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Plant Profiles .            Easy.

 

• Hornwort
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•  A stem plant with spiralling forked leaves. It looks more delicate than it actually is! This plant is difficult to kill and grows very quickly -- this helps slow algae growth in your tank.

  A rootless plant, Hornwort can be kept floating at the top of the aquarium or buried in the gravel to suit your taste. If you bury Hornwort in the substrate, the Hornwort stems are held in the gravel by root-like organs called rhizoids. The stems will branch off to form nice thickets for fish and especially fry to retreat into. Be careful with it however, because it breaks easily and many of the pieces can become their own plants. Hornwort is an easy plant to care for since Hornwort can be kept in many aquarium environments, such as coldwater aquariums and tropical aquariums. It is a great aquarium plant for all levels of experienced aquarists. It is also readily available at fish stores or online.

 

• Amazon sword

•  A tall plant with very large leaves! This plant needs more sunlight than some of the others on the list, but the plant's height helps it get the sun it needs. Because these plants are larger than others, they may need more nutrients than other plants. You may need to use fertilizer sticks in the substrate to keep your Amazon sword happy.

Amazon Swordplants can grow to a maximum of 14 to 20 inches (35 to 50 cm). The leaves, being very long and fairly broad, make up the main part of the Amazon Sword plant. Their height and shape makes them ideal for background or mid ground  decorations. The leaves of the Amazon Swords can, and often will, grow above the surface of the water if the conditions allow it to do so. This trait makes them very popular for aquariums with a low surface level. However if you do not want the plant growing above the water, trim its roots and long leaves periodically. Also remove older leaves to keep the plant looking healthy.Amazon Swordplants are relatively easy to keep, with a few basics to keep in mind. They do well in fine, iron-rich substrates, bright lighting, and fairly soft water. Be careful of high carbonate hardness levels, because this can affect how well the plant grows.

 

 

• Java fern

• A hardy aquarium plant with fernlike fronds. This is an aquarium specialty plant that grows attached to rock or driftwood. The Java Fern is an amphibious fern which lives with its rhizome attached to rocks or logs at the edge of mountain streams. In the aquarium the Java Fern should be tied with strings to a rock or log until they attach. They grow at a relatively slow to medium pace, therefore making this an easy plant to keep, and can reach a maximum height of 10 inches

• Java moss

• Another aquarium specialty plant that attaches to solid objects in the tank. This plant forms tangled, branched strands.

  Ferns, Moss, and Liverworts are non-flowering plants. They are not capable of forming seeds but propagate by microscopic spores. The water loving Mosses and Liverworts (Bryophyta) are lowly spore bearing plants found all around the world. But only the common Liverwort, Riccia, and a few of the mosses are widely used in aquariums.Ferns (Pteridophyta) are also water loving, spore bearing plants, but these differ from Liverworts and Mosses in that they are propagated partly vegetatively and partly by spores. Ferns often produce roots from rhizomes, which attach to rocks or wood ornaments in the aquarium. For the aquarist, the easiest methods of propagation are vegetatively, either by dividing the rhizomes and stems or by separating new plantlets developed directly on the leaves of the parent plants.

 

• Dwarf anubias

• A plant that can grow on solid objects or rooted in the substrate. It grows more slowly than some of the other plants on this list, but does occasionally flower. Some fish really like to eat the anubias flowers!

  The leaves of the Dwarf Anubias are tough and leathery, are dark green with rounded tips, and grow to be about 3.2 inches long. This dwarf species of anubias is a great foreground plant since it only grows to a maximum height of 4.7 inches. They have a slow growth rate but are sturdy and can grow on rocks, wood, or in the substrate.

  Anubias plants are usually undemanding in terms of how much light they need. If they are planted in the substrate, they should be provided with plenty of bottom fertilization, as well as a warm bottom. Carbon dioxide fertilization is also recommended.

 

• Dwarf hygrophilia

•  A fast-growing stem plant that herbivorous fish like to nibble. Fortunately, this plant grows fast enough that it can easily recover from the damage. "Dwarf" is perhaps not the most accurate name, as this plant can grow more than a foot tall! Great plant for starting a new tank, as it is fast growing and undemanding. This plant can be somewhat variable based on the amount of light and nutrients in the tank. Adapts well to almost all conditions.

 

• Anacharis elodia

•  A stem plant that can grow rooted in the substrate or floating. This plant does well in tanks with hard water and cooler temperatures.

  Anacharis, Brazilian Waterweed, and Elodea are all common names used to for this species, Egeria densa. While this species is most suitable for a tropical aquarium, it can also be kept in cooler water. These same common names are also applied to the American or Canadian waterweed species of the Elodea genus, which are very similar. Elodea species are suitable for cool aquariums or ponds however, rather than tropical environments. To be certain of which 'Anacharis' you are obtaining, be sure to check its scientific name.Anacharis will root if the shoots are buried in the gravel, however they can be kept either as floating plants or as rooted plants. They grow very well in ponds and goldfish tanks and will survive in cold water. They are great beginner plants because they adapt very easily, grow quickly, and are easily propagated. They are also good oxygenators. The stems will grow up to 50 cm (20 in) or more, so they usually need to be kept trimmed

 

• Thai onion plant

•  A very tall plant with straight leaves. Without pruning, this plant can reach the surface and form a tangled mat that blocks light! This is a very undemanding plant, outside of requiring a tall tank. Bury the bulb half way into the substrate when planting, to avoid bulb rot. Mature plants will send a fragrant lily-like flower to the surface. Elegant flowing plant when placed in the filter flow. Prune long blades to prevent blocking too much light to plants below

 

• Vallisneria spiralis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Vallisneria spiralis, also known as Straight Vallisneria, Tape grass, or Eel grass is a common aquarium plant that prefers good light and a nutrient rich substrate. In the wild, it can be found in tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide. It has narrow, linear leaves that range in colour from a pale-green to reddish up to 3 feet (1 m) long and up to 0.75 inches broad. V. spiralis is monoecious with flowers carried on long spiral stalks that break away from the plant and float on the water's surface. Seeds have not been observed germinating in aquaria. Instead, it most often propagates by runners which can lead to dense stands.

One form of this plant has been described: V. spiralis f. tortifolia, which has also been elevated to the species level by some taxonomists under the name V. tortissima. The form has tightly twisted leaves. Along with this form, many other trade names have been developed for small variations on the species. Their taxonomic status is uncertain.

 

• Vallisneria asiatica
  

Vallisneria asiatica is similar to Vallisneria spiralis, except a little larger, with leaves up to 60 cm long being typical. Hardy and tolerant, it prefers unheated, strongly illuminated aquaria but will adapt to tropical aquaria with only moderate lighting without fuss. A good all-rounder, its fast growth and deep roots make this species an excellent choice for use in aquaria with fish that do a little digging, such as dwarf cichlids, gobies, and Corydoras catfish.

 

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