# Plants for a brackish tank?



## Loach Shark (Feb 14, 2008)

I want to have a brackish tank so I can breed mollies by the dozens. What kind of plants can I grow in 50% saltwater or full on salt? I had black mollies for priming a salt tank once and they bred like crazy. I want them as food fish for larger Oscars or such.


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## lauraleellbp (Jan 31, 2008)

I don't have any personal experience with brackish setups, but I've read and seen vals in brackish tanks. I know that they have to be acclimated slowly similarly to the way fish are, but I don't know how salty they can handle, or how long to expect them to live?


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

50% ocean water is too salty for any of the fresh water plants. 
You might look into mangroves (emersed). 
There might be some salt water algae that could handle the high salt level between half and full sea level of salt.


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## tbrat (Jan 16, 2008)

Right now I have a brackish with a slightly higher salt content then norm set up and just tossed in some clippings from a sword plant and so far its doing well. But it has only been about a two weeks since adding them in there. I do believe that sword is just an ordinary amazon sword as well. I too have seen vals and something else in a brackish set up but for the life of me can't remember what they were. If I see it again I'll write it down to post on here for ya.
Take care,
brat


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

What are you talking when it comes to 50% or "full on salt" when it comes to specific gravity readings?

For the brackish tank, all I can think of for the long term would be the Mangroves, as suggested above. It's possible you could also acclimate some of the macro algaes to work as well.

If you're leaning more toward SG readings of about 1.020, you could probably use some of the true salt plants, but I'm guessing that would be a bit much for the Mollies.


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

When I go kayaking on a river that is close to the Gulf, the water is slightly salty, and Vals grow like weeds. There are also other plants but I don't know what they are. Interesting thing is that there are hundreds of Nerite snails on the Vals even as the water becomes fresher. Maybe you should consider dropping the amount of salt in the tank.


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## tbrat (Jan 16, 2008)

Hello again, like I said earlier I knew I had seen some plants that would do well in a brackish system and like I said I'm going to post them here. Please keep in mind when speaking of a brackish tank salinity is generally between 1.005-1.012, at 1.025 spg your at full salt environment and way beyond any knowledge that I have. 
But for brack tanks (at the levels specified) all of the following can be used: 
Anacharis 
Anubias Nanas 
Aquatic Banana plants 
Dwarf Sagittaria Subulata 
potted Narrow Leaf Chain Swords 
Bacopa 
Cabomba Green 
Water Sprite 
Temple plant 
Crypt Ciliata 
Java Fern 
Java Moss 
Tall Sagittaria Subulata 
Jungle Vals

hth take care,
brat


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