Floating Plants and Quarantine

[DLock3d]

Does anyone know where I can order some quality floaters? What kind of floating plants do you all recommend? I wanted to put some in both of my tanks to give them a bit more shade. Also, do you guys QT your plants or just rinse them really well? Please help! :)

[nickmcmechan]

amazon frogbit is good as its easy to control and fits with a biotope

qt can be a methylene blue dip

[Apistomaster]

I grow a lot of Hornwort, Ceratophyllum for use in my aquariums.
It can adapt to a wide range of lighting conditions and grows just under the surface. No roots.

Another plant I keep around is Najas guadelupensis. It is a fragile plant but it can be planted in substrate or be allowed to grow natantly(free floating). It also can adapt to a wide range of lighting conditions.

These are both found in NA and SA. Ceratophyllum is cosmopolitan; it's found world wide.

Frog bit is a good plant. Salvinia is too if you provide plenty of light. Both are true floating plants.
My reasons for liking the 2 species I mentioned is because most of my tanks do not contain Discus but most have a lot of Cherry Shrimp which I like because they are very helpful when it comes to cleaning up bits of food my little plecos miss. I am breeding many L134 Leopard Frog Plecos, and some Queen Arabesque, L260 and Imperial Tiger plecos, L333. The dense growths of the plants I use helps the small shrimp survive despite the presence of potential predators like Apistogramma and other SA dwarf Cichlids present in many of my tanks.

[DLock3d]

I grow a lot of Hornwort, Ceratophyllum for use in my aquariums.
It can adapt to a wide range of lighting conditions and grows just under the surface. No roots.

Another plant I keep around is Najas guadelupensis. It is a fragile plant but it can be planted in substrate or be allowed to grow natantly(free floating). It also can adapt to a wide range of lighting conditions.

These are both found in NA and SA. Ceratophyllum is cosmopolitan; it's found world wide.

Frog bit is a good plant. Salvinia is too if you provide plenty of light. Both are true floating plants.
My reasons for liking the 2 species I mentioned is because most of my tanks do not contain Discus but most have a lot of Cherry Shrimp which I like because they are very helpful when it comes to cleaning up bits of food my little plecos miss. I am breeding many L134 Leopard Frog Plecos, and some Queen Arabesque, L260 and Imperial Tiger plecos, L333. The dense growths of the plants I use helps the small shrimp survive despite the presence of potential predators like Apistogramma and other SA dwarf Cichlids present in many of my tanks.


When I said where do you get them, I didn't mean worldwide, I meant where to order. lol

[Apistomaster]

I apologize for not answering your actual question.
I like to buy from 2 places:
1. www.aquariumplants.com in Florida
2, www.aquabotanics.com in Metro-Portland, OR area.

Both vendors sell good quality plants, at reasonable prices and stock a good variety.

During cooler weather, I recommend the source closest to you.
I have had planted tanks running so long that I am able to grow all the plants I need.
Eventually you find that some plants do particularly well for you and because they are better adapted to your lighting and water chemistry.
I have narrowed the number of species down to what has done well for me for many years and haven't had to order any plants for 3 years.

[DLock3d]

I apologize for not answering your actual question.
I like to buy from 2 places:
1. www.aquariumplants.com in Florida
2, www.aquabotanics.com in Metro-Portland, OR area.

Both vendors sell good quality plants, at reasonable prices and stock a good variety.

During cooler weather, I recommend the source closest to you.
I have had planted tanks running so long that I am able to grow all the plants I need.
Eventually you find that some plants do particularly well for you and because they are better adapted to your lighting and water chemistry.
I have narrowed the number of species down to what has done well for me for many years and haven't had to order any plants for 3 years.


Awesome, thanks Apistomaster.

[Wahter]

Does anyone know where I can order some quality floaters? What kind of floating plants do you all recommend? I wanted to put some in both of my tanks to give them a bit more shade. Also, do you guys QT your plants or just rinse them really well? Please help! :)

As mentioned, aquabotanic is good for many plants.

I don't think they have any right now, but you can try some water sprite (make sure you get that instead of the hygro difformis - they look very similar to the unknowning eye).

Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=005A
(it's a fern and all the branches come out of the base)

Water wisteria (Hygrophila difformis)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=051
(it's a stem plant and the leaves come out of the stem)

Hope that helps,


Walter