# Cat safe alternative to Pothos



## MSaxen (Mar 5, 2019)

Good Morning PTP,

I am looking to grow a plant out of a Penguin 200 HOB filter on my 55g. My goal is part aesthetics and part natural filtration. We have a cat in the house that will not leave the tank alone and is also a chewer. I love the look of Pothos, but I understand that plant is toxic to felines, so not an option here. I believe bamboo would work, but that's not really the look I am after. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks!


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

With enough oxygen most plants will grow in just water...
Technically you can't "drowned" plants but you can deprive them of oxygen from flooding.. 

biggest issue would be how much light they get will determine your alternative..and style ie. vining ect..

https://www.hgtv.ca/green-living/photos/plants-child-pet-safe-1913786/#currentSlide=7

Try some of this.. maybe an airstone by it's roots...

Neither Swedish Nor an Ivy ? Green Obsessions

next...
https://www.hgtv.ca/green-living/photos/plants-child-pet-safe-1913786/#currentSlide=8

this thing is practically indestructible, trust me.. ..
https://www.hgtv.ca/green-living/photos/plants-child-pet-safe-1913786/#currentSlide=9


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## BenTheLlama (Jan 4, 2019)

Almost all vine-type plants should be able to grow in water, and quite a few other plants can be grown in water (think aquaponics—that’s how they do it). You could google plants that can grow in water and find a pet safe one, or just test out a few different plant safe plants and see if they grow. I’ve used Wandering Jew, but I don’t know how pet safe it is.


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## Ken Keating1 (Nov 22, 2017)

We have a cat with the same issue, or let's say had the same issues. The cat was acquired from a family member who passed away and was known to have plant eating and jumping on table/counter top tendencies. When we acquired the cat, we purchased a water bottle with an adjustable nozzle, which we set to the stream setting. Any close to plants/trespassing violations and the cat was met with a short burst of water, with us being hidden(behind a table, door, couch, etc) such that the cat didn't correlate us with the water. I was surprised, two squirts and the cat would not repeat the action again. They can be very fast learners.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

May not be the look you want but my personal recommendation would be *soleirolia soleirolii *(aka baby tears (not the aquatic variety) I found mine in the green houses of garden centers in winter (want to go back there again!)). Grew these on a Aquaclear 70 on my 20g long for a few years-just put foam filter pad on top and stuck in it grew over and you couldn't even see the filter! The mass got wider than my hand/finger spread (can't find the photo to show with hand on top of it). Keep the leaves out of water, just stuff roots down where they get wet and it'll take off. Roots don't get overly long like pothos so no fear of clogging the filter.
According to this site they are cat/dog/kid safe
https://www.hgtv.ca/green-living/photos/plants-child-pet-safe-1913786/#currentSlide=5


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## redneck joe (Mar 13, 2019)

how about green beans? Then you have food. Or herbs. I'm leaning that way.


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## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

I wonder what google makes of my searching for "wandering jew poison cat" (it does poison cats...)


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## MSaxen (Mar 5, 2019)

Those are all great suggestions, thank you. I have a lot more to think about than I thought. 
@jeffkrol, those are all pretty, but the prayer plant is beautiful. Wow. I may get one regardless of adding it to my tank. 
@BenTheLlama, I was definatly overthinking this. May need to find a local nursery and just go see what they have. 
@Ken Keating1, I have to refill our squirt bottle every 3 weeks or so. lol. He is a sweet cat, but not a quick learner. I find lights moved frm the top of my tanks regularly. I need to start putting canopies on them, but I like the air exchange from the open tops. 
@Aquarora, The baby tears aren't the exact look im going for, but a full length planter box has me thinking much bigger than my Penguin 200. Did you use multiple HOBs in that pic or rig up a single box?
@******* joe, There are a couple BN plecos in the tank that would go crazy for some fresh green beans. 
@Wobblebonk, assuming that's a plant name, going to wait till I'm off my work computer to give it a google. haha. 

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions. Still pretty new to this forum and can't get over how helpful everyone is. This site is a fantastic resource!!!


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

MSaxen said:


> @*Aqua*rora, The baby tears aren't the exact look im going for, but a full length planter box has me thinking much bigger than my Penguin 200. Did you use multiple HOBs in that pic or rig up a single box?


That is 1 hob but its an aquaclear 70 dimensions 6.2 x 10.7 x 8.6 inches, way over capacity for a 20g long. Its on a 30" long, 12" high tank for scale. I started with 1 small 2" pot of baby tears. 




Wobblebonk said:


> I wonder what google makes of my searching for "wandering jew poison cat" (it does poison cats...)


use "cat safe" instead of "poison cat" less evil ^.~


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

******* joe said:


> how about green beans? Then you have food. Or herbs. I'm leaning that way.



not sure if the Nitrogen fixing bacteria can live in water or the N(gas) concentration but I'd stay away from legumes if the goal is to suck up Nitrates..
Could end up adding them..


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Being sort of weird about these things..
N2 (gas) solubility..


> Nitrogen (N2) solubility at 20oC and pressure = 1 bar is approximately 20 mg/L.


https://www.quora.com/Is-nitrogen-soluble-in-water


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