# Please recommend a plant with aggressive roots



## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

I would really appreciate a plant recommendation, since my attempts are research aren't turning up anything suitable.

My aquarium is a 20 gallon "long." This means it's only about a foot high, which has been limiting my plant choices. I am trying to find a kind of plant that will spread its roots throughout the aquarium, but without visually filling the whole tank. I suspect some kind of sword plant would work, but I'm afraid most of them grow too tall. I don't want anything that spreads very vigorously--I pulled out the dwarf sag long ago because it crowded out everything else. I don't really want a stem plant, either, because the ones I've tried keep growing too tall and needing pruning. I want something that looks like it stays in its corner, but sends roots all over underground.

More details about my tank:

I currently have salvinia floating on top, and lots of java fern sitting on the bottom of the tank. The only rooted plant I have is creeping jenny, and it keeps growing up through the surface and laying atop the salvinia, then sending lots of roots down to hang in the water. This leaves me with, practically, NO roots in the substrate--but since there are lots of guppies and platties and a few shrimp in the tank, I'm sure there's plenty of fertility down there!

The light source is 2 spiral fluorescents, at 23 watts each, on a timer so they run for 12 hours each day. The tank is not next to a window, although it gets a little sun most days from the window across the room.
There is no filter, no added CO2, no heater (but room temperature usually stays around 70-75 degrees, summer and winter.)

The substrate has been there for a few years, so I'm not quite sure what it is; my memory says it's dirt, topped with sand, topped with black gravel, topped with mulm/dead leaves/etc. The total depth is probably about 3 inches. (It started with dirt and sand, and I added the gravel one time when I wanted a change. Since it ended up covered with fish waste and stuff, then that was obviously a waste of effort!) 

I do not change water, just top it up. I can't report on water hardness, ph, etc. because I haven't tested anything in several years, and I'm not quite sure if I can find the test kits I used when setting it up for the first time.

I rarely prune plants--maybe twice a year or so I pull out handfuls of salvinia, stuff the creeping jenney down to the bottom again, and scrape the algae off the front glass so I can see in better.

I feed the fish a single time most days, but I occasionally double up or skip a day. I've left them unfed for up to a week when going on vacation. I do not add any kind of fertilizer.

I don't intend to change the way I care for my tank, but I'm listing it because I know that not all plants like things that way  The ones I have are doing OK, and some other kinds (like HC, HM, glosso, and java moss) have died, so I gave up on them.

Thank you!


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

I recommend a red lotus (Nymphaea sp. - see more info in the plantfinder link at the top of the page). While they have the potential to outgrow even large tanks, they only take as much room as you let them and grow slow enough that you don't have to worry about it getting out of hand. Just trim the leaves as they get out of place. I'd post a pic of the roots from the bottom of my tank but I'm out of town. Anyway, they are super easy IMHO, are pretty, and have great roots without taking over the tank (assuming you keep it in its place). Plus you can sell the babies as they come up...


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

I think that you could probably use Cryptocoryne wendtii in your tank. I've had mine for years and really like it, and I think that it would grow lots of roots in a substrate like what you have described. It grows fairly slowly, but will spread across the tank. If it starts popping up in places that you don't want it, just pull it up (although you'll probably have to snip the roots to keep from pulling all of it up). Pruning twice a year would probably be okay. I think that your amount of light would be fine, and I feel that it is a pretty hardy plant, too.

Andy


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

hydro is a good one i have some up for sale in the for sale thread. u can trim them and they get bushy and look real nice off to the side


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Andy Ritter said:


> I think that you could probably use Cryptocoryne wendtii in your tank. I've had mine for years and really like it, and I think that it would grow lots of roots in a substrate like what you have described. It grows fairly slowly, but will spread across the tank.


I'd agree with Andy. This is a great plant for a 20 gal. You can get both the red leaf and green leaf versions. To prune this plant, I just pinch off all the above-ground parts, leaving the roots. This slows the plant down, but won't kill it. The roots will generate new growth. This way you can control it, as otherwise, it will take over the tank.

There is one smaller swords that has done well for me-- _E. radicans_ (dwarf). Its a mid-size swordplant (much bigger than _E. tenellus_) that grows fast. Water Sprite allowed some aerial leaves?

In any case, it sounds like you have ideal growing conditions for some plant. I would advise keeping whatever you add pruned rather than letting it get out of control.

The Dwarf Sag, _Sagitarria subulata_ is a wonderful plant for NPTs and has a terrific root system. I wouldn't have pulled it out. It was well-adapted to your tank's conditions.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

Thank you to everyone for all the great ideas! I'll probably get two or three different ones, and see which ones I end up liking best.



dwalstad said:


> There is one smaller swords that has done well for me-- _E. radicans_ (dwarf). Its a mid-size swordplant (much bigger than _E. tenellus_) that grows fast. Water Sprite allowed some aerial leaves?


 Aerial leaves aren't really an option, because of the screen cover on the tank--necessary to protect it from the children and dog. (Well, things grow emersed when the water level drops very far, but then I top it up again.)



dwalstad said:


> The Dwarf Sag, _Sagitarria subulata_ is a wonderful plant for NPTs and has a terrific root system. I wouldn't have pulled it out. It was well-adapted to your tank's conditions.


I agree that it's well adapted, and it's doing fine in my other tank (same size, similar conditions, primarily dwarf sag, cory catfish, and cherry shrimp.) I just didn't like having both tanks full of primarily the same plant!


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Just in case you're still considering options, I just transplanted some Cryptocoryne x willisii 'lucens' 'bronze' from a submersed picotope to an emmersed picotope. The leaves stay very low, but the roots were out of this world. Not that I'm recommending this specific species and variety (unless you like the low groundcover look in a Crypt), just giving another +1 on Andy's recommendation of the Crypt. species for superb root structure per above-ground plant mass.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

mudboots said:


> Just in case you're still considering options, I just transplanted some Cryptocoryne x willisii 'lucens' 'bronze' from a submersed picotope to an emmersed picotope. The leaves stay very low, but the roots were out of this world. Not that I'm recommending this specific species and variety (unless you like the low groundcover look in a Crypt), just giving another +1 on Andy's recommendation of the Crypt. species for superb root structure per above-ground plant mass.


Thanks! I ordered one of those and a wendtii someone in the sale/trade forum, and picked up lutea and undulata at the local fish store (of course, I don't know if the labels were accurate there!) I figured that trying one each of 4 varieties should give me a good taste of crypts, to see how I like them. I'm still on the lookout for a small variety of sword plant, but there weren't any in the local store and I haven't seen any yet in the sale forum. If I have to order from an online store to get one, I'll wait at least until after Christmas, since shipping gets so slow at this time of year.


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## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

I just uprooted a Nymphoides sp. "Taiwan" and after three weeks, maybe a month a little plantlet had an epic root system. It stays fairly short, too at about 6" tall.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

El Exorcisto said:


> I just uprooted a Nymphoides sp. "Taiwan" and after three weeks, maybe a month a little plantlet had an epic root system. It stays fairly short, too at about 6" tall.


I'm not seeing this in the plantfinder. Do you have a link to more information about it? Thanks!


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

NatalieT said:


> I'm not seeing this in the plantfinder. Do you have a link to more information about it? Thanks!


I have some Nymphoides 'Taiwan' and the leaves are a delicate texture. They get pretty large in time and are round, slightly cordate, slightly tilting up...very pretty plant. I planted a 10" cutting 3 months ago and the main plant now has leaves that cascade upward to the top of the tank (23 inches to the surface), plus I have already taken cuttings and planted them elsewhere, sold a few, and tossed a few due to the growth rate. The root system is nice, but the plant will get out of hand if not trimmed back from time to time, but this applies to most plants anyway, so no big problem.

I think davemonkey has a decent picture of one in his journal entry (davewmonkey's 50 gallon...) in the Journals Forum. This is where I first saw it and who I got it from.


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## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

Here are a couple pics of mine... I just did a total remodel on my tank and a dose of flourish iron clouded the tank, sorry for the not-so great quality.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

What a nice scape; that's really well laid out! Do you have a journal thread?


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## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

Nah, it's incomplete, cloudy, and more an affliction of collectoritis than anything. That's only about 1/4 to 1/3 of my 55... Once the staurogyne, limnophila aromatica, and rotala macrandra "green" come and I get the water cleared I'll get some pics up. It's also about as techy and DIY as it gets with 4 ODNO bulbs, Harbor Freight CO2 regulator, and Lowes needle valve...


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## prBrianpr (Nov 18, 2007)

Echinodorus plants have a lots of roots!!!


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## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

Brian, she wants a plant that wont take over the tank, and few echinodorus stay small.


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## prBrianpr (Nov 18, 2007)

Well, can use E. Cuadricostatus, E. Tenellus and E. Tenellus micro.


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## Chris. (Dec 22, 2008)

My vote is also for a Nymphaea species. Tiger lily, or such. you can buy the bulbs from most wal-marts. you just drop them in the tank, and in about a month you will see them grow a root out top and into the substrate. It's very slow growing if there is no co2 present, so I think it would be good for you. They also have a killer root system. When the leaves reach the surface, you can just cut them out and it will have no problems. I used to have one, but I sold it because in my tank(high tech), the leaves were constantly having to be trimmed out because they would block out 75% of the light.


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## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

Brian, if there's a rosette that can take over a tank, it is echinodorus tenellus... As for quadricostatus, I've never played with it before.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

El Exorcisto said:


> Brian, if there's a rosette that can take over a tank, it is echinodorus tenellus... As for quadricostatus, I've never played with it before.


+1 - I put ten "pieces" of E.tenellus in the 10 gallon betta tank (half full of water, mini-filter knocks out any available CO2, no added CO2 or any other fert/additive, just a touch of mulch under the sterile substrate) and it has runners all over the place and is taking over the majority of the area now. That's kind of why I put it in there; easy, easy maintenence and would grow with little to no inputs.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

El Exorcisto said:


> Brian, if there's a rosette that can take over a tank, it is echinodorus tenellus... As for quadricostatus, I've never played with it before.


I wasn't going to try e. tenellus, because I've already got dwarf sag. taking things over in one tank, and I want something that looks different in this tank.

I am thinking of trying this one: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ils.php?id=40&category=genus&spec=Echinodorus (E. parviflorus 'Tropica'). I just haven't bothered finding somewhere to purchase it yet.

I'm also waiting for the weather to improve before I order any more plants. (Besides, I now have 4 kinds of crypts that I've acquired since starting this thread, so I'm giving them a little while to settle in before I play with things any more.)


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

mudboots said:


> I have some Nymphoides 'Taiwan' and the leaves are a delicate texture. They get pretty large in time and are round, slightly cordate, slightly tilting up...very pretty plant. I planted a 10" cutting 3 months ago and the main plant now has leaves that cascade upward to the top of the tank (23 inches to the surface), plus I have already taken cuttings and planted them elsewhere, sold a few, and tossed a few due to the growth rate. The root system is nice, but the plant will get out of hand if not trimmed back from time to time, but this applies to most plants anyway, so no big problem.


Thank you, and also thanks to El Exorcisto for the nice pictures. It is a pretty plant, but I don't think it's quite the plant for me. Since my tank is only a foot deep, and yours reached 23 inches in 3 months, I think I'd have to prune more often that I want to in order to keep it under control.


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## El Exorcisto (Aug 10, 2006)

I just trimmed back leaves for the first time in almost a month, and Im running high light, pressurized CO2, and EI fertilization. In an El-Natural setting I am sure it is easily manageable. Good luck with the crypts though. I'm planning on playing with them a little more myself.


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## prBrianpr (Nov 18, 2007)

Well I have one of that E. Parviflorus "Tropica" and its nice!, stay small, great shape and texture. The E. tenellus micro is a good diferent plant to dwarf sag. Thin leaves and a red color in high light


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