# Floating Plants



## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Besides Anacharis or however its spelled, can anybody recommend some easy to care for floaters? I have a florcesent bulb but whenever I have it on, the bettas go NUTS so I dont keep it on very long. I know there is duckweed but I was hoping for something a little bigger...

is Amazon Frogbit hard to grow? 

what about moss?? I have petco sand for a substrate, no soil or CO2 thing.


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Water Wisteria?

Water Lettuce, that's all I got.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

brazillian penny wort. As long as you don't have mystery snails and have some sort of light, it should grow like mad. My snails find it like chocolate, only reason it isn't bursting out of my tank.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Water sprite is another one that I like to use, but it gets rather large.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I had a few water wisteria but it started to rot so i tossed it. 

I think im gonna have to order online, pretty sure pecto does not have any of this, at least not in those stupid tubes of "aquatic" plants. Occasionally I find a non rotted amazon sword plant but most are not aquatic


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## Crazykat (Nov 23, 2010)

I got the water wisteria from one of those petco tubes two years ago. It is now in every tank I own. It really does like to be planted, though. Puts down some pretty serious roots, even in just plain gravel.

Great resource for planted tank questions: http://www.plantedtank.net/
If you go into the plants section and click floating plants it might give you some ideas.
Floating plants are hard to find. I have some duckweed and water spangles that were being tossed out as "pest plants" in petsmart, but that was totally luck.

Java moss is good. You can tie it to something. You can get other moss types from online sellers, but java moss is the only one I can find in Petco.
Good luck with your search.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

-Java moss

Java moss is an easy to care for moss that has very few requirements and will grow in the most undesirable conditions. Most bettas will highly appreciate this plant due to the clumping and being able to hide, and rest in the plant

-Hornwort

Hornwort is a very attractive, easy to care for, floating aquarium plant that is oftenly sold in small bunches and is somewhat easy to obtain, while this plant does have very few requirements, there is a key part into keeping and understanding this plant. It has been known to go through its own adjustment periods in which it can lose many if it's pine like leaves. Other than that bettas will highly appreciate striding through the clumped leaves, hiding in them, and playing through them 

-anacharis

Anacharis is a very easy to keep, attractive, floating aquarium plant that has been known to do very well in low tech setups with little light, no fertilization, or added Co2 supplements. Bettas will greatly appreciate this plant due to the interactive behaviour they have been known exhibit when placed in the same tank as this plant. Bettas will love to hide, and swim throughout the leaves of the plant

-Water wisteria

-Water sprite

-Duckweed 

-Rotala Rotundifolia 

-Rotala indica

-Bacopa caroliniana

-Hygrophila polysperma

Hygrohila polysperma is an exellent beautiful plant with very minimal requirements, such as moderate light, no fertilization, and no Co2 supplements. I have grown this plant in a wide range of setups and have noticed that bettas have appreciated the long slender like leaves to swim around and under, hide in, and play with. A beautiful specimen of this plant is found in my avatar

The above listed plants all require low maintence that have been known to grow magnificently in low tech setups with little or no ferilization. My bettas over the years have highly appreciated these plants and I would mostly recommend the selected plants compared to any others regarding floating plants


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Not sure if it's legal or not over there, but hydrilla is a good one. Looks like elodea, but with finer leaves and does well in warmer temperatures. 

Guppy grass is also another low-maintenance floater.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

-Java moss

Java moss is an easy to care for moss that has very few requirements and will grow in the most undesirable conditions. Most bettas will highly appreciate this plant due to the clumping and being able to hide, and rest in the plant, it has also been known to support well water quality

-Hornwort

Hornwort is a very attractive, easy to care for, floating aquarium plant that is oftenly sold in small bunches and is somewhat easy to obtain, while this plant does have very few requirements, there is a key part into keeping and understanding this plant. It has been known to go through its own adjustment periods in which it can lose many if it's pine like leaves. Other than that bettas will highly appreciate striding through the clumped leaves, hiding in them, and playing through them, it has also been known to support well water quality

-anacharis

Anacharis is a very easy to keep, attractive, floating aquarium plant that has been known to do very well in low tech setups with little light, no fertilization, or added Co2 supplements. Bettas will greatly appreciate this plant due to the interactive behaviour they have been known exhibit when placed in the same tank as this plant. Bettas will love to hide, and swim throughout the leaves of the plant, it has also been known to support well water quality

-Water wisteria

Water wisteria is a very fun to keep, very attractive plant with little requirements and has been suscesfully grown in a wide range if setups such as little light and no added supplements regarding ferilization, and Co2. Bettas will appreciate having this plant for safety, hiding, interaction, and striding through, it has also been known to support well water quality

-Water sprite

Water sprite is an especially beautiful aquarium plant that has few requirements for is exceptional beauty. It h been known to support all aspects of growth as well regarding attractiveness in a very broad range if setups such as little light, and no supplements regarding fertilization, and Co2. it has also been known to support well water quality

-Rotala Rotundifolia 

Rotala Rotundifolia is a very beautiful aquarium plant with very few requirements, it has been known to grow in low tech setups but not exhibiting it's true red beauty color. It does have many benefits such as increased activity due to the increased amount of plants, it can Benifit water quality, bettas love striding through the leaves, and they love to hide amongst the leaves

-Rotala indica

Rotala indica is a very beautiful aquarium plant with very few requirements, it has been known to grow in low tech setups but unlike Rotala Rotundifolia it will show its true beautiful green color in low tech setups. It does have many benefits such as increased activity due to the increased amount of plants, it can Benifit water quality, bettas love striding through the leaves, and they love to hide amongst the leaves

-Hygrophila polysperma

Hygrohila polysperma is an exellent beautiful plant with very minimal requirements, such as moderate light, no fertilization, and no Co2 supplements. I have grown this plant in a wide range of setups and have noticed that bettas have appreciated the long slender like leaves to swim around and under, hide in, and play with. A beautiful specimen of this plant is found in my avatar

The above listed plants all require low maintence that have been known to grow magnificently in low tech setups with little or no ferilization. My bettas over the years have highly appreciated these plants and I would mostly recommend the selected plants compared to any others regarding floating plants


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

I have water lettuce, frogbit, duck weed, a tiny bit of hornwort, a small amount of pennywort and some naja or guppy grass.


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Can you actually float moss?

Maybe that's why my freaking moss keeps floating. :l


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Yes, it is readily floated in lots of aquariums for breeding reasons such as preserving and saving fry


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Thanks! I'll see if I can find some of these.
I though about hornwort but I heard its a pain in the butt when its placed in a tank with all the needles shedding. 

what about anubis? does that have to be anchored or will it anchor itself to decor?

petsmart has a huge selection of plants in a huge tank but I have no idea what they are and there are only a few plants i can identify by looking at it like amazon sword, anacharis, a moss ball LOL


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Tikibirds said:


> Thanks! I'll see if I can find some of these.
> I though about hornwort but I heard its a pain in the butt when its placed in a tank with all the needles shedding.
> 
> what about anubis? does that have to be anchored or will it anchor itself to decor?
> ...


Anubias, you'll have to anchor it to something, it won't anchor itself.


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

since this thread seems to be active may I ask a question? I don't want to start a new thread just for this.

When quarantining new plants, should the water be conditioned or is straight tap water OK? Also I have the plants in a covered pot. Will the plants be OK without light and for how long?

also, should I do water changes in the pot? How often?

Thanks. The plant thread has been closed and it's so long I am too tired to read it :-(


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Quarantine is okay for around 1 ~ 2 weeks, the longer the better.

I would say conditioned water but if I'm wrong someone feel free to correct me. Also what do you mean covered pot? And yes if they are plants that need light to survive they will need light or they will die while in quarantine, also, if you don't have the right temperature for them they will die.

Also, still not getting this whole pot thing.


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

Micho said:


> Quarantine is okay for around 1 ~ 2 weeks, the longer the better.
> 
> I would say conditioned water but if I'm wrong someone feel free to correct me. Also what do you mean covered pot? And yes if they are plants that need light to survive they will need light or they will die while in quarantine, also, if you don't have the right temperature for them they will die.
> 
> Also, still not getting this whole pot thing.


In a cooking pot with a cover so the cats can't get to them :lol:


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

registereduser said:


> In a cooking pot with a cover so the cats can't get to them :lol:


Oh okay I understand now.

But yeah, if you have low-light light plants in there they'll still need some light. And also, you won't need to change the water I believe.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Anubis will float if left free in the water. I try to bury the roots (not the rhizome) but it doesn't like to stay down.


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

If you have some java moss you can tie some to a wine cork.

If you have a wine store nearby many times they will conduct wine tastings and can pick up a few corks. You can also ask people in grocery stores etc on sample day.

They sell some floating plastic plants marketed for reptiles as "cricket savers."
I got a couple packages of these and my Bettas love to sit under them. I've had them in the tanks for a year now.
http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-Terra-Water-Plant-Lettuce/dp/B0009YJ27O


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I wish I could find some moss locally


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I know what you mean tiki, I had to check the LFS for 4 months straight before they had any... then I bought it all. There are some places online that have it.


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## mag114 (Apr 7, 2012)

*advice anyone !*

hello everyone i just recently bought a tank for a Betta fish, well i bought a beautiful male that 2 days later it died because of we changed the tank water was to cold, i was sad :-(but a week later my sister got me another beautiful blue male but that one got stuck in between a shell & the glass tank yes it also died sooo i went to petsmart bought a ugly looking female:lol: which is still alive jeje.. true story can you give me advice on how to care for it ???:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:


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## MachinaSoul (Mar 13, 2012)

mag114 said:


> hello everyone i just recently bought a tank for a Betta fish, well i bought a beautiful male that 2 days later it died because of we changed the tank water was to cold, i was sad :-(but a week later my sister got me another beautiful blue male but that one got stuck in between a shell & the glass tank yes it also died sooo i went to petsmart bought a ugly looking female:lol: which is still alive jeje.. true story can you give me advice on how to care for it ???


Start a new thread/topic and people will help you.

You will need to inform about:

Tank size (how many gallons, liters of water is its capacity?)

Planted? Moss or something else? None?

Filter? Sponge or pump?

Heater? Constant output type or variable/self-regulating? Average ambient temperature of the room where you keep the tank?


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## Shidohari (Sep 21, 2008)

I didn't know java moss could float. I have some in my 20 gallon community tank (which currently has a community of cherry shrimp hiding in it.

Once my tank cycles i may think of moving a little of it to my tank.


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