# Can Water Wisteria go in a cichlid tank?



## muffinman10938 (Dec 21, 2015)

I have a 125 gallon tank with mostly haps/peacocks, with yellow labs being the only mbuna. As of right now, I have jungle val, java fern, anubias, and crypts in the tank. None of them are doing poorly, but the jungle val has been the only one really growing. I was wondering if there were any other relatively fast growing plants that would work in a cichlid tank. I have read that water wisteria will work, and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with it or suggestions for a better plant.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have had success with it. Two drawbacks. One, it sheds fine foliage in the tank. Two, it's a stem plant so it looks good until it gets leggy and then you have to cut it back and re-root the stems. Attractive though!

Ideally I would have a nursery tank with stems growing to take the place of the ones that get leggy.

Water wisteria is a common name, the scientific name is Hygrophila difformis.


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## muffinman10938 (Dec 21, 2015)

Ok thx. I have plenty of time so trimming it back will not be a problem. How fast did it grow for you?


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## muffinman10938 (Dec 21, 2015)

I also have another tank that I can use for a nursery tank, thanks for the idea.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Medium fast. Better than the too-fast-growing vallisneria in my tanks. The nursery tank will be helpful to root them too since the fish pop them out of the soil until they are well rooted.


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## muffinman10938 (Dec 21, 2015)

Ok good. I will try to get some and see how they grow. The jungle Val hasn't taken off like I've read and has only produced two baby plant in the last month, so I'm not worried about it taking over. How tall does the wisteria need to be for me to trim it and create a new plant.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Well once it is cut you will want to pull it out since it will have a stub for a top. I wait until it is ugly...a long naked stem with a small pom pom at the top of the tank.


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## muffinman10938 (Dec 21, 2015)

Ok thanks for the help. I will be buying some tomorrow.


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## muffinman10938 (Dec 21, 2015)

I went and bought some from my lfs, but the leaves were more rounded and less frayed. I have heard that it looks different when it grows emerged, but it was still submerged when I bought it. I was wondering if could be a different subspecies or something. I'll try to get a picture up when I get it planted.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Probably grew emerged at the wholesaler. You will have to wait for new growth. Did you verify the scientific name? Common names can apply to more than one plant.


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## muffinman10938 (Dec 21, 2015)

I wasn't able to verify the scientific name, it only said water wisteria so I'm hoping it was grown emerged and not a different species.


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