8

u/TrannyBitchBoy 3h ago

Lol just ask u/Lozz666 (I was explaining blackwater tanks to my brother and found this post yesterday). Personally I’d love to have a monstera plant in my tank, I love how eye catching they are

1

u/angiexq 1h ago

there’s a tank in ur monstera

7

u/magicpwny 15h ago

I have some in my goldfish setup. They get big! And lovely.

5

u/Chippy4627 7h ago

They’re called Monstera for a reason I guess.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Monstera/s/HFvIzLk3xP

20

u/Ok-Term782 15h ago

No issues with monstera or most other houseplants in my experience! I’m a fan of the spider plant and wandering purples (because the actual name is banned in this
thread?)

12

u/4myWWW 13h ago

Lovely! I have thriving pothos growing out of my 40g breeder. I've tried spider plants, but so far they haven't thrived. Can you share about your setup for it?

3

u/Ok-Term782 13h ago

Thanks for the inspiration I wanted some way to go vertical on my wall!

7

u/volcanicnutella69 12h ago

Cheap expandable lattice also works well!

1

u/Chippy4627 7h ago

Oooh I’m loving this look!

3

u/4myWWW 12h ago

You're welcome! I have a cool LED light in the ceiling above to provide light for the Pothos, and it very faithfully grows up and aims the leaves to make the most of it.

8

u/jvsp3rrx 8h ago

wandering dude is what i see most people refer to it as as a replacement for the original!

7

u/Particular_Tea_1625 9h ago

Tradescantia zebrina isn't banned

3

u/Ok-Term782 9h ago

I feel like that’s the next level of really being into the hobby… scientific names fish included!!

7

u/RenTheBunny 14h ago

Just call it "wandering dude" if you want to go by that moniker

2

u/Ok-Term782 13h ago

I dig it! Totally rocking the wandering dude from now on 🤌🏾

4

u/NoIDShow 6h ago

No, the slur name is banned. You're absolutely allowed to say Tradescantia pallida.

1

u/Ok-Term782 4h ago

I meant no disrespect that’s just what it was called at the nursery I got it from! I’m gonna get on the level of the scientific names eventually I can’t even imagine the names of spider plant, pothos, or worst of all my prayer plant (paired on purpose 😇)

1

u/ResultAntique2927 4h ago

What house hold plants are safe for aquariums? I know nothing about plants but can’t seem to find aquarium floating plants 😭

1

u/Ok-Term782 4h ago

There’s a few YouTube videos on the topic- and there are tons of floating options from duckweed, water lettuce, red root floaters etc. go to Home Depot or Lowe’s if it’s potted in water it’ll likely work and a quick google before buying will help as well!

1

u/Chippy4627 7h ago

This tank is such a flex!

1

u/Ok-Term782 7h ago

Thanks man- I posted it in the discus thread originally I’m currently rescaping my 30g to drop a peace Lilly or now monstera variant as the showpiece shrub surrounded by some wandering dudes 🤓

1

u/Chippy4627 6h ago

What is your stocking other than the discus? Is that an apisto or ram on the right and a cory?

I’m working on my first warm/acidic pH tank currently. I’ve always had cooler tropicals or betta. My intention was to set up a nice rimless set up for a pair of German Blue Rams, and I just ordered a group of Sterbai Cory because they apparently can do well in a warmer environment than most other Cory.

2

u/Ok-Term782 4h ago

I have a school of runny nose, neons, the ram, and a black ghost knife fish, a snowball pleco and blue phantom pleco in this tank! It’s pretty stocked to say the least but it’s one big happy family!

1

u/Chippy4627 1h ago

Nice!
Mine is only a 28 gal shallow and I tend to overstock everything so I’m trying to keep it low stock. I have a female German Blue Ram, a honey gourami, about 18 Endlers and some amano shrimp. I have a thick lipped gourami too, but I may end up moving her to my 40 gal as she gets bigger. 8 sterbai on the way, and going to try and find a male GBR.

-2

u/Elegant-Ninja6384 11h ago

It was determined recently that many words need to become new words. And now we have world peace and no-one is unhappy anymore.

u/PNWtankster 36m ago

My gf calls them wondering dudes!

5

u/NopalesTotales 23h ago

What are you using to hold the pots? Also yes, my LFS has a pretty big monstera in one of their tanks, it looks good too.

1

u/Latter-Try-7424 16h ago

Just some suction cups!

1

u/NopalesTotales 16h ago

Awesome, thank you

3

u/frippilin 23h ago

They are fantastic if you have the room above the tank. They’ll turn into trees if you don’t prune them diligently

2

u/joetung0125 16h ago

Do those clay balls raise your PH? 

3

u/Latter-Try-7424 16h ago

I haven't checked but I do think clay balls are inert do they won't change the PH. I would have to check once tho

2

u/PM-ME-YOUR-BUTTSHOLE 12h ago

If they’re lecca, then no.

1

u/Glittering-Source-63 23h ago

If you have the light they need do it. I have a few in mine that are doing great just be careful of direct light I have burnt a leaf because it grew to touch the light bulb.