# Best plant floating or planted



## AmishDude (Apr 5, 2011)

I know there are many different variables that can be asked regarding my inquiry.
I recently picked up some cheapo plants from a LFS, 50% off.
They are actually growing in my tank with convicts...for now. Hilarious watching them fight over ownership of the plants (I have simple likes).

If I wanted to go with a low maintenance plant on top of the few that I already have, would crystalwort be a good choice? It floats, can rip off hunks if it becomes too large and can double as a hiding spot for little guys.
OR
Would water sprite be a better choice?
It is inevitably going to turn into a breeder tank until I can sex the fishes when they are .5" long.
I have two Emperor 400s that are filtering my 75 gallon; I do not want to drop the water level in the tank TOO much due to me always having to use the bathroom then.

The cheapo plants I got from the LFS, 4" white ribbon plants and an Amazon sword. Seem to be hardy enough to handle living with the cons. I would prefer to have only minor maintenance to do on them, ripping dead leaves-replanting if needed. Beyond that...no CO2 please!

Any thoughts, ideas or bashing...
Feel free! :thumb:


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Well the Riccia Fluitans aka Crystalwort is a high light plant that need's fert's and Co2, so exact opposite of what you want. Also the Dracaena Sanderiana aka White Ribbon is a household plant that does best with all it's leave's out of the water, it truly ISN'T an aquatic plant and it may live for a few month but it will die and create more problem's then needed. The Amazon Sword is a nice plant and I love them!

Some plant's that you will be able to grow and anything in the Anubia's family, Java Fern, Hornwort, and African fern are a few I can think of. Check out Plantgeek.net Low Light Plant's to see some more you might like.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I have water wisteria both floating and planted in my tank and I like it a lot. I also have a boatload of guppy grass and while it can get annoying as it takes over fairly quickly, it does provide cover for fry (and while it floats on top, I also tuck it in an around driftwood and anubias so it acts as ground cover, too.)


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## AmishDude (Apr 5, 2011)

Well well.
On a whim I went to my LFS, spoke with a manager there. Seemingly very knowledgeable (to me at least) he suggested water wisteria as well. I read a previous post on here about java fern being a great canidate for cichlids.

Thank you for the replies! I have it narrowed down to these two, probably end up getting both and see how it goes.


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## jerry11 (Aug 25, 2011)

Brazillian pennywort works in my low light tank. If you have a heavy stocklist, no ferts may be needed.


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

some good easy lowlight plants that aren't too expensive and are readily available are: hornwort, water sprite, water wisteria, cryptocoryne, java fern, anubias, valisneria, echinodorus. I have most of them in tanks with low-medium light, no CO2 and not a lot of ferts, and they grow very well and spread like crazy.


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## Z90a (Sep 25, 2011)

Onion and dwarf lillys would work great


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