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Live Plants for Beginners
12 years ago
Keep in mind I am definitely not an expert on live plants. I'd consider myself a novice, at best. I have a little bit of experience with beginners plants and a little knowledge on how things work, but this is not going to be very informative.
With that in mind, I appreciate input with your experiences, comments, and additions
Anubias nana
Lighting: Low to medium is best
pH: Not picky
Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Best as a middle ground or foreground plant, anchored onto decorations such as rocks, driftwood, etc. via rubber bands, cotton string, or fishing wire
General: some people refer to this plant as "the easiest thing to grow aside from algae" it's well known as a beginner plant for freshwater tanks. It can grow in almost any low lighting tank, as well as some medium lit.
In my experience, as well as the experience of many, this plant does best anchored onto decorations. The success rate of the plant's growth varies from perso to person when planted in the gravel, but can be possible as long as the rhizome (the "stem" where the leaves grow off) remains above the substrate. I personally have not been able to keep an anubias species from rotting when it is planted in the substrate.
This plant is very prone to getting brown and black beard algae on its leaves in a high lighting tank. The leaves of this plant are very thick and leathery and are easy for algae to grow on. For this reason many people prefer not to use it in high lit tanks or tanks that get a lot of light during the day.
Java Ferns or "tropica ferns" Microsorum pteropus
Lighting: Low
pH: Not picky
Growth Rate: Slow
Placement: Foreground to mid-ground is best, like anubias, this plant does best anchored onto decorations with rubber bands, cotton string, or fishing wire
General: Java ferns can be easy plants to grow as well as very prolific plants in the right setup. Unfortunately, these plants do not do well in well lit tanks. They tend to grow out very translucent, brittle leaves with high light tanks, since they need so much nutrients to grow when the lighting is too high. Not many have experienced growth out of this plant when put in the substrate.
small java fern sprouts tend to grow off the leaves of adult java ferns and fall off, attaching themselves onto nearby decorations, or, if you're not careful, to your filter impeller. be wary to remove or replant sprouts to keep them from potentially clogging your filter.
Vallisneria Species
Lighting: Medium-low to high
pH: Many people find these plants grow best in hard, alkaline water
Growth Rate: Fast
Placement: Background in the substrate, these plants tend to get very tall
General: Very cheap, common plant, has a nice grassy look to it, and spreads very quickly. It's a favorite for many beginners. Many people grow this plant easily without fertilizers, but in a high light tank, ferts will be required to grow leaves that are not translucent and weak.
these plants sprout "runners" in the substrate which will quickly take and become their own plants. Many aquarists find this plant to be a pest after a while due to its prolific nature.
Water Wisteria Hygrophila difformis
Lighting: Does best in medium light, but not very picky
pH: Not picky
Growth Rate: Fast
Placement: Grows tall, quickly, does best as a background plant, can be floated or placed in the substrate
General: A very versatile, interesting plant, many people consider it a pest due to how quickly it grows.
it's most notable feature is that this plant grows its leaves based on the lighting of the tank. Higher lit tanks with wisteria will experience the leaves to grow rather spikey looking leaves, while lower lit tanks will get very round looking leaves. It also grows will floated or rooted in the substrate.
like most stem plants, this plant can be trimmed back, and the trimmings can be planted in the substrate and will make more individual plants, meaning that water wisteria can quickly spread for you, but some people find trimming this plant back constantly to be a hassle due to its quick growth rate.
Amazon Swords
Lighting: medium low to high
pH: Not picky
Growth Rate: Slow
Placement: generally gets pretty bulky and tall, does well as a background and centerpiece plant
General: many amazon swords are well known for being very large, some can get up to 2 feet tall and wide, with very broad leaves. Because of this, the plant will often make a focal point in the tank. However, these plants take a long time to grow, and will often melt when their root structure is disturbed. Because of this, they do not do well in tanks with fish that like to dig or uproot plants. Once the old leaves melt, new ones will grow in their place.
Hornwort
Lighting: Low
pH: Not picky, but tends to do best in hard, alkaline water
Growth Rate: Very fast
Placement: does best floating, or in the background
General: A true floating plant, also one of the fastest growing plants out there, some people experience growth rates of up to 3 inches a day. This plant can be anchored to the substrate, but it does not grow roots, so it may easily be kicked up by fish.
another notable thing about this plant is that it does best in colder water in a low lit tank, making it good as a plant to grow with goldfish, if you don't mind them snacking on it a bit. I don't know much about this, but I've been told hornwort needs a lot more nutrients in a tank with warmer temperatures, and of course, with higher lights.
many people consider this plant to be a big pest due to how quickly it grows. It's also known to be invasive in many areas and may be banned in your state or country.
Other notable species which I don't know enough about to write in depth (but you guys might)
bacopa caroliniana
various mosses
various crypts
various carpet plants
anacharis
pennywort
other anubias species
water onions
Any input on the plants above (or even some others that are also easy to grow) is appreciated and will be added to this journal
happy fishkeeping
-onidrase
With that in mind, I appreciate input with your experiences, comments, and additions
Anubias nana
Lighting: Low to medium is best
pH: Not picky
Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Best as a middle ground or foreground plant, anchored onto decorations such as rocks, driftwood, etc. via rubber bands, cotton string, or fishing wire
General: some people refer to this plant as "the easiest thing to grow aside from algae" it's well known as a beginner plant for freshwater tanks. It can grow in almost any low lighting tank, as well as some medium lit.
In my experience, as well as the experience of many, this plant does best anchored onto decorations. The success rate of the plant's growth varies from perso to person when planted in the gravel, but can be possible as long as the rhizome (the "stem" where the leaves grow off) remains above the substrate. I personally have not been able to keep an anubias species from rotting when it is planted in the substrate.
This plant is very prone to getting brown and black beard algae on its leaves in a high lighting tank. The leaves of this plant are very thick and leathery and are easy for algae to grow on. For this reason many people prefer not to use it in high lit tanks or tanks that get a lot of light during the day.
Java Ferns or "tropica ferns" Microsorum pteropus
Lighting: Low
pH: Not picky
Growth Rate: Slow
Placement: Foreground to mid-ground is best, like anubias, this plant does best anchored onto decorations with rubber bands, cotton string, or fishing wire
General: Java ferns can be easy plants to grow as well as very prolific plants in the right setup. Unfortunately, these plants do not do well in well lit tanks. They tend to grow out very translucent, brittle leaves with high light tanks, since they need so much nutrients to grow when the lighting is too high. Not many have experienced growth out of this plant when put in the substrate.
small java fern sprouts tend to grow off the leaves of adult java ferns and fall off, attaching themselves onto nearby decorations, or, if you're not careful, to your filter impeller. be wary to remove or replant sprouts to keep them from potentially clogging your filter.
Vallisneria Species
Lighting: Medium-low to high
pH: Many people find these plants grow best in hard, alkaline water
Growth Rate: Fast
Placement: Background in the substrate, these plants tend to get very tall
General: Very cheap, common plant, has a nice grassy look to it, and spreads very quickly. It's a favorite for many beginners. Many people grow this plant easily without fertilizers, but in a high light tank, ferts will be required to grow leaves that are not translucent and weak.
these plants sprout "runners" in the substrate which will quickly take and become their own plants. Many aquarists find this plant to be a pest after a while due to its prolific nature.
Water Wisteria Hygrophila difformis
Lighting: Does best in medium light, but not very picky
pH: Not picky
Growth Rate: Fast
Placement: Grows tall, quickly, does best as a background plant, can be floated or placed in the substrate
General: A very versatile, interesting plant, many people consider it a pest due to how quickly it grows.
it's most notable feature is that this plant grows its leaves based on the lighting of the tank. Higher lit tanks with wisteria will experience the leaves to grow rather spikey looking leaves, while lower lit tanks will get very round looking leaves. It also grows will floated or rooted in the substrate.
like most stem plants, this plant can be trimmed back, and the trimmings can be planted in the substrate and will make more individual plants, meaning that water wisteria can quickly spread for you, but some people find trimming this plant back constantly to be a hassle due to its quick growth rate.
Amazon Swords
Lighting: medium low to high
pH: Not picky
Growth Rate: Slow
Placement: generally gets pretty bulky and tall, does well as a background and centerpiece plant
General: many amazon swords are well known for being very large, some can get up to 2 feet tall and wide, with very broad leaves. Because of this, the plant will often make a focal point in the tank. However, these plants take a long time to grow, and will often melt when their root structure is disturbed. Because of this, they do not do well in tanks with fish that like to dig or uproot plants. Once the old leaves melt, new ones will grow in their place.
Hornwort
Lighting: Low
pH: Not picky, but tends to do best in hard, alkaline water
Growth Rate: Very fast
Placement: does best floating, or in the background
General: A true floating plant, also one of the fastest growing plants out there, some people experience growth rates of up to 3 inches a day. This plant can be anchored to the substrate, but it does not grow roots, so it may easily be kicked up by fish.
another notable thing about this plant is that it does best in colder water in a low lit tank, making it good as a plant to grow with goldfish, if you don't mind them snacking on it a bit. I don't know much about this, but I've been told hornwort needs a lot more nutrients in a tank with warmer temperatures, and of course, with higher lights.
many people consider this plant to be a big pest due to how quickly it grows. It's also known to be invasive in many areas and may be banned in your state or country.
Other notable species which I don't know enough about to write in depth (but you guys might)
bacopa caroliniana
various mosses
various crypts
various carpet plants
anacharis
pennywort
other anubias species
water onions
Any input on the plants above (or even some others that are also easy to grow) is appreciated and will be added to this journal
happy fishkeeping
-onidrase
Also Marimo moss balls are really easy to keep and an interesting contained plant for pretty much any size of tank http://caninecrtitics.hubpages.com/.....rimo-Moss-Ball
My adf's use it as coverage
I've seen fry use it as an area hide
I've seen shrimp eat the leaves off of the little strings.
While it is messy you can easily tame it into many moldable shapes using simple mesh bought at a craft store that's been cleaned.