Plants For A Discus Tank

[Abercrombie6202]

Discus require higher temperatures and here i have a list of plants that will be able to stand these temperatures!!

Spatterdock
Java / Lace Ferns
Java moss
Dwarf Lily
Vals
Ruffle Swords
Crypts
Jade Swords
Rangeri Swords
Dwarf & Tall Subulata Sag
Red Melon Swords
Heteranthera
Didiplis Diandra
Hygrophila
Rotala Indica
Anubias
Ruffle Sword
African Bolbitus
Ozelot Sword

Hope this helps when you start your Planted Discus Tank

[luke_potts]

thanks

this is some useful info

luke

[Paulio]

This is what I posted in General when this was asked.


Why not just try whatever plants catch your eye? In reality there are few plants that wont do pretty well in a Discus tank. Most plants like slightly harder water (more nutrients ) and a temp of 78-80 but most will adapt to given conditions. I mean plants have been around a LONG LONG time and have gotten pretty good at surviving less that optimum condidtions Aside from that every tank takes on its own character and will grow some plants better than others. Just go for it! Try out what you like and see what grows well for you. This of course is from my own personal experience.
Paul

[bubabui]

I would agree with you that plants can adapt to different environments, but why go through the exercise? Especially for newcomers to the planted aquarium w/ discus. Plants cost as much as fish. Why waste money on plants that aren't going to thrive in a discus tank? Better off spending money on more discus. ;D ;D ;D

[Biotypical]

Luckily most of the hardy "beginner" plants are also the ones which will do well in a discus aquarium. The above list is great and I would recommend every plant on it. I've got to run to class so I'll have to post others later.

Paulio's also right. Most plants will do ok in the higher temps, with some exceptions, but it's better to get some experience keeping hardy plants before getting into soem of the others.

[aix]

HI guys!

In my oppinion (which in the end is probably wrong one)it is more depending on conditions than species. Naturally the ones that hate high temperature do not look so good as in normal conditions but if you REALLY LIKE THE PLANT it can be done. Then again I must say that have not tryed every plant (far from it, around 50 sp perhaps) so I may have been lucky to have kept very tolerable plants. But have not met a sword or crypto that can't be kept in high temperature. Sometimes it requires a lot of experimenting with light, CO2 level etc but finally I have always found condition that works. Some swords even like different nutrients than other. Still- would anybody add some gold fish genes to discus (so that looks would stay but colder temp-s would be welcome) 8)

These are just my observations, you guys know better. Which species can't be kept in say 30C? So I could avoid them in the future.

[Wahter]

I've never been able to keep ludwigia glandulosa/ perennis alive for a long time in any of my discus tanks. Even Kasselmann says this plant doesn't like high temperatures (page 350 of her Aquarium Plants book).

Nice looking plant though:


http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=035A

[Abercrombie6202]

Yeah, i never have either, i tried it two times, but they just die off, i think it's becasue they nedd A LOT of LIGHT and Cooler temperatures!! But theres other pretty reddish plants, that can survive in discus tanks

[aix]

Have not had the pleasure to own such plant. But the mark is "difficult". Perhaps not the temperature but something else is causing this problem? Just a thought. Remark "slow growth" gives an idea that low nitrates are probably not the problem. During my hobby I have noticed for example that some plants like longer days some shorter. Some even close up no matter that it is still "noon". Some plants die if the lighting is not extremely strong. Sometimes reddish plants require very strong light in discus tanks rarely seen.

Best regards,
Ailar

[A Niner Fan]

Is there a plant that a uaru would leave alone?

[cd1000]

I had Uarus for a long time and they were quite amazing when it came to feeding. I gave them beef heart with spinach and a couple of leaves of fresh lettuce every day (and a bunch more on a varied schedule). I just placed whole leaves of the lettuce in the tank and the Uaru would serve themselves. The Uarus also kept a school of black neon tetras in check by picking off a few of them every once in a while. Even though they got plenty of greens each day, I was still not able to keep any plants at all for an extended period of time. If you try, my advice is that you go for plants with harder leaves. Swordplants and Vallisnerias were very short-lived. Some Anubias plants lived a bit longer, but as soon as a new leaf appeared it was eaten. Even the onion plant, Crinum Thaianum, was eaten after period of time, even though it is said to have a bad taste to it.
So, in short, I have never seen a plant survive a Uaru fish.

[aix]

There is only one plant that survives in Uaru tank- plastic one. 8)

[A Niner Fan]

There is only one plant that survives in Uaru tank- plastic one. 8)


LOL! That's what I'm afraid of! Oh well..... :D

[Wahter]

Ailar, regarding that ludwigia glandulosa/ perennis - I've got enough over my discus tanks to keep rotala macrandra growing (about 3 watts per gallon in some tanks). Lighting is not a problem. ;D

[aix]

Guess not. Can't explain.

[butterflypigeon]

Which plants do the best in a tank with no co2 added? What is the safest fertilizer for these plants? ??? :-\

[Biotypical]

If you're not using CO2 I would recommend Anubias and Crypt species. Java Moss doesn't appreciate the warmer temperatures too much.

For a tank like that I would use the fish waste as the main source of N and P. That means doing many fewer water changes though. A 25% once every other week should be alright. In a system like this it's best to suppliment iron, trace elements, and potassium. Occasional small doses of Phosphorus and Nitrate may be required but not very often.

Best,
Phil

[butterflypigeon]

I am still learning all of this but I am currently doing daily or every other day water changes. I want the fish to be happy(that's why the plants), and healthy(that's why the water changes). I am only using laterite in pots for the plants. I don't have enough plants to skip the water changes. Since I learned about water changes I have had very healthy fish. How many plants should be in a 55 gal. tank for this to work? My plants are living, not thriving and I'm on a very tight budget. Next thing to buy is R.O. cartridges( I am currently buying my water by the gal.), then maybe co2. In the mean time though.....?

[Biotypical]

Ok, I would recommend sticking with Anubias species plants only under those circumstances. They should do well in there. Wait, I spoke too soon. Watersprite (Ceratopteris thallictroides) will be another good one. It's a floater and will soak up a ton of nutrients while giving the fish some nice shade.

[MrCBS]

The list of plants that can handle high temps is good info. I have Amazon Swords which turn into skeletons after a couple weeks and die. I have tested the water and have very low co2 but I don't know if its temp or the lack of co2

thanks ;)

[angel12]

Plants need Co2 like we need Oxygen also a good source of light and good mobile trace elements like Fe and other micornutrients if you have these in good supply and not to much then your plants will thrive believe me ...

Growing a fine planted tank is not just a case as many im sure will agree about sticking the plants in and then letting them fight for nutrients you wouldnt do it with your fish so why do it with your plants ....

this is not in anyway meant to be confrontational its just that it takes as much care and attention in growing good quality plants as it does on keeping your fish in tip top shape

these are just my observations and not meant to be a comment on anyone elses method of growing there plants out

[Biotypical]

All plants require sufficient Carbon for photosynthesis. 99.9% of the time they get this from CO2, so I'm willing to bet your swords aren't getting enough "air" for their metabolism. Swords, especially large ones, are pigs, I think you'd be surprised at their nutritive requirements.

[mattrox]

I got these two plants at the pond section of the local hardware store. They were growing emersed. I have already picked some of the new plants of the flower stalk and planted them in an aquarium.

I am going to keep these outside as pond plants, they seem to be doing so well that way. And use the shoots in aqauria. Eventually when I get my tank set up as a display tank I'll have some plants to go in.

They had some kick-a$$ anubias in pots growing emersed as well. I may need to visit again.

[mattrox]

Second Plant.

[Biotypical]

That's an awesome, awesome, awesome, sword you've got there! Is it a Red Melon?

If the anubias are anything like that I'd be broke from buying them all! :)

[mattrox]

Those two plants were $10.59 each. The anubias are the same price. I might go have a look today.

[mattrox]

Is it a Red Melon?


It was labelled, "Ehinodorus 'Amazon Sword' Rubra". So I think I guess it is an E. osiris...... That would make it a red melon right?

[yippy]

Hi Mattrox, Have you tried ambulia? It grows like mad in warm water. I have just cut this back and got about 12 good bunches out of it which ive put in my other tanks. It was actually growing out of the hood and had flowers on the end.

Ive posted this over at simplycichlids too - no-one in the states seems to have heard of it. It grows over the surface too and the discus love getting in under there.

Kerry :o

[yippy]

another one :)

[yippy]

another ;)

[yippy]

Growing out of the water - lol

Kerry

[yippy]

I only have a fine layer of gravel and the plants are just in pots or on driftwood and the ambulia in my other tanks are just weighed down with plant anchors - as theyre bare bottomed. Not in pots or anything.

Good plant I reckon.

Lucky that cyclone didnt hit Mattrox. Was worried about you guys up there -Ari was real worried.

Kerry :)

[mattrox]

I do have some ambulia. It is going mad in my guppy pot. It looks great in your tank!

I couldn't resist and went back to Bunnings. The didn't have anymore Echinodorus. But they had 2 Anubias. They were labelled Anubias Lanceolata. I got the better looking plant. I'll post a photo.

When I repotted it for the aquarium there was mud (anoxic) under the laterite/sand that it was planted in. Well it is potted more suitably for a fish tank now.

[mattrox]

Ok so I'll post a second pic.

[mattrox]

Ive posted this over at simplycichlids too - no-one in the states seems to have heard of it.

I looked it up in "Aquarium Plants: Their identification, cultivation and ecology" Rataj & Horeman 1977. ( A little old but very useful book. I am sure there is a later addition, but this is what I have.) Maybe the reason that they haven't heard of it is because its scientific name is Limnophila heterophylla?

[yippy]

Hi Mattrox,

This is it - theres 2 different types

Limnophila aquatica (Giant Ambulia)
Limnophila sessiliflora (Ambulia)

Kerry :)

[Biotypical]

Ambulia's a great plant to have in a discus tank, it's a terrific nutrient sponge. I had some take over a third of my 90g in about three weeks one time.

Mattrox, yes, that's an Echinodorus osiris. Thanks, I couldn't remember the specific name earlier.



If anyone's interested in a great plant book, check out Christel Kasselmann's book "Aquarium Plants". It's got just about every plant available in the hobby, plus many which aren't.

[Abercrombie6202]

if you want a plant to grow like crazy, i have the perfect plant...Wisteria i think it is atleast, Mench gave me some in September when i broguth home my FIRST discus and now it took over the tank and is growing out of the water... matter of fact, i should go cut it becuase not much light is getting trhough to the other plants, oops!

[realbetta]

Hi all;
Could some one explain what is "watt per gallon" mean, I may understand the distance between the light and the plants but have no idea why gallon have anything to do with intensity.

And what is a good economy light system are there?

Thanks

[realbetta]

If I have time only for one kind of plant ( the most nutricient consumer) then what plant should I have. I heard good thing about Giant Hydro and Italian Val and others.
But I don'd have time and money to try them all.

Thanks

[Biotypical]

realbetta,

The watts per gallon is a measurement of how many watts of light a tank has relative to the number of gallons.

For example, my 90 gallon tank has two 96watt bulbs lighting it. 192 (96x2) divided by 90 is approxomately equal to 2.0 w/g. Similarly, a 100g tank with 500watts of light over it will have 5.0 w/g.

The watt/gallon rule doesn't deal with light intensity, it's just a rule of thumb for determining a general amount of light for a tank. Most plants do well with at least 2.0w/g. Knowing the approximate amount of light over a tank is helpful for making decisions about which plants to use and also for generalizing the metabolism of the aquarium.

Best,
Phil

[Paulio]

The "watts per gallon" rule is a basic rule as Phil mentioned. It really starts to fall apart as the gallons go up. There are some excellent articles at www.thekrib.com just search under lighting or watts per gallon.


Paul

[3rdworldgod]

FYI:

If you are planting a large tank and want cheap plants, try:

www.pets-warehouse.com

They sell a dozen plants for the price of one at a normal LFS.

[Basilisk]

I have Aponogeton crispus in my planted tank. I kept it normally at 25-26°C, and all plants were fine. But when I raised it to 28°C to see if the plants would resist discus' temperature, surprisingly, it triggered flower blooming. Then I went back to 26°C for three weeks, and when I raised it again to 28°C, the rest of the Aponogenton's bloomed too. The plant is usually rated in books for 23-24°C.

I also keep potted wisteria in a BB tank, it soaks lots of ammonium and nitrates. It doesnt mind even 30°C.

Microsorum ferns (i.e. java and tropica ferns) do very well too in warmer watrer. Being epiphytic, it's a great plant for a BB tank if atacched to a small piece of drift/bogwood. Low light, no extra CO2 needed.

Just my experience.

[Serpae]

Wisteria is a type of Hygrophila.

I have allso seen Blyxa growing quite nicely in a Discus tank, the plant looking very similar to Vallis.

Not sure wether it grows by stolons or not.

[redribbon]

Yippy!! look like these plant are in the pots.What did you put in the pot for plant to grown like that ???

[zenman]

Lilaeopsis Novae & Green Cabomba do very well in Discus tanks. I have many plants at aquabid.com and will give all my friends here at SD.com 10% off if interested? Thanks Dave

[Lauren]

Im not sure if water sprite is something that can usually withstand these temps? But I do have some broad leaf water sprite that is doing amazing in my discus tank, much better than in all the other tanks its in with cooler temps. Maybe the lighting/nitrates are just right, the philodendron also hanging out of the tank grows like crazy compared to all my others too lol

[sn8k]

Im not sure if water sprite is something that can usually withstand these temps?
I have some regular narrow leaf water sprite growing in my tank... temp ia 82 degrees F (I'll be keeping adults, so the lower temps are very tollerable for the fish). I'm averaging 4 1/2" growth per week (CO2 injected, substrate heater, and the other usual stuff), so I'd say that water sprite is a good candidate for a discus tank - especially for the first 3 month break in period before the tank settles. I don't know if I'll be taking them out later down the line, but so far - great growth and handles the temp fine.
Mark K... :fish:

[shalu]

hm.. maybe the topic is better to be "what plants won't do well in a discus tank" so that the exclusion list can be very short after some discussion :-) I have tried maybe 40-50 species, and yet to find one that won't grow in my 82-83F discus tank. L. glandulosa mentioned in earlier posts grew like weeds in my tank. Like Wahter, I like red/orange stem plants. Other stem plants like L. sp 'Cuba", E. stellata, Limnophila aromaticoides also grow very well. I have even finally figured out the elusive(for me ,anyway) Rotala macrandra by adding CaCO3. I almost chalked up my previous R. macrandra failures to high temp in discus tank.

[naseriar]

hi,where can i find the photograph of these plants?
could you send them for me?
best regards

[mehran]

Hi
Check this web site. It is interesting to see plants in their natural habitat.
http://www.molluscan.com/macrophytes/
Mehran

[apistaeasy]

Wouldn't the most obvious plants to use be ones that are found in discus' natural habitat?
echinodorus, Valisneria, cabomba, bacopa, caratophylum, heteranthera...

click this linky:
http://fish.mongabay.com/biotope_amazon_blackwater.htm

[Wahter]

Wouldn't the most obvious plants to use be ones that are found in discus' natural habitat?
echinodorus, Valisneria, cabomba, bacopa, caratophylum, heteranthera...

click this linky:
http://fish.mongabay.com/biotope_amazon_blackwater.htm

But are those plants truly found in the discus' natural habitat? :D

[Alight]

Hey Walter, I have been wondering which of the red plants you've found to work the best in a Discus tank. Which are the hardiest, which grow fastest, which do you think are the most beautiful. Which would work in a low tech tank, which in a high tech. Where would you buy red plants?

I just got some Rotala Magenta, and other than the fact that it came almost frozen (the newspaper it was wrapped in was partly frozen) it seems to be doing well. It shed some of the leaves that had been damage in transit, but has grown a bunch of new leaves.

Anyway, hope you'll post the answer to this.

Al Light

[apistaeasy]

But are those plants truly found in the discus' natural habitat? :D
I have found the information @ mongobay to be pretty convincing as many of the articles and information published have been by people that have actually been to biotopes where discus have been found...

Maybe you should go to SA and confirm...:thumbsup:

[Wahter]

I have found the information @ mongobay to be pretty convincing as many of the articles and information published have been by people that have actually been to biotopes where discus have been found...

Maybe you should go to SA and confirm...:thumbsup:

I believe it's in one of the older posts where Oliver Lucanus said while he was there, he noticed there weren't that many plants in the discus natural habitat. It's too bad that when simplydiscus went through the upgrade that the search can't access the older posts. David Webber's been there too.

[big bob]

Hello
All of the bellow do well in my discus tank @ PH 6.5-7, KH4, GH10, NO3 0-15, PO4 <0.001, 80f, CO2 20ppm(comp controlled). With 160w of light(T8)(11 houres).

ELEOCHARIS PARRULUS (DWARF MINI HAIR GRASS)

GLOSSOSTIGMA ELATINOIDES

MARSILEA CRENATA (DWARF 4 LEAF CLOVER)

SAGITTARIA LILEOPTERUS (MICRO/CARPET SAGITTARIA)

BACOPA CAROLINIANA (BRONZE /ROUND BACOPA)

ALTERNATHERA ROSAEFOLIA (PINK STEM)


ECHINODORUS QUADROCOSTATUS (PYGMY CHAIN SWORD)

HEMIGRAPHIS COLORATA (NARROW LEAF FORM)

LUDWIGIA MULLERTII (RED LUDWIGIA)

NYMPHAEA JAPONICUS (TROPICAL LOTUS LILY)

ROTALA MACRANDRA (RED BACOPA)

HYDRILLA VERTICILIATA

ROTALA WALLISSII (RED FEATHER AMBULIA)

MYACCA SELLOWINIANA (PINK MYACCA)

HYGROPHILA DIFFORMIS (WATER WISTERIA)

RICCIA FLUITANS (CRYSTAL WORT CLUMP)

MICRANTHEMUM UMBROSUM

CHRISTMAS MOSS FONTINALIS

HEMIANTHUS CALLITRICHOEDES

DIANDRA (PEPSLIS) GREEN FORM

ROTALA ROUNDIFOLIA / INDICA (PINK LEAF PLANT)

VERSICULARIA FERNEII CHRISTMAS MOSS WEEPING VARIETY

[Apistomaster]

There is one other plant that wrks well in discus tanks whether aquascaped or bare bottomed. The South American Najas guadelupensis. It grows well rooted in substrate or natant in bare tanks. It is easily harvested and grows well under a variety of lighting and water conditions. It has been an overlooked plant for some time. Just be sure its N.guadelupensis and not a subtropical species. N. guadelupensis will tolerate temperatures of 88degF if need be or down to 70deg.F. It's a decorative "super weed"., and will grow well for just about anyone.

[IceDiscus]

Discus require higher temperatures and here i have a list of plants that will be able to stand these temperatures!!

Spatterdock
Java / Lace Ferns
Java moss
Dwarf Lily
Vals
Ruffle Swords
Crypts
Jade Swords
Rangeri Swords
Dwarf &amp; Tall Subulata Sag
Red Melon Swords
Heteranthera
Didiplis Diandra
Hygrophila
Rotala Indica
Anubias
Ruffle Sword
African Bolbitus
Ozelot Sword

Hope this helps when you start your Planted Discus Tank

I am trying my hand at setting up 2 55gallon planted tanks for the first time. are these high tech or low tech plants. if they are a mixture of both?:confused: can some one please separate them for me. Thank you.

[naseriar]

dear sir
i keeping cryp. in my discus tank.despite using small co2 reactor,mineral & iron fertilizer,i couldn't satisfied with my plants. the leaves are going to be yollowish & growth rate is retarded. should i use denitrators? i ueagrly waiting for your comments.
regards