Ainjil Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Hello, I have a 190L tank currently with 3 clown loaches, 2 angels, 6 neon tetras, 6 bristlenose catfish and a siamese fighter. I have about four fake plants which look okay but I would like to give my clown loaches a bit more foliage to hide in and thought it would be good to start having live plants as I have heard they are better for the fish. Any ideas or recommendations of what I should get and where in Christchurch is best to get them from? All advice gratefully accepted! Thank you. Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 My advice: Buy a few different kinds of plants. See which ones grow well in your tank. Buy more of those. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Organism, corner of Ilam and Clyde. They are very knowledgeable on plants and also have a great range of carnivorous ones! Try also Redwoods, Hussey Rd, opposite Willowbank Wildlife Park Critter Kingdom, Stanmore Rd and Blenheim Rd (2 shops) Petworld, Smith St (I think). You could also pop into Animates at Papanui and say hi to scalare who works there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Thank you both, have to go shopping on the weekend! From your responses it seems that there aren't 'particular plants' suited to 'particular fish'. Thanks again! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 There are some plants which are more likely to be eaten by herbivors or damaged but not with the fish you mentioned. Pick ones you like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 ***Warning*** Growing plants can become addictive :lol: I started replacing my plastic plants with real one about 3 months ago. The fish really love it! Quite cool to see my "relativly big" silver sharks carefully squeezing through the leaves. Where as before none of my fish would go near the plastic ones. Have found that going from plastic to live does involve a bit of patience. I have "Blue Hygro" and "Cambomba" (sp?) and there are a few others that grow really well. You need to wotch fertilizing when you start with the real plants. I think i went a bit overboard initially and had a mild case of algae. I stopped fertilizing for a couple of weeks and it sorted itself out. I have had good results with Florish excel. Next will come the questions about CO2, then lights... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carriej Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 John peters sells plants privately if you want them cheaply, and are patient enough to watch them grow. He offers quite a few varietys, although all of his plants come with snails, as he breeds them...... not a problem for you if your clown loaches are big enough He can be contacted on 03 942-9456 Cabomba and Ambulia I can offer cheaply but I am not trying to advertise here, so PM me if you are interested. Tristan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Also watch the clown loaches don't bite stem plants off at the roots... Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staplez Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Last night I bought some plant for my community tank. The thing is I don't know what they are :oops: . They are a thin flax the blades had a max width of about 6mm. The blades are green with one yellow edge. The pet store did not have the name for these nice little plants. The reason I want to know what they are is one of them has a brown limb which must be loaded with seeds. I want to know how to take care of these and grow them from the seeds. Being a flax I'm sure its very hardy. It looks great and my fish took an instant liking to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 From your description I would wonder if it is a true aquatic plant. More likely to be a bog plant. It may not last too long totally submerged. Quite a few bog plants are sold as fully aquatic and some adapt better than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 HI Stapelz, going to stick my neck out a bit cos i am realtivly new to this an suggest that the plant you have is Japanese Rush. http://www.fnzas.org.nz/320.0.html?&cHash=fbec9ac32a&user_plants=2 Note in the discription Propagation: By rhizome cutting. Best propagated emersed as a bog plant I got some for my tank too. Dont hold your breath at that seed pod thingy maturing and giving you heaps of new growth, mine didnt. But looks nice anyway. Mine grows slowly and it what i call a "floater". My silver sharks where quite skilled at uprooting it simlpy by swimming past it! (I took mine out of the pots and didnt use lead) Its a lot more established now and I have no problems. Hope that helps... John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staplez Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Thanks alot that looks like it. Do they establish good roots? I don't like having lead in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Yes but slowly. I think they might prefer feeding thru the roots. I put a JBL 7 balls under my bunch. They seemed to start to take root better after i did that. Also on the plant survey I noticed the other "similar" plant is actually noted as "Very slow growing in its submerged form" http://www.fnzas.org.nz/320.0.html?&cHash=a1c01ae2a2&user_plants=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 This growing plants business sounds complicated! But I am going to give it a go. Thanks for all your comments. One further question - I was talking to a fellow yesterday who said that my undergravel filter (with powerhead) may not be suitable for growing live plants - has anyone else encountered this? Secondly, off the topic.... I introduced a siamese fighter to my tank last night and my two angelfish (demonfish if you ask me) are giving it hell... I love the look of my angels but their attitudes are getting on my nerves! Other than getting rid of them has anyone got any ideas on what to do? If only there were obedience schools for fish!!! :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Undergravels are fine with plants, as long as your gravel is deep enough (at least 5cm) Angels will harass the fighter as they love the long flowing fins. I would remove either the fighter, or the angels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 if you want hiding places for your clown loaches I can then recommend taht you put in either a bamboo tube or a plastic one as my 2 clown loaches like to hide in a plastic tube which I have put into my tank. (just bige enough for them to go into) hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staplez Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Growing plants is very easy. I often buy a small quantity plants then let them grow and when big enough I cut off some of the storks and plant them in the gravel. They then grow their own roots and grow to there full size. This works well with plants that establish alot of roots. Its a cheap and easy way of growing your own if you don't have the commitment to go indepth with reproducing plants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Thanks Caryl I thought as much! I think it'll be farewell to the Angels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Thanks Staplez, good advice. I think that's exactly what i will try and do! Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 This growing plants business sounds complicated! But I am going to give it a go. Thanks for all your comments. One further question - I was talking to a fellow yesterday who said that my undergravel filter (with powerhead) may not be suitable for growing live plants - has anyone else encountered this?:roll: Yes my local LFS didn't recommend an undergravel filter in a planted tank, apparently the plants don't like the movement of the water. I don't know how they know that but they are all fairly knowledgeable there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carriej Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 I introduced a siamese fighter to my tank last night and my two angelfish (demonfish if you ask me) are giving it hell... I love the look of my angels but their attitudes are getting on my nerves! Other than getting rid of them has anyone got any ideas on what to do? If only there were obedience schools for fish!!! :roll: I can offer you a free trade of larger angels for smaller. Some other fish sellers may do the same if you ask around. PM me if you are interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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