# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Watersprite - Ceratopteris thalictroides or Hygrophila difformis or .... problems



## imported_~NeMo~ (Jan 5, 2004)

In this pictures 








you can see small (?!) problems with my watersprite (i think this is the USA name for the Ceratopteris thalictroides).
Any idea about what the plant need ? Potassium ?

Here you can find other specific photos of the "problem":
my tank

The tank's information:
*Plants*: 
Micrantemum Umbrosus 
Echinodorus Tenellus 
Hydrocotyle Leucocephala 
_Ceratopteris thalictroides_ 
Bacopa caroliniana 
Cabomba caroliniana 
Cabomba furcata (red)
Ludwigia perennis (red)

*Fishes*: 
6 Corydoras Paleatus 
3 Ancistrus Dolichopterus (piccoli 4 cm) 
5 Caridina Nipponica 
4 Paracheirodon innesi
3 Hemigrammus bleheri

*Values*: 
3 KH 
7 GH 
6.5 PH 
NO2 n.m.
NO3 5 mg/l 
Fe 1 mg/l

*Sizes* 
60 x 35 x 40h

*Lamps*: 
4 neon x 15 watt 
(2 Trocal Dennerle, 1 Amazon Dennerle, 1 Arcadia Freshwater )

*Other*: 
CO2 
Flourite Seachem
Seachem 
Flourish
Flourish Iron
Flourish Excel
Flourish Nitrogen

[This message was edited by ~NeMo~ on Mon February 23 2004 at 02:39 PM.]


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## imported_~NeMo~ (Jan 5, 2004)

In this pictures 








you can see small (?!) problems with my watersprite (i think this is the USA name for the Ceratopteris thalictroides).
Any idea about what the plant need ? Potassium ?

Here you can find other specific photos of the "problem":
my tank

The tank's information:
*Plants*: 
Micrantemum Umbrosus 
Echinodorus Tenellus 
Hydrocotyle Leucocephala 
_Ceratopteris thalictroides_ 
Bacopa caroliniana 
Cabomba caroliniana 
Cabomba furcata (red)
Ludwigia perennis (red)

*Fishes*: 
6 Corydoras Paleatus 
3 Ancistrus Dolichopterus (piccoli 4 cm) 
5 Caridina Nipponica 
4 Paracheirodon innesi
3 Hemigrammus bleheri

*Values*: 
3 KH 
7 GH 
6.5 PH 
NO2 n.m.
NO3 5 mg/l 
Fe 1 mg/l

*Sizes* 
60 x 35 x 40h

*Lamps*: 
4 neon x 15 watt 
(2 Trocal Dennerle, 1 Amazon Dennerle, 1 Arcadia Freshwater )

*Other*: 
CO2 
Flourite Seachem
Seachem 
Flourish
Flourish Iron
Flourish Excel
Flourish Nitrogen

[This message was edited by ~NeMo~ on Mon February 23 2004 at 02:39 PM.]


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## rocco (Jan 6, 2004)

nemo,
that looks a lot like hygrophila difformis or wisteria to me. i thought watersprite had narrower leaves.

if it is wisteria, mine grows fine and the lower leaves that get less light get patches like that on them.

otherwise, i don't know what it is.


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

it's hygro diffformis without a doubt.


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## imported_~NeMo~ (Jan 5, 2004)

I'm quite sure that this is _watersprite_
in this image from tropica web site the plant (Ceratopteris thalicroides) has on the bottom-right something like a "tentacle" 








exactly like the plant i have in the tank ...
moreover on the label with the plant when I purchase it, there was write Ceratopteris thalictroides.










I don't know if the problem is due to too much light.

Any suggestions ?


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## imported_~NeMo~ (Jan 5, 2004)

*Algae Grower*,
why you think that ?

Say what (photo) i need to post for decide what kink of plant is it ?


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

you don't have water sprite dude.... but you don't have to listen to me.... its all gravy over KFC


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## ls7corvete (Feb 19, 2004)

Waterprites branches all grow from a central point. Wisteria can branch at any node on the stem. If you have many points along the stem that branch then its wisteria. Looks like wisteria IMO.


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## Caught29 (Apr 1, 2004)

Taken directly from the Krib:


> quote:
> 
> Potassium-----------Small dead areas appear in older leaves. These can start like little pinpoints and grow. In some species, like Ceratopteris, the older leaves stay green while the little dead spots grow. The new leaves are reduced in size and
> leaf area, looking a bit 'singed'. In other species the older leaves can turn yellow before they die, but they do
> ...


I'm by no means an expert in defficiency but this is simply something I searched around for. It looks as if you may be correct in that its a K defficiency, as I read that you aren't really adding any K. And btw, yes it is a Ceratopteris species and not Hygrophila difformis.

[This message was edited by Caught29 on Mon February 23 2004 at 08:07 PM.]


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## discusaigon (Mar 10, 2004)

I think the plant you have is Ceratopteris cornuta.

I have already tried it as a planted plant in the soil and it didn't worked well, I had the same probleme as you.

Now I'm trying Ceratopteris talictroides planted in the soil and it work very much better









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Sorry for my english level


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## imported_~NeMo~ (Jan 5, 2004)

If you (all) have the same problem or not, can you post if you use K (potassium) ?


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

yes cornuta is a possibility, thasnk for that reply, cuz i know for sure it's not water sprite, cuz i have it and it looks nothing like that


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## discusaigon (Mar 10, 2004)

That's right that when I had this probleme with my _Ceratopteris cornuta_, I didn't use potasium while now I'm using K2SO4 with my _Ceratopteris thalictroides_. 
So I cannot tell if it is a problem of K or because they are different species.









-----------------------------

Sorry for my english level


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## imported_~NeMo~ (Jan 5, 2004)

K2SO4 ?
what is it ? and what product contains it ?


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## discusaigon (Mar 10, 2004)

K2SO4 = potasium sulfate, Here I can buy it in pharmacies, I use it to bring potasium in my tank, and I think you will find a lot of topics about it on the fertilization forum









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Sorry for my english level


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## imported_~NeMo~ (Jan 5, 2004)

There is difference with K ?


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## Planted Engineer (Jan 15, 2004)

Hi,

The guy that sold me this plant said it's hygrophila difformis - is it???










It has the same problem. Two weeks ago I dosed 20 ppm K using K2SO4. I don't believe this problem was solved. This dose caused calcium deficiency - in the hygrophila polysperma - apparently... Since then I replaced about 75% of the water so I guess there's 5 ppm K which in my opinion should be the target. 20 ppm was a mistake. So.... why do I have those tiny holes?? or black spots???

PE.


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## bobo31 (May 8, 2004)

Both are definately Ceratopteris thalictroides "Water Sprtie" if you look closer at both pictures you can see baby plants growing on the leaves. hygrophila difformis doesn't do this. At least mine hasn't in the 3 years I have kept it.

Robert.


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## Josh Simonson (Feb 4, 2004)

I've got a ton of H. Difformis right now, and none of it looks like that. The leaves do vary in 'branchiness' quite a bit, but they grow off a thick, round stem, which I don't see here. H. Difformis also doesn't grow plantlets on the leaf margins, though leaves that break free will sprout roots and a new growth tip where they once attached to the stem.

My H. Difformis HAS however displayed similar deficiency, which I believe was K. I added leaf zone, which is mostly K2SO4 and some iron, and the shabby lower leaves stopped getting shabbier. Nitrate deficiency might also result in holes in the lower leaves, but as far as I know, K is the safest macro to add.


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## discusaigon (Mar 10, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by ~NeMo~:
> There is difference with K ?


no,

K2SO4 contains K as KNO3 contains K and N.

You cannot add pure potassium K so you have to add K2SO4 or KNO3 or K....

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Sorry for my english level


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## discusaigon (Mar 10, 2004)

well this is Ceratopteris cornuta (the same as you have I think) :









This is Ceratopteris thalictroides (you can see it's much more "sliced" ) :









and this is Hygrophila difformis:









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Sorry for my english level


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## Planted Engineer (Jan 15, 2004)

Hi,

Tropica web site says this 'Ceratopteris thalictroides ' plant growth is 'very fast' and the demand is 'easy'. I have no idea why so but it doesn't really grow that fast in my aquarium although I dosed KNO3, CSM+B and K2SO4. Also below the plant there seems to be some sort of 'fog' algae - like a very fine transparent mesh - can't photographed really. Temprature is 26. What's wrong with this plant?

PE.


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## discusaigon (Mar 10, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Planted Engineer:
> Also below the plant there seems to be some sort of 'fog' algae - like a very fine transparent mesh - can't photographed really. Temprature is 26. What's wrong with this plant?
> ...


Could this be the roots? ( the "fog" algae).

Do you have it planted in the soil or as a floating plant?

-----------------------------

Sorry for my english level


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