# Will LED work for an Anubis?



## Anastasia3rd (Nov 27, 2020)

I got a small potted Anubis while I was setting up my female betta tank in November. My tank is currently in a windowless bathroom, and the tank doesn’t have a light. Since November my Anubis has lost 5 leaves and in general is looking sickly. I know nothing about aquatic plants, except their role in the nitrogen cycle etc. There is a tiny 6 v led light designed to fit my tank, and I’m wondering if that would help at all or if I should try another route. I’m planning to move the tank to my room (not in direct sunlight, but there will be a window) or I could upgrade to a 2 gallon I’ve been eyeing at Walmart- though I’m not sure that’d be better than the small LED light. I’m open to other suggestions. tankhttps://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/hagen-marina-betta-kit-led-light

Tank: 1.35 gallons Marina e z care plus
Inhabitants: 1 female betta and 1 mystery snail.








Temperature: 78F 
I feed my betta Fluvial big bites and condition with tetra betta + stress coat. 
I can fill out the whole form if that’s better
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/hagen-marina-betta-kit-led-light - this is actually the wrong tank but same brand and light fixture. I couldn’t find the one I’m considering which is a 2 gallon flat back / crescent shape.


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## Momofbetta (May 16, 2020)

Most lights will work for an anubias. That said, I suspect your water quality is leading to your plant struggling. Personally, I wouldn't put a snail in anything smaller than a 5 gallon tank - they have a pretty big bioload. 

If you have a PetSmart nearby, the Top Fin Enchant 3.5 gallon has a gentle filter and basic light that will keep an anubias alive. Nice small footprint for a bathroom too.

Do you have somewhere else for the snail?


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## Anastasia3rd (Nov 27, 2020)

Momofbetta said:


> Most lights will work for an anubias. That said, I suspect your water quality is leading to your plant struggling. Personally, I wouldn't put a snail in anything smaller than a 5 gallon tank - they have a pretty big bioload.
> 
> If you have a PetSmart nearby, the Top Fin Enchant 3.5 gallon has a gentle filter and basic light that will keep an anubias alive. Nice small footprint for a bathroom too.
> 
> Do you have somewhere else for the snail?


I have a Petsmart 3 hours away, and I’m either getting their aquarium or the one from Walmart. I perform 20% water changes on my tank every other day, and 100% every other week (Usually). The snail is super small, about 0.25 inch long. He’s really a hitchhiker, not mystery, I used the wrong term. I’ll get my water tested once Christmas break is over and I’m doing normal changes (right now I’m doing 100% 1x a week and only feeding 2x a week bc I’m only home on weekends.) The parameters were good right before thanksgiving. Are there any nutrients/minerals that need to be in my water? I use filtered PUR water bc my tap has super high chlorine.


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## Mother Of Fish (Feb 11, 2021)

Anastasia3rd said:


> I have a Petsmart 3 hours away, and I’m either getting their aquarium or the one from Walmart. I perform 20% water changes on my tank every other day, and 100% every other week (Usually). The snail is super small, about 0.25 inch long. He’s really a hitchhiker, not mystery, I used the wrong term. I’ll get my water tested once Christmas break is over and I’m doing normal changes (right now I’m doing 100% 1x a week and only feeding 2x a week bc I’m only home on weekends.) The parameters were good right before thanksgiving. Are there any nutrients/minerals that need to be in my water? I use filtered PUR water bc my tap has super high chlorine.
> View attachment 1024909


You should never do a 100% water change. It will kill the good bacteria in your aquarium, doing water changes to often can aswell. I have never had live planted aquariums before, but the frequent changes are probably why your plant is struggling, it isn't good for your fish either. I would do a %25 water change once a week. If the nitrates\nitrites\ammonia etc. are to high you should upgrade your tank size, The water shouldn't be bad though if you do a 25% change though.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Pulled comment.


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## Feanor (Nov 13, 2020)

The light will be fine.
The water filter should be fine aswell as it doesn‘t demineralize the water, but I have no own experience with water filters - just had a look on your filter cartridges in the web.

So I would take a look at the rhizome of the Anubias.
What is in the pot? 
It looks like the rhizome might be buried underneath some kind of gravel or mass.
They don‘t like this and the ”thicker“ part of the rooting system (the rhizome) could rot if it‘s covered too much. Apart from this, when all the roots are covered and stucked in the pot there may simply not be enough space to expand.

So if you haven‘t done anyway you may take it out and see what it looks like or take a picture and post it.


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## Anastasia3rd (Nov 27, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Pulled comment.


?


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## Anastasia3rd (Nov 27, 2020)

Mother Of Fish said:


> You should never do a 100% water change. It will kill the good bacteria in your aquarium, doing water changes to often can aswell. I have never had live planted aquariums before, but the frequent changes are probably why your plant is struggling, it isn't good for your fish either. I would do a %25 water change once a week. If the nitrates\nitrites\ammonia etc. are to high you should upgrade your tank size, The water shouldn't be bad though if you do a 25% change though.


I guess I should say I’m doing 80% changes. I’m putting tonks, her plant, and snail in a large pickle jar with “old” tank water while I clean the rest of the tank. I then acclimate the pickle jar inside the tank while the heater warms up, and replace Tonks along w her old water. Yes, it is stressful for tonks, but she’s overall fine and with such a small unfiltered tank I really can’t get away without large changes once in a while. I’m pretty sure good bacteria is living in the plants pot material/moss🪴 bc my cycle seems to be working as my nitrates indicate. I’m doing 20% changes every other day. Hopefully next weekend I’ll get the 2 gallon when I go to Coeur d Alene.


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## Anastasia3rd (Nov 27, 2020)

Feanor said:


> The light will be fine.
> The water filter should be fine aswell as it doesn‘t demineralize the water, but I have no own experience with water filters - just had a look on your filter cartridges in the web.
> 
> So I would take a look at the rhizome of the Anubias.
> ...


Thanks! I had never heard of a rhizome. I’ll do some research and check the plants roots. They’re buried under some kind of moss(?) My guess is it would be best to take it out of the pot entirely? I’ll do that when I get the new tank.


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## Anastasia3rd (Nov 27, 2020)

I should have said this sooner but shortly after my first post I checked my parameters and moved the tank to my room where it gets more light. Parameters indicated my cycle is working, and that I had strangely soft water (probably because I was filtering it). Per an aquatics friend’s suggestion I put in a small amount of cuttle bone to provide my snail w Ca. I’ve also been using 1/4 tap and 3/4 filtered recently in case I was loosing any minerals to my filter. Oh and I have my very silly Magiver light. The plant seems steady now, even if there’s no regrowth. Hopefully freeing the roots and the continued light will help, I might get some flourish when I go to cda.


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## Feanor (Nov 13, 2020)

That sounds like a good plan!
These plants grow in one direction and once you examine the root system you might spot where the rhizome tries to grow.
They prefer to be stucked, glued or tied on stones or any hard objects in the tank (don‘t hurt the rhizome - you can always cut the roots that grow out of the rhizome though) and attach themselves to those surfaces with really strong and long roots.
They originally grow in/on rivers that could have strong flow.
But you‘ll find out about this and more once you do a little research.


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## Feanor (Nov 13, 2020)

I did a screenshot of a video because I‘m not at home at the moment.
There‘s a very petite Anubias stucked on top of the left wood and 2 big ones that have grown in stucked on the right wood (you hardly can‘t see the wood anymore).

You could plant them into gravel if you stuck it in and gently pull it upwards again until the rhizome is above gravel level. However this might be unpractical whilst vacuuming so I would refrain from it.
Good luck!


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## Mother Of Fish (Feb 11, 2021)

Anastasia3rd said:


> I guess I should say I’m doing 80% changes. I’m putting tonks, her plant, and snail in a large pickle jar with “old” tank water while I clean the rest of the tank. I then acclimate the pickle jar inside the tank while the heater warms up, and replace Tonks along w her old water. Yes, it is stressful for tonks, but she’s overall fine and with such a small unfiltered tank I really can’t get away without large changes once in a while. I’m pretty sure good bacteria is living in the plants pot material/moss🪴 bc my cycle seems to be working as my nitrates indicate. I’m doing 20% changes every other day. Hopefully next weekend I’ll get the 2 gallon when I go to Coeur d Alene.


You don't have a filter? I would definitely get. They make life easier for you, and way less stress on the fish during water changes.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It's not that you lose elements and trace elements. It's that they are never there if the source water doesn't have them. Distilled water and some purified water do not have minerals. The filter has no influence one way or the other.


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## Anastasia3rd (Nov 27, 2020)

So I have a PUR pitcher which filters water. I should have been more specific seeing as I’m on an aquatics forum. 😂 I started using some conditioned non-PUR-filtered tap water in addition to conditioned filter water if that makes sense?


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