do they roots need to be above substrate?

[thrujenseyes]

I just bought two new plants from PetSmart in those "pest free" containers since they seem to be the cleanest around here.

1. Narrow Leaf Java Fern
and
2. Anubis Congensis

As I'm reading right now it seems that both need to be attached to rocks/wood?
I knew the regular Anubis (larger that I already have) was this way but wasn't sure all Anubis were the same? (the package for this one said "small"...which I'm not so sure now as I'm reading).

And I had no clue that Java Fern was to be planted this way also?

Can either of these two plants be pushed down into the substrate or will they both need to be tied to anchors above?

As of right now they are pushed into substrate.

 

[flchamp89]

You can put in substrate as long as ryizome is above. I prefer to tie them to something though.

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[Byron]

Agreed. I would attach them to wood or rock (or some other decor). The rhizome is the thick "stem" from which the leaves arise, and also the true roots. If the rhizome should get buried, it is likely to rot, killing the plant. It is fine for the true roots to grow into the substrate, but I would let them do this on their own, i.e., don't "bury" any of them.

You can sometimes lodge the rhizome into a crevice in wood or rock, or you can use black cotton thread or fishing line. The roots will eventually anchor the rhizome, but this can take a while (weeks, even months).

 

[thrujenseyes]

I'm so glad to hear this as I just spent a bunch of time pulling them out from where planted them and tied to some wood and kind of twisted the wood into the bigger pieces in the tank!
I got super nervous and got right on it before I got any answers because I didn't want to murder my new plants.

Thanks so much for the great answers!!


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[Mark Z.]

Fun Fact: After fumbling with trying to tie fishing line around anubias, I discovered that black zip ties work pretty well!

 

[NickAu]

You can sometimes lodge the rhizome into a crevice in wood or rock, or you can use black cotton thread or fishing line. The roots will eventually anchor the rhizome, but this can take a while (weeks, even months).

I use a small drop of super glue ( Crazy glue ) use the gel type. A hot melt glue gun can also be used.

 

[StandbySetting]

I also use superglue, as long as it is the cyanoacrylate type.

 

[thrujenseyes]

They look pretty happy this am (after all the poo and ick settled from me digging around last night).
Hard to tell because they're in the backs of the sides.
Left side/middle is the Anubias which is tied to a small stick and that stick is wedged into the larger spider wood.
Right back side is the Narrow Leaf Java Fern (also a small piece of Amazon Sword) but the NLJF is tied to a stick.

I used a colorless natural thread as to not leak anything into the water. But I love your other ideas!!!

I prefer to tie them to something though.

Unfortunately as of now you can see the thread. Oh well.

You can sometimes lodge the rhizome into a crevice in wood or rock

I did this with some of my old Anubias as it's growing way too big for this little tank and I experimented with cutting a little and replacing it (Two leaves sticking out of the spider wood on the left side).

I discovered that black zip ties work pretty well!

Oh ....fun!

use a small drop of super glue ( Crazy glue ) use the gel type

I've heard of this!

as long as it is the cyanoacrylate type

I've also seen that Seachem makes a plant glue now!!!!

Oh....I can't seem to keep any of the small carpeting plants alive for the front of the tank....
any ideas?! I've tried dwarf hair grass...it just sort of got sparse and vanished. And I've tried something called cardinal plant which did well about a year ago and then died off. Still have a couple pieces here and there.

 

[Liv15]

Does anyone else find their plants attach themselves to the wood? I planted some java fern in my tank ages ago and it's just done its own thing and rooted onto the wood near it.


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[flchamp89]

Yep...they will some quicker than others.

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[StandbySetting]

It's probably the lack of light causing your carpet plant issue, have you tried cryptocoryne parva?

 

[Byron]

Oh....I can't seem to keep any of the small carpeting plants alive for the front of the tank....
any ideas?! I've tried dwarf hair grass...it just sort of got sparse and vanished. And I've tried something called cardinal plant which did well about a year ago and then died off. Still have a couple pieces here and there.

I would forget "carpet plants," but having said that, one that should be fine is pygmy chain sword (Helanthium tenellum), and the Cryptocoryne parva mentioned by Standby. The reason is your light intensity, and mixing plants with different requirements concerning light.

Anubias and Java Fern are low light requiring plants. If the light is too intense, algae will be a real nuisance and these two plants will not do well at all. Growing them under floating plants often solves this, when the light is on the bright side.

Most substrate or carpet plants need much more intense lighting. Not only do they have a requirement for brighter light to begin with, but as light lessens the farther it travels through water, it needs to be even brighter to start with in order to reach the substrate with enough intensity. The chain sword and crypts are also low-light plants, so they tend to fare better.

Increasing the light intensity does not always work, because more light means more nutrients for the plants or again problem algae appears. And more nutrients means more carbon from CO2. This gets you into what is termed the high-tech method.

Staying with plants that will manage, and even thrive, in your present lighting will be much more successful.

Byron.

 

[flchamp89]

I like parva. My suggestion is to start with ALOT. One of the slowest growing plants ive experienced.

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[Mark Z.]

Your tank looks AWESOME!

What substrate is that? Regular black gravel? I am in the process of setting up a shrimp and small fish (maybe guppies?) tank and I still haven't gotten any gravel for it yet.

Do you still have your little orange sunkist shrimp? I'm trying to figure out what kind of shrimp I would like to get.

Mark

 

[thrujenseyes]

It's probably the lack of light causing your carpet plant issue, have you tried cryptocoryne parva?

It's definitely that and especially now because my large Anubias is like a giant umbrella covering everything inside the tank.

one that should be fine is pygmy chain sword (Helanthium tenellum), and the Cryptocoryne parva mentioned by Standby. T

I googled both of these and love the parva! Now to find it!

Anubias and Java Fern are low light requiring plants. If the light is too intense, algae will be a real nuisance and these two plants will not do well at all.

My large Anubias grew so big that it hits the top and the lights are too much for those leaves and cause them to get algae cover...but my otos love it and hang out there. I feed them blanched veggies also.

Staying with plants that will manage, and even thrive, in your present lighting will be much more successful.

I will absolutely do that!

like parva. My suggestion is to start with ALOT. One of the slowest growing plants ive experienced.

This is the suggestion I plan to follow...as long as I can find the plant somewhere!

What substrate is that?

Seachem Fluorite, mine is black. I love it.

Do you still have your little orange sunkist shrimp?

I do!!! And he's probably my favorite inhabitant!! He grew a lot, he's almost as big as my Amano! And I could barely even see him when I first got him! He's so bright orange and looks amazing against the dark substrate! And so pretty on the plants and wood. He's very busy all the time!
I got him (and the substrate) at The Aquarium Center. ....and my Amano.
I chose these shrimp as neither can have babies in fresh water. In the off chance either had eggs (which I studied them pretty hard at the store) there would be no babies.

Thanks so much everyone!!!