Question to plant gurus! Lol

[cowgirluntamed]

So...off and on I've tried a few different floating plants. Now, I haven't always been great on water changes and fertilizer dosing...but I am now. Yay me!

Anyway...I'm going to be making a 55 gallon tetra/rasbora (and hopefully a 3 spot gourami if he behaves) tank. Right now he is in a 20 gallon with snail friends.

Now to plants....I bought some water lettuce off of h2o plants. Unfortunately, these didn't make it. BUT some salvinia minima snuck in with them (maybe like 10ish plants? Not many). They are doing so well and multiplying great! Though I have had to up my fertiliser yet again.....lol.

Question time, is this a good floating plant for tetras? I know they like dimmer light and such which they will work for that, but I'm more talking the root structure. I still want to maybe try some frogbit again but if it didn't pan out, would the salvinia be good even if they don't grow really long roots? They are great little plants! Lol.

 

[Colin_T]

Salvinia will suck all the nutrients out of your water in 24 hours. Remove it if you want other plants because its a pita.

Water Lettuce can't tolerate humidity around the leaves so rots in aquariums, especially if you have a cover on the tank.

Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thallictroides) is the only floating plant worth having besides Duckweed, and duckweed is only used for goldfish, cichlid and rainbowfish food. Get some water sprite.

Pretty much all fish like having floating plants because it offers them protection from things that attack from above, even tho nothing like that happens in an aquarium.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I don't think anyone has asked a Tetra how s/he feels about floating plants...(and I'd steer clear of those that did and heard an answer! <hehe>).

I believe that all fish appreciate floating plants and floating plants that get more light are often the faster growing plants that purify water better. The only downside is that a thick layer of floating plants will shade the lower regions resulting in lower PAR. This is not an issue for fish, but may be a problem for some (rooted) plants especially in taller tanks.
But basically floating plants are great!

 

[NickAu]

Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thallictroides) is the only floating plant worth having besides Duckweed,

I agree

You going to do a blackwater biotope? For Tetras lots of wood leaf litter and floating plants, A few anubias tied to the wood and thats it.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Salvinia will suck all the nutrients out of your water in 24 hours. Remove it if you want other plants because its a pita.

can you explain this more? I'm not sure what you mean. I have mostly crypts in the tank with root tabs and they seem to be doing ok(minus a small algae outbreak that's going away).

Water Lettuce can't tolerate humidity around the leaves so rots in aquariums, especially if you have a cover on the tank.

I thought that was frogbit? I've actually had both plants before this and they grew well for a while, but then died off as I wasn't doing proper water changes and fertilizing. I thought the frogbit was the one that didn't like water on the leaves and that water lettuce would let the water roll off? And yes, I have tops on all tanks due to cats....lol.

Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thallictroides) is the only floating plant worth having besides Duckweed, and duckweed is only used for goldfish, cichlid and rainbowfish food. Get some water sprite.

Definitely don't want duckweed. I don't need it taking over. I tried two different types of water sprite but again, wasn't really doing proper care. I could always try again. Though I think Byron mentioned that the one you said is better planted and another better floating? I can't remember the other name though. But I could be wrong as it seems lots of people have the water sprite you talk about doing really well.

Pretty much all fish like having floating plants because it offers them protection from things that attack from above, even tho nothing like that happens in an aquarium.

Yeah, very true. Until a cat gets on top to have a look anyway.....lol.

I don't think anyone has asked a Tetra how s/he feels about floating plants...(and I'd steer clear of those that did and heard an answer! <hehe>).

Lol! Very true!

I believe that all fish appreciate floating plants and floating plants that get more light are often the faster growing plants that purify water better. The only downside is that a thick layer of floating plants will shade the lower regions resulting in lower PAR. This is not an issue for fish, but may be a problem for some (rooted) plants especially in taller tanks.
But basically floating plants are great!

So it doesn't really matter on the root structure for them to swim around then?

I only plan on lower light plants. Mostly lots of crypts, anubias, and maybe some dwarf sag in the 55. I'm hoping to do some sort of fast growing stem plant that could maybe go in the back as well. Nick has said the temple plant possibly if I can get a hold of it. I just don't have a lot of money to go around. Lol. So when I found the salvinia worked, that's why I asked. Lol. Still wouldn't mind trying frogbit again though.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I agree

You going to do a blackwater biotope? For Tetras lots of wood leaf litter and floating plants, A few anubias tied to the wood and thats it.

So two votes for water sprite! Lol.

Um, not exactly a biotope. I have some wood I bought off of eBay that was from the great lakes. Not sure if I want to use that or not though. I may just get some mopani so I can have the nice tannins from it. I do have catappa leaves that I can put in. I'm not against that, just haven't done it in the 20 right now.

 

[Colin_T]

Salvinia, water lettuce, water hyacinth and even duckweed to an extent, will absorb nutrients from the water very rapidly. If you have plant fertilisers in the water the floating plants will suck out the nutrients extremely quickly and can literally remove all the fertiliser from the water in 24 hours. These plants are so good at absorbing nutrients they are often used to clean up polluted waterways, which they do very well.

If you use fertiliser tablets that go under the gravel there won't be as much in the water but any that is in the water will quickly be removed by the floating plants.

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Salvinia, Frogbit, Water Lettuce, Water Hyacinth and water lilies don't like humidity around the leaves and will rot if they are in humid conditions. Duckweed and Water Sprite are fine in humid conditions and with a cover on the tank.

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You can grow Water Sprite on the surface or planting it into the substrate. When growing in the substrate the plant turns into a nice light green bush. When it's grown on the surface as a floating plant, it can get huge (2ft diameter) and has long roots that hang down in the water. However, most floating Water Sprite only gets to about 6 inches in diameter. You can take the floating plants and grow them in the substrate.

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Roots don't do much for the fish. If is the leaves on the surface that shade the fish that you want.

 

[Byron]

I have had aquaria for over 25 years, and always with live plants, and always including floating plants. I consider floating plants essential for forest fish because of the light issue (won't get into that now). I have always had multiple tanks; currently I have a dedicated fish room with 8 running tanks. All have floating plants, and I have five different species of true floating plants, along with a stem plant that does well floating but is not strictly speaking a "floating" species.

With five species in 8 tanks, the first thing I noticed is that species do better in some tanks than others. All have the same lighting, receive the same nutrient fertilizing, and there are comparable fish loads; all get a 60%+ water change once a week, and my source water is near zero GH/KH so there is no nutrient (other than CO2) coming in with the water changes. And all are the same temperature ( except for the tank with chocolate gourami tank which is much warmer), around 24-25C/76-77F. Yet Water Sprite or Water Lettuce or Frogbit will grow like a weed in one or two tanks, and struggle in another (even when there is only one species of floater).

Salvinia was mentioned; I have S. minima now, and have had S. auriculata several years ago. I have never noticed issues with these and other floaters. All floating plants are fast growing, for two reasons; first, they are closer to the light and light intensity drives photosynthesis, and second and perhaps even more importantly, they have the aerial advantage when it comes to CO2. Floating leaves can assimilate CO2 from the air and this is about four times faster for plants than those relying on submerged leaves assimilating CO2 from the water.

You asked about floating plants that are better for tetras. Any floating plant is better than no floating plants, as they reduce stress. The nice thing about the larger plants is their root systems. Many fish love to browse these for microscopic food, and they provide excellent fry shelter (and bubblenest fish need them obviously to construct their bubblenests for spawning). Water Sprite is the best floating plant for all purposes; Ceratopteris cornuta grows better floating than the other species, but they will also float. C. cornuta can be extraordinarily rapid once it is established and if conditions suit it. I have noted it does not always like a change in environment; moving a thriving plant to a different tank sometimes slows the plant considerably, but it usually bounces back sometimes after several weeks. In one of my tanks, I literally toss out half of the C. cornuta every week, but it is back to the same level by the next week.

The air space above the water surface is important. I always have covers on my tanks, to reduce evaporation and heat loss but more importantly to keep dust out of the water and to prevent fish from jumping out. You might be surprised how many fish species will jump out during darkness. A cover over an aquarium is sensible. The moisture in the air may certainly be a factor, but I've never worried about this.

 

[Byron]

A photo sometimes illustrates better than words alone, so here is one I just took of my 40g Amazon blackwater flooded forest tank. The floating plant is C. cornuta, and you can see the benefit of the roots. This tank has shoals of Nannostomus eques and N. unifasciatus which certainly appreciate the floaters, as they are constantly near the surface browsing among the roots. Other fish are Parachierodon simulans (the false or green neon, very rare), Hyphessobrycon amandae, and a pair of Characidium fasciatum. I have not bothered to deliberately tint the water, but in all other respects the parameters are authentic. GH/KH 0, pH 5 or probably lower (no test kit below 5). Lots of wood, branches, dried oak leaves. The tank is due for another renovation to thin out most of the chain swords; they have thrived more than I expected given the thick floating plant cover reducing the light.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I have had aquaria for over 25 years, and always with live plants, and always including floating plants. I consider floating plants essential for forest fish because of the light issue (won't get into that now). I have always had multiple tanks; currently I have a dedicated fish room with 8 running tanks. All have floating plants, and I have five different species of true floating plants, along with a stem plant that does well floating but is not strictly speaking a "floating" species.

With five species in 8 tanks, the first thing I noticed is that species do better in some tanks than others. All have the same lighting, receive the same nutrient fertilizing, and there are comparable fish loads; all get a 60%+ water change once a week, and my source water is near zero GH/KH so there is no nutrient (other than CO2) coming in with the water changes. And all are the same temperature ( except for the tank with chocolate gourami tank which is much warmer), around 24-25C/76-77F. Yet Water Sprite or Water Lettuce or Frogbit will grow like a weed in one or two tanks, and struggle in another (even when there is only one species of floater).

Salvinia was mentioned; I have S. minima now, and have had S. auriculata several years ago. I have never noticed issues with these and other floaters. All floating plants are fast growing, for two reasons; first, they are closer to the light and light intensity drives photosynthesis, and second and perhaps even more importantly, they have the aerial advantage when it comes to CO2. Floating leaves can assimilate CO2 from the air and this is about four times faster for plants than those relying on submerged leaves assimilating CO2 from the water.

You asked about floating plants that are better for tetras. Any floating plant is better than no floating plants, as they reduce stress. The nice thing about the larger plants is their root systems. Many fish love to browse these for microscopic food, and they provide excellent fry shelter (and bubblenest fish need them obviously to construct their bubblenests for spawning). Water Sprite is the best floating plant for all purposes; Ceratopteris cornuta grows better floating than the other species, but they will also float. C. cornuta can be extraordinarily rapid once it is established and if conditions suit it. I have noted it does not always like a change in environment; moving a thriving plant to a different tank sometimes slows the plant considerably, but it usually bounces back sometimes after several weeks. In one of my tanks, I literally toss out half of the C. cornuta every week, but it is back to the same level by the next week.

The air space above the water surface is important. I always have covers on my tanks, to reduce evaporation and heat loss but more importantly to keep dust out of the water and to prevent fish from jumping out. You might be surprised how many fish species will jump out during darkness. A cover over an aquarium is sensible. The moisture in the air may certainly be a factor, but I've never worried about this.

Thanks Byron! I didn't think about them eating things off of it, just the cover. I will probably try at least one type of water sprite and frogbit again probably. I have noticed my gourami loves to move these plants around but he's never made a nest yet. But I don't know exactly at what age they do so yeah....lol. he does like them though.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

A photo sometimes illustrates better than words alone, so here is one I just took of my 40g Amazon blackwater flooded forest tank. The floating plant is C. cornuta, and you can see the benefit of the roots. This tank has shoals of Nannostomus eques and N. unifasciatus which certainly appreciate the floaters, as they are constantly near the surface browsing among the roots. Other fish are Parachierodon simulans (the false or green neon, very rare), Hyphessobrycon amandae, and a pair of Characidium fasciatum. I have not bothered to deliberately tint the water, but in all other respects the parameters are authentic. GH/KH 0, pH 5 or probably lower (no test kit below 5). Lots of wood, branches, dried oak leaves. The tank is due for another renovation to thin out most of the chain swords; they have thrived more than I expected given the thick floating plant cover reducing the light.

Love the tank! My 20 is looking a bit bare from middle to top...I still have to find a decent background plant for it. Maybe I can try some water sprite planted and floating. And frogbit. Lol. I do love the roots!

 

[Colin_T]

Most smaller species of gourami can breed at 6-12 months. If there is too much surface turbulence the males won't build a bubble nest. Lots of floating plants (like water sprite) will reduce surface turbulence and provide a nice suitable nest site for him.

If you want to keep floating plants separate, you can use plastic airline and an airline joiner. Make a circle (loop) of airline and join the ends with the joiner. Let it float on the surface and put your plants in that. You can use an airline clamp to hold the circle of airline at one section of the tank.

 

[Byron]

Love the tank! My 20 is looking a bit bare from middle to top...I still have to find a decent background plant for it. Maybe I can try some water sprite planted and floating. And frogbit. Lol. I do love the roots!

The background on that 40g is black construction paper. Makes the tank seem larger, is invisible, and the fish love it. The fish in this tank are all very sensitive and shy, which is why you can hardly see any in the photo; any movement in the room and they disappear. But having the black, floaters and dim light allows them to calm quickly.

 

[Colin_T]

Shy fish are simply not use to people being around them. You can have a television on in front of the tank (no sound needed) during the day and the flickering light and movement on the screen can help relax them.

If you get a fan and tie some 30cm long streamers/ ribbon to the front of the fan cage, and have the fan on oscillate, the ribbon/ streamers will move about and can help reduce the fish's anxiety when people are in the room.

If you move the fish tank into a room that has lots of people moving around it, the fish will get use to it and lose their shyness.

 

[Byron]

Shy fish are simply not use to people being around them. You can have a television on in front of the tank (no sound needed) during the day and the flickering light and movement on the screen can help relax them.

If you get a fan and tie some 30cm long streamers/ ribbon to the front of the fan cage, and have the fan on oscillate, the ribbon/ streamers will move about and can help reduce the fish's anxiety when people are in the room.

If you move the fish tank into a room that has lots of people moving around it, the fish will get use to it and lose their shyness.

This is very true. When I lived in a condo, the main fish tank was in the livingroom and the fish were fine. Having my tanks in a dedicated fish room now in the house has many benefits, but the fish are not used to movement but I don't worry; once I am seated in the chair within moments they come out and start doing their thing.