# Plant ID + fungus/eggs?



## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Finally after waiting over two weeks my plants finally came! They came without water and seem in relatively good condition but I need help identifying what kinds they are - I'm new to aquatic plants and I'm curios to see what they are! Everyone will get planted later today: I'm not sure what will go into which tank but I'm sure I'll figure something out. 

I have tried to find out what some of these plants are called but I'm most likely wrong so I won't even embarrass myself by posting what I think haha. Here's a picture of everyone, I can post more pictures one they're in the tanks later if that will help. Sorry for the huge pictures, I'm using the camera on my phone. 









I have also found these strange _things_ on the underside of one of the plants, and until I know they're harmless this plant will be in a fishless tank. Does anyone know what it could be?


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

Left to right:

1) Cambomba carolinia, methinks.
2) A bacopa of some sort. 
3) myrophyllum tuberculatum, or looks like. May be a different myrophyllum with that grgeen base to the leaves.
4) Echinodorus... amazonicus?
5) Ive had this and cant for the life of me remember the name. sorry!
6) Duckweed.

Look like eggs... but such a regular pattern up the leaves... can youu QT the plants for a week or so in a tank or bucket of water?


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

My guesses:
1 - Green cabomba
2 - ??
3 - Red or purple cabomba
4 - Java fern
5 - Corkscrew val
6 - Anacharis

No idea what that stuff is. Can you wash it off?


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

My guesses:
1.) cabomba
2.) bacopa of some kind- lol
3.) red myrio
4.) amazon sword
5.) corkscrew val
6.) anacharis

Do we get a prize if we guess some of them right? lol


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

the java fern leaves with 'eggs' are java plantlets (babies) so in a _sense _yes eggs (though not really) for plants, leave them on the leaf they will grow into new java ferns and detach on their own (they feed from the mother plant leaf they grow on like an unborn fetus from its mother via umbilical cord).


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

Are you sure? The bumps on the left leaf in the first photo look like the ones that normally develop into plantlets, but the leaf on the right has something different that I've never seen on any java fern. Looks insect-related to me.


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Whoa, so many different ideas haha! Thanks for th input everyone  I can post a list of the seller's plants if that would help? They picket out plants at random from their collection which is why I don't know what I got. 

BettaMummy, I just put the plant in my 3 glallon with no fish just in case it's something harmful. If it doesn't go away within a week or so or spreads to other plants I'll most likely just get rid of the plant. I don't want to put it in a bucket because it wouldn't get any light that way (I only have two lamps). 

Islandgaliam, no not really haha. Sorry!

Aqua Aurora, that's the strangest thing I've heard! I had no idea that's how they grow. It'll be interesting to see that happen, I'll be watching the plants closely! 

Kittenfish, in a way the baby idea would make sense as not all the plants have these growths. If it were insects wouldn't they spread to everyone? I'm not saying you're wrong - everyone's opinions are taken into consideration here - and it could just as well turn out that these are insect eggs, but wouldn't they spread? 

I'll post picture of the tanks later, it's still too early to turn the lights on.


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

The list would help, we could narrow down the species as well as the genus then  Glad you have a spare tank, will make for much happier plants ^-^ 

@Aqua Aurora, TIL. At least I know if/when my swords start this malarchy not to destroy them XD


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

That looks more like a type of Sword than Java Fern to me. I'd send the guy photo and ask what's the plant and what's the stuff.

I concur that's Anacharis and not Duckweed. Duckweed is a tiny floating plant.

BettaMummy87: Java Fern reproduce by spores; Swords don't. If you see stuff like that on your Swords yank them out and dip or destroy.


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Here's a link to the listing: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-LIVE-A...3?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item3cb602df33

Russell, in all honesty, I'd prefer to avoid talking to the seller if possible. They've already annoyed me and I don't really want to get myself worked up by talking to them again :/


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

I was wrong, they are spores: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorus


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

I think it may be an issue with my lfs. I always used to call it pond weed (its in every pond in the UK) but lfs labelled it duckweed, just assumed I was wrong XD)

From the sellers list (Again left to right)
1) Green cabomba (Cabomba caroliniana)
2) Bacopa caroliniana (I think! looks too pointy for the monnieri, but a little small for caroliniana, Im assuming it is younger than mine)
3)
4) Amazon Swords (Echinodorus amazonicus) 
5) Twisted Vallis (Vallis Torta - could be giant and young, mind)
6) Elodea Densa

Not entirely sure why you got 6 species. Apparently this guy knows naff all! Not your fault, he looked good when I was looking into him, but a handful his plants aren't aquatic and the 3rd isnt on the list at all....  I'm gunna stick with it being a myrophyllum tuberculatum. Looks like mine anyways, and thats what I was told it was.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Kisiel said:


> Here's a link to the listing: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-LIVE-A...3?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item3cb602df33
> 
> Russell, in all honesty, I'd prefer to avoid talking to the seller if possible. They've already annoyed me and I don't really want to get myself worked up by talking to them again :/


I've run into a few sellers like that and you're right: Better to just forget it and save the frustration.


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

So the plants aren't doing that great... I've decreased the photo period to about 9-10 hours per day as suggested and continue to do water changes as normal. 

The rotala plant that I've got in the 5 gallon started losing all of it's leaves. Literally every single leaf turned brown. I took out the plant, took the whole thing apart and cut off some of the better looking stems and replanted them. It's strange because cuttings from the same plant in my 3 gallon are doing great... They're growing and are a healthy green colour. I don't understand. 

I've gone from having 5 cabomba stems to 2 in just a couple of days. The plant just falls apart at the lightest touch. I've tried saving some of the bigger pieces that have fallen off and I plan on planting them in the 3 gallon when I've got some time. It's the same with the anacharis, that's falling apart too: it's gone from completely covering the right corner of the tank where the filter and heater are and being really tall to gradually decreasing in size and now it's nowhere near as dense or tall as it was before.

The grassy looking plant (corkscrew val?) is becoming see-through - I'm assuming it's melting because it's starting to look similar to my Brazilian dwarf grass which melted so badly that I had to throw it out. The moss ball is also not as green as all the picture's I've been seeing here, I don't know if that's a cause for concern or not. 

The only plants that seems to be doing well is the java fern / amazon sword (I'm not sure which it is) and the rotala cuttings in the 3 gallon as well as the recovering echinodorus cordifolius fluitans and anubias nana. The growths on the fern / sword are still there and remain unchanged but I've stopped worrying about them. 

I thought that maybe the temperature in the 5 gallon was too high (82 degrees) so I lowered it to 78 but I don't know if that's gonna make any difference. The reason I thought that is because - taking the rotala, for example - the unheated 3 gallon is showing much better growth. 

Honestly, I'm ready to just take this tank apart and get rid of everything. It's so frustrating.


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

BettaMummy87 said:


> Not entirely sure why you got 6 species. Apparently this guy knows naff all! Not your fault, he looked good when I was looking into him, but a handful his plants aren't aquatic and the 3rd isnt on the list at all....  I'm gunna stick with it being a myrophyllum tuberculatum. Looks like mine anyways, and thats what I was told it was.


I got 6 spieces because I paid for 6 spieces haha. do you know what plants aren't aquatic?

Pets at Home plants seem to be labelled correctly but they're so expensive  It's like £4 for a rooted plant! I think cuttings are cheaper, I might buy some this weekend since I need to go anyway and get bird food. Do you think they would grow roots or would I have to throw them out after a while? I'm just sick of my plants dying on me...


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

Sometimes plants react badly to being shipped and placed in a new tank. As long as the tips are growing (or for the val, new leaves growing from the base) they should be fine after adjusting to your water parameters. 82 is a bit high for most plants so it's good that you lowered it. Did you take the metal weights off before planting everything?

The java fern is definitely not a sword. If it were, it would have a crown and roots similar to the val, not a rhizome (which should not be buried in the substrate).


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Am I better off just cutting the tips to plant and dumping the rest of the plant? My water parameters aren't exactly stable as the tank is still cycling - we're getting there, I'm having nitrite readings! But pH and such are stable, I always use water conditioner which gets rid of chlorine and chloramine so I know that's not the issue. The reason it was that high is because the fish prefers the higher temperature range - when the tank was at 76 degrees he always hung out near the heater. Hopefully we can compromise and keep it at 78. Yes, I took the metal weights off all the plants. 

Alright, I better take it out of the sand then. I'll tie it to something with a thread like I tied the anubias. I have some spare decor lying around which should be big enough for all the ferns. Thanks for helping me identify the plant


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## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

Kisiel said:


> I got 6 spieces because I paid for 6 spieces haha. do you know what plants aren't aquatic?
> 
> Pets at Home plants seem to be labelled correctly but they're so expensive  It's like £4 for a rooted plant! I think cuttings are cheaper, I might buy some this weekend since I need to go anyway and get bird food. Do you think they would grow roots or would I have to throw them out after a while? I'm just sick of my plants dying on me...


There are at least two that, from the common name, I do not know of/cannot find a true aquatic form:
- Borneo Fern
- Wheat Plant
- In the picture he also has a Dracanea (green and white leaves, bottom center) Non aquatic. Rots inside a few weeks normally. Some people can get a month or two out of them. 

Some of the other common named plants have aquatic and non-aquatic varieties, so can give him/her the benefit of the doubt there:
- Green Spade Leaf
- Cherry Leaf Stricta
- Umbrella Fern
- Indian Fern
- Fountain Plants

Pets at Home certainly have Dracanea, so watch out for that. Also their staff aren't always trained and will swear blind all of their plants are aquatic. 

As a rule of thumb (this is not 100% accurate, especially the second one as it can depend on how it is grown, and there seem to be exceptions to every rule):



 Variegated Leaves (Leaves with two colours, like the draceana or Ivy leaves, for example) are non aquatic.
If you take it out of the water, and it stands up, it is not aquatic. True aqautics will 'flop' or droop significantly out of water.
'Waxy' leaves... like a maple has a waxy sheen, like a natural varnish, are non-aquatic. That is water proofing, not benficial for a plant that gets nutirents from the water. 
ETA: As for cuttings, it depends on the plant. Rhizomous plants (like anubias, they have a knobbly bit above the roots proper) then, no, cuttings wont work as you need the rhizome. Stemmed plants will. I know most [email protected] I have been in have Cambomba. Break that anywhere on the stem the bugger will shoot out roots! Anything that isn't a single thin stem, you will normally need roots or their little offshoots (some plants grow babies on the leaves, like the swords discussed above)

ETA Further: So it does! It has a rhizome! My bad, not swords XD That'll learn me to answer while kids are awake.


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

So today I got really angry at my tanks... 

And took everything down. 

I emptied both tanks and put all plants into bowls, took out the filter and heater and cupped Lucifer (he wasn't happy about this). I got so angry that I threw away half of the plants that I got the other day and went to pets at home to see if they have something better. They had the same kind of cabomba that I did (which was the first to land in the bin) and I was sure that that's not what I wanted. The stupid thing just falls apart at the lightest touch. They also had other plants that I didn't know the names of but there were amazon swords which were quite nice. I ended up buying two lots of twisted vals and some other plant. I also picked up a new moss ball from another pet store. 

I took the java fern and tied it to a piece of decor. That's now in the 5 gallon. As soon as I put it in Lucifer was like "MUM THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!" He spent about half an hour exploring the ferns hahah. I've put the new plants in his tank too and kept the Anubias on the rock bridge. I've also cut the tips of plant number 2 from the first page and planted them. He seems to quite like the twisted vals because there's lots of them, and obviously Java fern is his favourite plant now haha. 

I haven't finished the 3 gallon yet, the remaining plants are still in bowls. I'll probably do it tomorrow, I'm quite tired and it's getting late. 

The lady at pets at home was the same person who sold me Lucifer! She actually remembered me and we talked for a little while. She helped me pick out the healthiest looking plants with biggest roots  we noticed a couple of snails on the leaves and she picket them off because she said they were bests buuuuttt... She missed one! I found him when I inspected the plants before putting them into the tank, and he's so tiny! About 2mm in length and his shell is partly see through. He's so cute! I don't want to squash him but I don't really want to put him in any of my tanks either in case I end up with a snail infestation. So for now he's in a tiny plastic container with some leaves until I figure out what to do with him. Anyone know what kind of snail he is?


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Pond snail, also sometimes called a bladder snail. It's a harmless snail that eats algaes, leftover food, and dead plant matter. Some fish eat them including dwarf puffers and 2 of my bettas (they eat all tiny snails). If you don't like them they are easy enough to kill just squish against the glass (soft shelled). They don't get that big but at least 3x that size, I love watching them clean the toss and see their tiny mouths just opening and closing constantly as they crawl along.


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Well, I think Steven the snail has died  I found him this morning on the bottom of his container: he was upside down and when I picked him up and put him on a leaf he didn't even stick to it, he just floated away. I really hope he's not dead, maybe he's just sleeping? I don't know if snails sleep but I'm quite upset over this


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## BamaPlants (Sep 9, 2014)

that is definitely a java fern.. look at base under the lead and you can see the runner.. it is not a sword.. And that is definitely Java fern reproduction you see in the works on the leaf.
Kisiel, I bet they did make you mad about something. not sure what but I see a few things about their listings that would make me mad and gun-shy of em at the same time.
the second plant from the left is a tough one.. it is NOT a Bacopa. I am sure of that but it could be a number of different things.. looks somewhat like a tonina sp but lso somewhat like a syngonanthus sp. and somewhat like an overly green L australis. but I don't think it is L australis.

anyway
1. green combomba
2????????
3. Red Cabomba either furcata or paleaformis
4 Java fern
5 Corkscrew Val- maybe contortion, AKA giant corkscrew Val, but I am pretty sure just the common corkscrew Val
6. Elodea densa, AKA Egeria densa, AKA Anacharis


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