# noob + no name plant at LFS = ?



## Mikeracing77 (May 15, 2009)

Hey guys and gals, I picked these up at the LFS as "Assorted bunched plant". The person there didn't know anything about plants, just fish. Sorry about my photos, I was being lazy used a huge aperature, so my focusing is a bit wonky. Thanks in advance for taking a glance.


----------



## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

I think it could be anacharis.


----------



## ErioLover (Apr 30, 2009)

I second that.


----------



## Mikeracing77 (May 15, 2009)

Ah excellent, thank you so much! That really helps


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

The picture is a bit fuzzy, but are those leaves somewhat serrated (as opposed to having smooth edges) ? If so, I would place my bets on Hydrilla and take it out ASAP (and burn it). Anacharis (Elodea) can be a great aquarium plant, Hydrilla is a noxious weed and can overrun your tank much like it has overtaken many lakes in the US.

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/183
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/151

-Dave


----------



## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Read the plant finder article on hydrilla to help identify it.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=316


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

I think, Egeria najas. Similar to Hydrilla, also with distinctly serrate leaves, but in the older parts of the stem the internodes are mostly shorter than the leaves (in Hydrilla mostly longer). Hydrilla leaves have often spines/warts on the underside of the midrib, Egeria leaves not.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=126
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/PHPPS/IPC/weedinfo/hydrilla.htm

What is meant with Anacharis? Elodea species, Elodea canadensis, Egeria species, Egeria densa, Egeria + Elodea ... ?


----------



## ingg (Apr 8, 2007)

Anacharis is a common trade name for Elodea in the US.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Miremonster, good call on _Egeria najas_. I would agree with that.

I confused _Elodea_ with _Egeria_ in my head. _Egeria densa _is commonly called Anacharis in the trade here in the US. _Elodea canadensis_ is a VERY similar plant native to the US that is sometimes also referred to as Anacharis. I actually meant to reference _Egeria densa _rather than _Elodea_. (Man, that all sounds confusing. ) 

In short, jmontee and ErioLover were on the right track from the beginning.

-Dave


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

davemonkey said:


> I confused Elodea with Egeria in my head. Egeria densa is commonly called Anacharis in the trade here in the US. Elodea canadensis is a VERY similar plant native to the US that is sometimes also referred to as Anacharis. I actually meant to reference Egeria densa rather than Elodea. (Man, that all sounds confusing. )


 OK, thank You, Egeria densa is surely the most common... um... waterweed? (in Germany Elodea and Egeria spp. are called "Wasserpest", water pest) in the trade. Egeria najas has apparently better properties for tropical tanks, but is not so well known.
Elodea canadensis is considerably smaller than Egeria densa, it is naturalized in Europe since 19. century, but in recent times widely displaced by Elodea nuttallii.


----------

