# Cabomba Ceratophyllum controversy



## huaidan (Mar 6, 2010)

How can a Cabomba be distinguished from a Ceratopyllum? Their morphologies are quite similar.

I have what I thought was a common hornwort Ceratophyllum growing in my tank. When I turned the heat up to 30 centigrade, the growing tips nearly bleached out and overall growth slowed. This seemed unusual for a hornwort. Then I learned about Cabomba, which supposedly has a maximum temperture tolerance of 25 centigrade. Since lowering the temperature to 25 and dosing on micros, it indeed looks a bit less desperate. It also like to grow an abundance of roots straight from the stem into the water column.

Upon inspection of online photos of different specimens, it seems that Ceratophyllum has almost needle-like or succulent leaves, and Cabomba has a flatter leaf shape, but this is difficult to distinguish by photo. If indeed this is the case, then I have a Cabomba.


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## huaidan (Mar 6, 2010)

Also a bonus plant ID. I think this one might be a Heteranthera zosterifolia, but if it is it's a red variety. If it's not that then I have no idea.

The specimen which I suspect may be a Cabomba is visible on the right. CO2 bubbles are visible on the upper left


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Yes, that's a Cabomba. Ceratophyllum are strictly floating plants and do not produce any roots.


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## huaidan (Mar 6, 2010)

Any ideas on the second one? It's the spindly looking thing front and center.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

_Ludwigia arcuata_.


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## huaidan (Mar 6, 2010)

Yes, that would indeed be it, thank you.

What's interesting, by most indications this seems like an easy one, but mine seems stuck. It's right in the middle of the tank in the most intense light, and everything around it is putting on mass, including two varieties of sword plants, java ferns, cabomba, and giant anubias. L. glandulosa's are slowly gaining momentum, but it seems the two ludwegia species just aren't keeping up with everything else, and may get crowded out if they don't start heading for the top of the tank. Others have increased maybe 50% or doubled in 2 weeks, L.g.'s barely put on more than an inch, while the L.a.'s been at a near standstill. Bizarre.
Is there anything peculiar about ludwegias? Susceptible to macronutrient deficiency? Only thing I can think of is that the swords are growing so fast they're sucking all the nitrates out of the water.


100 gal
150 w really bright fls, bought in china don't know exactly
DIY CO2, 30 to 60 bpm atomized
Iron + micros, chinese brand
6 semi-fancy goldfish, back from a week long hiatus, now on a fattening diet
Amazon sword, red leaf sword (beautiful, and strong grower), giant anubias, cabomba, java fern, "windelov" java fern on wood, pygmy chain sword, L. glandulosa and L. arcuata.
Plain gravel w/1500l/hr undergravel
Overhead bio, 1 or 2000 l/hr


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

huaidan said:


> Also a bonus plant ID. I think this one might be a Heteranthera zosterifolia, but if it is it's a red variety. If it's not that then I have no idea.
> 
> The specimen which I suspect may be a Cabomba is visible on the right. CO2 bubbles are visible on the upper left


It's Cabomba. I have lots of it and I like them a lot. My water is at a constant 76F/24.4C.


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