Dave+Amy Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Hey, I have riccia and indian ferns floating but wondering what other kinds of floating plants are available? Preferably something that's not too flimsy.. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Duckweed. Lemna sp. Can withstand a little bit of current but not so great with surface turbulence (like bubbles etc). Little round leaf 'platelets' and roots that hang down. Long if no current, short if current. Provides surface cover for lurking fish. Lots of people loathe it but I love it. Usual hates: fast growing and hard to eradicate. I just scoop most of it out each fortnight (takes excess nutrient out too!) and eradication is just a matter of being thorough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 it was a painful hour and a bit when I had to fish the last bits of it out of my riccia.. I'm hoping for a much larger plant though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skoll Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 I'm a fan of Indian Fern... whatever its proper name may be. Grows from broken off leaves, can be planted or floating and appears to be able to survive almost anything! Gavin.... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 and they make an awesome back drop - makes bright coloured fish stand out even more! downside being it's really easy to break - often break it when re-planting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 A lot of stem plants get their nutrients from the water column rather than the substrate, so if you like the look they will grow well as floating plants. In my experience hygro and ambulia will both grow indefinitely as floating plants. Depending on what look you're going for, you could plant the base of both plants, then just leave the tops to grow longer and longer until they cover the surface of the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 yeah I'm after something sturdy my fighter can blow bubble nests onto, at the moment he's blowing bubble nests on the Riccia which doesn't hold well...I've got some kind of Aponogeton growing and it seems to be going for gold in my main tank I'll be moving him to a smaller tank (10L) so the plant would have to be short too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 grow heaps of val and let it twist around the top of the tank lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 wouldn't val be too big? will only be having him in a 30X30X30cm breeding tank, thought I'd better breed him to stop his harrassment of the females Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 It looks good when it grows to the top and floats. If you want him to make a bubbble nest under something I'd put in a lid floating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 could anyone tell me wat types of val are illegal and can anyone sell me some legal val? The breeding tank won't have gravel so I guess I'll be planting it in a tiny pot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 another interesting plant i have seen is a type of duckweed but bigger with longer roots and its red on top fadind to green .redwood aquatics gave me some a while back all gone now tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 The giant vallisneria is illegal throughout the country and I understand the other tall but thinner one (which I think is V. americana) is banned in some locations because the powers can't tell the difference when they are young. Any twisted Vallisneria are allowed.The ideal plant you want may be Echinodrus uraguayensis which grows in my tank to about 650mm and looks like a giant Vallisneria. It would grow well potted in a bare tank where as vallisneria throws out runners. I have bred many fighters successfully and have never used floating plants. I used to do it in a small tank with no filter or airstone to disturb the surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 another interesting plant i have seen is a type of duckweed but bigger with longer roots and its red on top fadind to green .redwood aquatics gave me some a while back all gone now tho azolla? one of the smallest fern in the country if not the smallest, it goes from green to deep rep-purple depending on nutrient uptake great plant but i havent had much luck growing it in an aquarium (not tht ive tried tht hard but it def doesnt take over tanks like lemna/duckweed), does well outdoors but doesnt like frosts and i have a fealing it dies off in tropical tanks but could be wrong, great plant though my turtles can eat half a bucket of the stuff in a day or 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 sounds like the stuff just had it in my frog tank and in the old minow tank died off after a while tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 yea its funny like tht, ive never seen it actually grow in my tanks but out in troughs its better but still dies off but not completely if your lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 What about hydrocottles (sp?)? They are the plants that are like little water lilly leaves. hot or cold water growth and easy to maintain? Nav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 Forgot about them, they would be good or Cardamine lyrata. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 What does the Cardamine look like Alan? Navarre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 It has a round leaf and grows up towards the light but is Ok floating as well. Have a look in the plant section or plantgeek. It is the plant I use for my Japanese fire bellies to lay eggs on. Will grow OK in a pond in summer. I think people call it silver dollar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 ....anyone that can supply us with any of these?? we WILL pay for it lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 I have H. verticulata but you would be better off with H. leucocephala. Cardamine is generally available in most pet shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 I some have some H. leucocephala. Enuff to post some to you if you are keen. Pm if interested. Nav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Hey everyone thanks for your replies - managed to score some big fat water sprite off TracyTrout and the fighter has already built a little bubblenest under it so I guess he's happy with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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