How to Grow Money Plant in an Aquarium
Money plant (pothos) is one of the cheapest ways to help a fish tank. Its leaves stay in the air, its roots hang in the water, and it feeds on the nitrate your fish produce.
Cut a stem with three or four leaves, rinse it, and fix it at the tank rim so at least one node is under water and every leaf stays above it. New roots usually appear within a few weeks.
Why it helps your tank
Filter bacteria turn fish waste into nitrate, and nitrate builds up between water changes. Plants use it as food. Money plant is good at this because its leaves are in the open air, with plenty of carbon dioxide and light, so it grows faster than many plants kept fully under water.
The roots are useful too. Small fish, fry and shrimp shelter in them, and the leaves give a little shade.
It does not replace water changes. Keep changing water as usual and test nitrate with a kit if you want to see the difference.
How to set it up
- Take a cutting. Choose a healthy stem and cut just below a node, the small bump where a leaf joins the stem. A piece with three or four leaves is plenty.
- Remove the lower leaves. Any leaf that would sit under water will rot, so take it off now.
- Clean it. If the plant grew in soil, rinse every bit of soil off and pull away soft or dark roots. If it was sprayed or fertilised recently, stand it in a jar of plain water for a couple of weeks first and change that water often.
- Fix it in place. Put at least one node under water with all the leaves above the surface. It must not drift, because a stem that sinks will rot. Use a rim planter, or tie it to the outlet of a hang-on filter.
- Give it light. Normal bright room light is enough. Keep direct sun off the tank or you will grow algae as well.
Common problems
- Stem turns soft or black. Cut above the rot and start again with the clean part. It usually means leaves or too much stem went under water.
- Yellow leaves. Old leaves yellow naturally. If many turn at once, the plant may be short of light, or there may be little for it to feed on, as in a new tank with few fish.
- Fish eating the roots. Goldfish, plecos and other nibblers will do this. It rarely harms the plant, and roots grow back.
- Roots filling the tank. Trim them with clean scissors. Keep them clear of your filter intake.
Is it safe?
Roots in water have a long history in home aquariums and aquaponics. Keep the leaves out of the water, and remove any that fall in.
The leaves are a problem for pets, not fish. Money plant is listed as toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, so keep trailing stems out of their reach. The sap can irritate skin, so wash your hands after trimming.