Planting Suggestions For Dwarf Gourami

[Nightfall]

I have a couple of male Dwarf Gourami (one regular Dwarf and one Neon Blue) and I want to heavily plant the tank, but I'm not sure what to plant with. I'm terrible at keeping plants alive, so something hardy would be great. I'd love something that floats like duckweed, but I can never find floating plants at the LFS around here.

Right now the aquarium is planted with some Purple Waffle (not an aquatic plant, I know) and something that looks like a smaller version of it that I don't know the name or aquatic status of, mostly because I wanted dark plants (to highlight their colours) and leafy plants. I love aquascaping despite my brown thumb, so I'd also really enjoy plants that vary in height and size.

Are there any plants Gourami seem to like hiding in, or look particuarly nice with? My Blue Gourami never had live plants so this is new to me.

 

[Nightfall]

I tried to edit but couldn't, sorry for the double post. I just remembered that the other plants in my tank are Mauve Stricta, which I believe is an underwater plant.

I've ordered some Lace fern, Cardamine lyrata, Filigree milfoil and some hairgrass to grow on driftwood, but I want really want floating plants as well, stuff for the fish to hide in.

 

[Bugdozer]

I have a low tech planted tank with Hygrophila which he likes to hide behind, and especially Salvinia (floating plant) which thrives and multiplies and he likes to cruise about under the roots looking for bits to eat. He became much more active in the tank after I put the Salvinia in.

 

[Nightfall]

I almost bought some Salvinia from a website, but it wasn't in stock. It does look ideal for hiding in, so I'll try to locate some. Thanks!

 

[Brightestdai]

Can always go with Christmas moss, u can either plant it or let it float

 

[Nightfall]

That is ridiculously beautiful. I would love a feature like that 'tree'. I might try planting some moss on the driftwood in the tank, but I have no idea how to keep it there.

I have an assortment of 7 different plants in there now, it's pretty densely planted, and since I added in the new plants one of my Gourami has barely emerged from the leaves where he's built a solid bubble nest.

 

[Brightestdai]

If you're going to do the tree with the moss, all you need to do is twirl it around the wood. That's how I got mine to stick

 

[Nightfall]

I'll definitely have to try.

It seems like I made the right choice with the plants! My Gourami made a huge, very sturdy bubble nest from the duckweed and I think filigree milfoil. I was a bit worried about them being terrirorial, especially since one of them is such a prolific bubble nest builder, but it seems like they enjoy each other's company and there's plenty of plants to hide in now.

Do you use any kind of plant feeding solution, or do they thrive on fish waste alone? How much light do you give the plants?

 

[Brightestdai]

It's always best to feed your plants, fish waste only has so much nutrients.