Aquarium Plants

Aquarium Plants of the World
Information and Plant Pictures for
All Types of Aquatic Plants
Source: Animal-World

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Aquarium plants make a beautiful well balanced fresh water fish tank, as well as a natural home for happy freshwater fish!

Quite simply, aquarium plants will make your tank healthier, more stable, and more beautiful. The benefits to aquarium stability and balance are numerous. Water plants produce oxygen through a process called photosynthesis, they absorb carbon dioxide, and they breakdown waste materials. Adding plants to your aquarium is one of the best things you can do for a stable fish tank.

Increase your enjoyment! A planted aquarium means better displayed fish!

Aquascaping your aquarium gives makes fish happy and healthy. Many tropical fish are native to a world that includes aquatic plants. Live aquarium plants serve as food for aquatic life and also provide fish and fish fry places for retreat. Your fish will behave more naturally, display better finnage and courtship behaviors, and have more intense coloring.

Best of all, by using water plants you create a unique aquarium design!

Selecting aquarium plants for the aquascape aquarium is not only fun, but is educational too. You can learn about the types of aquatic plants, the parts of a plant, and plant growth. The types of plants used in an aquarium consist of aquatic plants, amphibious plants, and land plants.

Here we have divided the types of plants into three groups; ferns and mosses which are the non-flowering plants, rosette plants, and stem plants, both of which are types of flowering plants.

Having plants in your aquarium is not only beautiful and pleasing, but is one of the most beneficial things you can do!

All the types of aquatic plants can be used in the aquarium design. Getting started begins with planning your aquarium aquascape then selecting aquarium plants.

Ferns and Mosses

Java Fern

Ferns, Moss, and Liverworts are non-flowering plants. They are not capable of forming seeds but propagate by microscopic spores. The water loving Mosses and Liverworts (Bryophyta) are lowly spore bearing plants found all around the world. But only the common Liverwort, Riccia, and a few of the mosses are widely used in aquariums.

Ferns (Pteridophyta) are also water loving, spore bearing plants, but these differ from Liverworts and Mosses in that they are propagated partly vegetatively and partly by spores. Ferns often produce roots from rhizomes, which attach to rocks or wood ornaments in the aquarium. For the aquarist, the easiest methods of propagation are vegetatively, either by dividing the rhizomes and stems or by separating new plantlets developed directly on the leaves of the parent plants.

Rosette Plants

Madagascar Lace Plant
Aponogeton madagascariensis

Rosette Plants are the ornamental plants of the aquarium. These plant structure of the rosettes are described as having a 'shortened stem axis' which creates very beautiful leafy plant. They can be used in groups or can be used individually as a stand alone plant. A single rosette plant can be the stunning focal point in your aquarium design.

Most of the Rosette plants are lattice plants and require more specialized plant care than the other groups for good plant growth. They reproduce asexually by runners and most will grow emersed under water and produce flowers. Environmental requirements include: soft, slightly acidic water ( pH of 5.5-6.5 and 2-3 ° CH), abundantly available fertilization, and cooler temperatures (60-72 ° F).

Stem Aquarium Plants

Carolina Fanwort,Green Cabomba
Cabomba caroliniana

Stem plants go well almost everywhere; in the background, along the sides, and in the center. They are fairly easy to propagate due to the fact that you can simply plant the cuttings from the present plants. These usually have long stems and look good when planted in groups.

Stem plants used along the backs and sides of the aquarium create a green frame or backdrop effect to the aquarium design. But don't think you are limited in your aquascaping options to just a background, some varieties of stem plants make very beautiful, stand alone plants. Stem plants can be used in a cluster or individually to create aa focal point in your aquarium aquascape

nice thread. . . very informational