Anacharis keeps dying. Are there other fast growing plants that fill that niche?

[Irksome]

I’m looking for hardy plants that grow quickly but are suitable for a small low tech tank. I am trying and failing to keep my anacharis from going see through and dissolving into messy mush. I love the look of it and I know is is supposed to be almost indestructible but mine isn’t. The plants I have doing well so far (it is a fairly new setup) are limnophila sessiflora, red lotus and water wisteria. The lighting is medium low but there is natural light from a nearby window. The substrate is sand with root tabs. I do not use liquid carbon additives.
Thanks

 

[seangee]

I cannot grow it either. Most of the stock we can get in the UK is grown outdoors in cooler water and melts in a tropical tank. Water sprite is a good choice. I recently got some from K2aqua on eBay and its doing well. Like anacharis you can float it or plant it. Let it float first and then you can start planting the new shoots if you choose to. Another that works well for me is amazon frogbit. Make sure you get Amazon frogbit (Limnobium Laevigatum) and not European frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) which looks almost identical but does less well in tropical tanks.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Probably you can try Hornwort which I think can take the warmer temperature.

Cabomba probably is also ok.

Hornwort: The Complete Care Guide

There are many reasons to introduce plants into your tank. From oxygenating the water to providing shelter, plants will keep the tank, and the fish much healthier. Hornwort is one of the easiest freshwater plants

www.fishkeepingworld.com

Cabomba - How to Grow and Care for Cabomba - Aquarium Tidings

Learn how to grow and care for Cabomba. This is a hardy and easy beginner plant, that will grow in nearly any aquarium.

aquariumtidings.com

 

[KevinZ]

Anacharis Need Hard Water to growth, maybe thats the problems?

 

[Irksome]

Anacharis Need Hard Water to growth, maybe thats the problems?

No, my water is fairly hard. I grew anacharis very successfully as a child in very soft water of ph6.2 in an unfiltered unlit tank. My current setup is ph8, GH14 with lights, ferts and filtration.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I have no clue why you cant grow them. Anancharis is one of the hardest plants I have ever kept/grown. My pH is 7.4 - 7.6.

How many hours a day do you leave the lights on for? Do you have the ends buried in the substrate?

 

[Retired Viking]

Unfortunately my anacharis began to melt as I soften my water and I had to pull it out of my tetra tank and replace it with salvinia. It was doing really great for the last 6 months and was around 3 feet long. I hope to save what I can in a hard water tank. Water sprite and hornwort are good and I still have some moneywort growing in a hard water tank after 8 months.

 

[Byron]

I was never able to grow this weed either, but fortunately there are many lovely plants that should fare better. You have three already. Another good for small tanks is the pygmy chain sword Helanthium tenellum. Pennywort is a stem plant that does well planted or floating.

 

[CassCats]

Hygrophila polysperma is a great one, i love this plant. Grows super fast

 

[seangee]

Hygrophila polysperma is a great one, i love this plant. Grows super fast

As do most of the hygrophila species. I have 3 different types across 4 tanks. No idea why it took me so long to discover them

 

[Salty&Onion]

Anacharis Need Hard Water to growth, maybe thats the problems?

I agree, my anacharis grows like a weed for me. It grows and grows, unstoppable. My water is hard (253ppm, 15dGH) with pH of above 7.0.

 

[Irksome]

Hygrophila polysperma is a great one, i love this plant. Grows super fast

That’s a good idea. Do they keep the pink colour or is that just for experts and photos?

 

[Salty&Onion]

That’s a good idea. Do they keep the pink colour or is that just for experts and photos?

I don't think its for experts. I ain't an expert in plants and yet my amazon sword runs on fish waste and debris as its fertiliser.

 

[seangee]

That’s a good idea. Do they keep the pink colour or is that just for experts and photos?

Needs high light and iron for that (aka perfect conditions for BBA). Mine are green and IMO still look great in low light.

 

[vanalisa]

I’m looking for hardy plants that grow quickly but are suitable for a small low tech tank. I am trying and failing to keep my anacharis from going see through and dissolving into messy mush. I love the look of it and I know is is supposed to be almost indestructible but mine isn’t. The plants I have doing well so far (it is a fairly new setup) are limnophila sessiflora, red lotus and water wisteria. The lighting is medium low but there is natural light from a nearby window. The substrate is sand with root tabs. I do not use liquid carbon additives.
Thanks

Some thoughts
The sand substrate is smothering the roots
Not enough circilation
Water too warm

Can you somehow lodge the plant somewhere without planting? The roots should grow right out in the water with ease.