I don't know much about plants....

....and I was wondering if you could help me a little. I have some questions on a few plants. I mostly have fake plants at the moment.

Java Moss

I know that some people here have Java Moss in their tanks.
What is it like to take care of? Easy or Hard?
Can it be a handfull as it can spread anywhere?

Pygmy chain sword

I don't know if anyone has heard of this. It is meant to be a smaller version of Amazon Sword.

Here is a picture and some info.





Does anyone know any other info on this plant?

Java Fern

Is this a good plant?
Is it easy to take care of?

Thanks for all your help.

Gwenz

 

Java moss - you either love it or hate it. Its a PITA to me. It collects tons of crud and can be rather invasive. But I've seen others who have made nice displays with it. Shrimp can help to keep it fairly clean but since I can't have shrimp (my puffs rip them limb from limb), it doesn't work for me.

Pygmy chain sword is REALLY tiny, at least the stuff I bought was. Too much hassle to plant and the snails kept uprooting it. Wasn't happy with it at all. I recommend dwarf sag instead.

Java fern - very easy to care for. Should NOT be planted. It should be tied to a rock, driftwood or other structure that the roots will cling to. When planted, it will rot and die.

Easy to care for plants include pretty much all of the anubias and crypts and they only require low light as well.

 

Depending on what you have in your tank Java Moss can be wonderful or horrible. In one ten gallon I have five guppies, three tiny gelius barbs and one otto and I love it.
In one twenty gallon long with some young bristlenose its attached to a piece of wood and just kind of drapes. some scattering but not bad.
Then in the 55 gallon loach tank its horrible. The kuhlis crawl through it and hang out of it thus causing it to scatter. I'm forever having to remove it from somewhere I don't want it
So just depends what your needs are and your expectations are.
Carol

 

Java Fern on the other hand I absolutely love. I have three different kinds and love all three. It's tough and very few fish can harm it.
it needs to be attached to wood or rock. In the first picture it was attached to a rock and I just moved rock, plant and all to another tank. In the second they were tucked into holes and crevices and attached them selves to the driftwood. That's Anubias(another easy plant) around the bottom and in the back.
Heres a list of some other easy plants.

The only problem I had with the pygmy chain sword was keeping it planted, my clowns kept it rooted up hunting for snails. Hope this helped
Carol

 

Java moss can be very messy. I have some in both my tanks its better tied down to some thing IMO othe wise it will end up in you filter

 

Thanks everyone. I think I'll get some Java Fern and something else. I'm not sure if I want Java fern as I have a small tank, and I'm not sure about the Pygmy chain sword. In the tank I will be putting 3 panda corries and a Dwarf Gourami. It's a 7.5 gallon tank.

This is the only site I have found in UK that seels plants and m lfs' are rubbish with plants - they don't lable them to tell you what they are, and I'm sure most of them are not aquatic. This site doesn't have many plants.



Can anyone find anything here that I might be able to have? Personaly I have no idea what to get (except of Java Fern). LOL!

Thanks.

Gwenz

 

For a starter- Echinodorus tenellus, Crypts, Anubias nana,Java Fern.
Carol

 

Thanks Carol. I like the Anubias nana. I might get some of that for the tank and I might get some to put in my 15 gallon as well.

So this is what I plan to get so far :

Java Fern
Anubias nana (x2)

and maybe some crypts. What do you think of this? Is it a good plant to have in the tank?



Thanks again.

Gwenz

P.S. - Sorry about all the questions, but I really don't know much about plants.

 

That's an excellent plant, I have several.
Carol

 

OK thanks. I think I know what I'm getting now then.

Java Fern
Anubias nana (x2)
Crypt Wendtii

Thanks for all your help. I didn't know what to get before - I had no idea.

Now to try and get my mum to buy them for me. :-\ HEHE!!!

Thanks again. I don't know wht I would have done without your help on choosing plants.

Gwenz

 

personally I hate my java moss it doesn't float around like I had hoped it would I have it sunk with fishing line the little metal thing that my Hydras came in InarI (male betta) seems to like to sleep in it so I guess i'm stuck keeping it now lol anyway it is pretty easy to care for so far I would suggest it to others for its ease but if u like something that will actually float on top of the water or something that is very stationary this one isn't for u just a comment good luck

brent

 

for a really cute foreground plant may I suggest the Petite Anubias Nana. They are darling little mounds of green about 1 1/2" across and they do multiply fairly quickly and so are nice to depend on to make new plants. they are tiny little darlings and such a pretty green I love mine and they are very easy to care for.

Rose

 

I can't seem to fin that anywhere. > All I can find is these.



Is it just a smaller version of this?

Thanks Rose.

Gwenz

 

Here is the information off of . I got mine from the gentleman who took the pictures for this and it is just as beautiful as the one in the picture.



Rose

 

Thanks Rose.

I want to get my plants from here :

They have Anubias nana, but don't sell Petite Anubias Nana. Or at least I can't find it anywhere on their site. I wish they did sell it though. :-\

Gwenz

 

Try just Petite Nana.  That is what I had to go to in order to find it on plant geek.

Rose

 

I tried it, but still I don't think they have it. I have sent them an E-mail asking about it. I have E-mailed them before and the replied quite quickly, so hopfully I'll find out if they have it or not.

Gwenz

 

another good starter plant is crypts they are really hearty its awesome I love it one of the few plants I don't have to worry about killing in my aquarium

 

yes thanks inari, I'm going to get Crypt wendtii, anubias nana and Java Fern.

Gwenz

 

good luck with ur plants I dont' know what tank they are for but i'm sure ur fish will enjoy them I know InarI does

 

Thanks. They are going to go in my 7.5 gallon and some in my 15gallon.

I chose some of these plants because I was going to get a betta, but unfortunately I haven't been able to kepp them because there is something in the water here that they just can't live in.
I going to get a Dwarf Gourami as they are in the same family and have the same kind of needs.

I can't wait to get the plants now. The tank looks bare without them.

Gwenz

 

That link that Gwenz has posted is really good! I many default this site to where I always buy my plants from!
Thanks Gwenz!

 

Your Welcome!

Gwenz

 

I have done a big plant order so hopefully they shoud arrive soon!

I want to get a betta soon too, but I didnt realise in some places they could not live in the water. Why is this do you know?
thanks Lu

 

I don't know. Maybe the water is too hard or something. My mum says that the water is soft around where I live though, so I'm not sure. :-\ ??? I tried with 3 bettas, but all died within days. :'( ALthough I went to my lfs this morning, and they had about 15 bettas, all with a tank to themselves. Most of them has torn fins or were recovering from finrot though, but there were a few that were very pretty and their fins were long and flowing. I guess it just all depends on the fish. I still wish I could have a betta though. :-\

Good luck with your betta, I hope you got some tall plants for him to rest on.

Gwenz

 

The tank is still a work in progress and I have not got my betta yet lol.

 

Good Luck for when you get him. I'm sure you'll give him a great home.

Gwenz