firefly1

I am doing research for the planning of a 55 gallon freshwater tank,eventually hope to stock with 6 danios,6barbs, 4 cory cats,6 rainbows, and 4 otto cats. I would like to have plants, not very many. I think I would prefer low light types.Would appreciate any info about plant types, care,etc.

pinkfloydpuffer

I have java fern and hornwort, and I'm getting java moss tomorrow. With low-light, pretty much if you've got the right kind of lighting (flourescent, 1-2WPG) then they take almost no effort at all to keep up

Butterfly

Java Fern, Anubias, Bolbitis, Java Moss in my opinion and experience are the easiest and best low light plants common available.
Carol

MissMTS

Jungle Vals grow like mad in my low light tanks. Crypts can also grow really well in low light conditions. Some swords can also do well depending on what your wattage is.

DarkRevoultions

55 gallon, and danios with rainbows too?? they are great

If you have all of those fishes, I suggest that you get some amazon swords, they are perfect for the tank. They grow up to about 30-50 cm tall, and they have tough durable stems, so you don't have to worry about having the fishes eat them, because they will grow fast, and they just need to have a lot of light, and some fish waste, because they usually feed on it.

Also, if you will be getting a pleco, they will eat them too. Wisteria, Cabomba, Java Fern, Anacharis, and Anubias, they will grow very fast and anubias plants will grow fast in low light conditions, since they are grown deep underwater where the light doesn't really reach the plants much down in south america. They grow a lot better in warmer waters, and softer water. They grow fast too.

Anacharis, they are also fast growing plants, and fishes love feeding on them. I have a few of them in my 350 gallon tank.

Basically it depends on what type of fishes you have, if you have fishes that don't really like to eat plants a lot, and don't bother with them, then you should get some slow growing plants. If you like to have a lot of semi-aggressive down to community fishes, they will eat a lot of the plant leaves too, so then I suggest you get fast growing plants. Dossile fishes are laid back, and are always calm, such as the lyre tail guppy, and some type of mollies, they will not be eating your plants a lot. They like to stick to frozen foods, or flake foods.

I am guessing that since you have a few danios, and rainbows, then you might want to go with some of the plants I suggested.

I hope that helps

MissMTS

If you don't have ecocomplete or flourite for your substrate (they are nutrient based substrates that promotes good plant growth), I would dose your tank with Seachem's Flourish once a week. It fertilizes your plants and I swear by it in my tanks

lyndatu

I extremely recommend Java Moss - they're so beneficial and very hard to kill. The fish will have a smile on their faces with some Java Moss around. You can attach them to gravel to form grass or to rocks and driftwood to give it that natural aged look(but be careful on the overall appearance of the tank!). Java Fern is also an extreme recommendation.

Although Anacharis is generally medium to high light plant, it also does well in low-light conditions. I have had long experiences and they have been all great.

Good luck!

Angelwhispers

I personally would recommend Cabomba. it's a hardy plant that looks great when planted in bunches in certain areas of your tank. I have some in my 29Gal right now with my neons, along with some Dwarf Swordplants, and some Valls too. My neons are loving having these kinds of plants around.

cichlidlover

Amazon sword.

Ghostfish

If you want some nice green ground cover, then a microsword does really well.

Beeker

Java Fern and Anubias are great, very easy plants. Anubias even blooms flowers on occasion. I have had many blooms in my tanks. I highly recommend them. Here is a great link to make your plant search easy:
www.plantgeek.net