TAKIN' THE HEAT! PLANTS FOR DISCUS TANKS

[Don_Lee]

This section is dedicated to the plants that make it in our high temperature discus tanks. Come on everybody, let's figure out the plants that can make it in those 86 degrees and up temps!

Don ;D

[Serpae]

Howdy :wave:

I have grown Hygrophila polysperma, H. stricta, H stricta blue, thin Vallis, Java fern, Java Moss, and an assortment of Amazon Chain Swords (broad leaf, narrow leaf and pygmy)as well as Rotala and the Indian broad leaf floating fern, both floating and planted in the substrate. All are doing great at high temp's.

[Wahter]

I have good luck with the following list (some of these plants I no longer have because I've either given or traded them away). Where I know the 'common name', I've included that in the parenthesis; if Tropica.com has a description of the plant in their on-line catalog, I've included that as well.

Keep in mind some of these plants have specific requirements (ie. they need a lot of light, prefer CO2, etc...).

Hope this helps.

Walter
=============

alternanthera reineckii (red temple plant)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=023

ammania gracilis
ammania senegalensis

anubias barteri var barteri
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=101A

anubias barteri var "coffeefolia"
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=101G

anubias barteri var nana (anubias nana)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=101

anubias gilletti

bolbitui heudelotii (African water fern)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=006

ceratopteris thalictroides (Indian water fern/ water sprite)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=005A

ceratophyllum demersum (hornwort)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=021

cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae (crypt. balansae)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=125

cryptocoryne undulata
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=110

cryptocoryne wendtii ''brown'', "red", "green"
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=109C

echinodorus 'Ozelot' (ozelot sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=073F

echinodorus 'Rosé' (rose' sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=072B

echinodorus 'Rubin' (rubin sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=074B

echinodorus bleheri (amazon sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=071

echinodorus cordifolius 'Tropica Marble Queen'' (both the Marble Queen radican and the standard radical work)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=073E

echinodorus 'Oriental' (Oriental sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=072C

echinodorus osiris (melon sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=072

echinodorus 'Red Flame' (red flame sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=073H

echinodorus tenellus (pygmy chain sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=067

echinodorus X barthii (red melon sword/ indian red sword)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=072A

hygrophila polysperma 'Sunset' (sunset hygro)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=050B

lemna minor (duckweed)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=129

limnophila sessiliflora (ambulia)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=047

ludwigia arcuata (needle leafed ludwigia)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=035

ludwigia repens (red broad leaf ludwigia)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=034

ludwigia mullertii
ludwigia palustris

micranthemum umbrosum (pearl grass)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=048

microsorum brassii - ''narrow'' (narrow leafed java fern)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=008A

microsorum pteropus (java fern)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=008

microsorum pteropus 'Tropica' (Tropica java fern)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=008E

microsorum pteropus 'Windeløv' (Windeløv' java fern)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=008B

nymphaea daubenyana

riccia fluitans (crystalwort)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=001

rotala macrandra
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=032

rotala rotundifolia - rotala indica (the redder colorata variety works fine too)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=033

sagittaria subulata (dwarf sag)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=079

vallisneria americana /gigantea (jungle val)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=054

vallisneria spiralis

vesicularia dubyana (java moss)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=003
=========

PS - I have these plants at water temperatures of around 84-86F (slightly below 30 C for our metric friends).

[Ralph]

Here is list of plants that I killed. This was when my tank was running about 90 degrees F. (32.2 degrees C.).

Hydrocotyle leucocephala - Brazilian Pennywort
Lilaeopsis nova-zealandia
Alternanthera reineckii
Eleocharis vivipara - Dwarf Hairgrass
Shinnersia rivularis - Mexican Oakleaf

They either turned to mush or didn't grow and eventually withered away.

[Don_Lee]

You guys are the greatest, keep up the participation! Thanks alot everyone, keep those plants coming!!!!!!!!!!!


Don ;D

[Top_Bhoy]

Thanks guys, these give me a start. I can now begin to think what plants will and what won't make it into my tank....

[ari_wh]

Hey... everyone

Myself... I love aponogenton (is that the right spelling??). I have aponogenton crispus and aponogenton rigidifolius... love them both.... I am now looking for aponogenton ulvaceous, but so far too expensive... have to find a cheaper source somewhere....

Had them for a year now... impossible to kill :). Even when the temperature go up to 32 deg C... which is possible during summer... when air temperature is 40 deg C.

Otherwise... Walter's list cover most of the plants I got in my tank :)

Regards, Ari :)

[Serpae]

Hey Ari, I have some of the Aponogeton distachyos if you want me to send some over let me know. It likes the cooler temperature's though.

Aponogeton is pronounced Apon-o-gee-ton. I found it on a talking web site, lost the site though when my pc crashed and everything had to be re-installed.

Is Aponogeton ulvaceous called the Queensland lace. if so, I can get some for you for zilch.

[discuslover87]

Wow, that's quite a list! That helps me too, I wanted to find a few attractive plants to restock. Is any of those floating? Can someone suggest a hardy yet attractive floating plant that will survive at 85-86 degrees?

[Serpae]

Hey Discuslover87,

This one ceratopteris thalictroides (Indian water fern/ water sprite)
http://www.tropica.com/productcard.asp?id=005A is a floating fern.

There is also a broad leaf form as well. It can grow quite large and will block out the light if not kept in check. I have had the roots of this plant hang down to about 9 inches. I eventually cut the roots in half and it didn't seem to bother it at all, except me cause it looked strange having all the roots one level. I put a mangrove root under it and let the roots grow into it. It looked like the top of the mangrove root had sprouted.

It is one of the best aquatic plants for removing nutrients

This plant also continously grows new plantlets from the leaves, and I mean continuously, so keep it in check.

It is a nice fern though and much more spectacular than duckweed major and a couple of other floaters I have come across, if you have a largish size tank. I give it a :thumbsup:

[Ralph]

Floating Plants in the Heat

Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce) 100 degrees plus but way too big for most aquariums.
Lemna spp. (duckweed) loves the heat but it took over my tank, I can send you a couple of pounds if you need any.
Limnobium spongia (frogbit), it can take 90 degrees F., doesn't get big like I've seen them, but reproduces while not taking over the tank (probably my favorite).
Riccia spp. is usually attached to driftwood but also makes floating bunches and does well with discus.
Salvinia spp. (water fern) is a group of small floating ferns (used in outdoor ponds here in Phoenix), tend to overpopulate though.

I've never killed a floating plant with heat, they probably don't sell the cold water floating plants due to the heat from the aquarium lights would burn them.
Also, like serpae said, most of the bunched plants can be grown as floaters.

[Serpae]

Hey Ralph, when you mentioned the Water Lettuce it reminded me about the "Water Hyacinth" not sure on the latin bit.

It is a tropical, and here in OZ it is a noxious weed. The leaves and bouyancy tuber reach about 6in above the water's surface and have a lovely purple hyacinth type flower. It thrives in really warm water.

Like you stated before, some of these plants grow a fair height out of the water, and can get burnt by the fluro's if they get to close. You really need a very tall tank with the water level dropped in it, or have an open top tank.

[Ralph]

Two different plants but similar growth habits, the Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is even taller than the lettuce and has become a problem all over, even here in the desert it started showing up in the Salt River. Good pond plant but you won't see it in my aquarium either.

[MexCrombie]

Hi all;

Great info, I don't know if some one has mention it, but both the green and red tiger lotus do great, I have a few on my tank and they are doing awesome, I keep my temperature @ about 87 degrees.

Saul

[BLUEKNIGHT]

Hi
I have grown the following in temp higher than 86 degrees. crypts,amazon swords,vals,java fern or moss and anubias.

[discuslover87]

Hm.. it seems they just gave me a clump of greenery when I ordered Ricca fluitans, and I know it is a floating plant but not sure I am doing it correctly. I plunked it in the water, but some of the little parts are coming off.. it's like all these tiny green particles lumped together.. I don't want them dying and producing too much ammonia. Suggestions?

[ronrca]

discuslover,
Not sure! Any pics?

I have kept plants in the high 80's with no problems. If in doubt, I would try it and we may be surprised at the number of plants that can be in higher temps. 8)

[Ralph]

That sounds like Riccia alright. Don't worry about the heat, mine has lived in 92 degree F and still thrives (it gets warm in Arizona). It's non-rooting and the pieces that you see floating around are individual plants. I keep mine as a floating plant but many people attach clumps of the stuff to driftwood, rocks, or mix it in with the gravel. They use fishing line, hairnets, string, etc. to keep it attached, but it requires maintenence though. Too much for me, so I let it float, and it clumps up all by itself.

[cramramdon]

Fishing line tied really well on stones works really well for submerging riccia ;) 8) It has a tendancy to grow towards the surface due to its floating nature and the oxygen bubbles that it forms actually assist in pulling the plant to the surface. When this happens you can either trim it or place another riccia attached stone right on top of the loosened clump to weigh it down. It will all mesh together and actually form a nice looking terrain.

Heres a link with some good info on plants www.fishvet.com - Theres plant packages that you can buy specifically designed for the higher temp discus aquarium. Also theres lots of other plants with info on them

cram