Anacharis

[RoK]

I bought 2 anacharis plants 2 days ago and one of them was dying so I got rid of it. It turned brownish, seperated, leaves were coming off, etc. The other plant is doing fine. Could it be there was something wrong with it when it was at the store? Needed fertilizer? Or it needed more light? Any suggestions why it started dying, especially so quickly?

 

[Toirtis]

They like lot of minerals in the water, especially calcium, so harder water is best for them. My water is reasonably hard, and I find by doing very regular water changes on my tanks with anacharis in them, that the plants grow like crazy.

 

[RoK]

Hm, my water is soft and I don't really want to make the water harder, is there an alternative that will get them to live better even with soft water? Do those fertilizers they have at pet stores for aquatic plants have those minerals and do they affect fish in any way?

Wow 200 posts in less than a month, I'm on a roll, huh?

 

[Toirtis]

Yes, many of those supplements have a good combination of appropriate minerals.

 

[youronlysin]

Anachris will turn brown and mushy in low light. It will usually perk up once conditions get better. Ive never lost one, they have always come back and grown like weeds. Your substrate might have something to do with it also, but I've been able to grow it in plain gravel. I use sand over a laterite mix now with lots of light and CO2, so my anachris grows like a weed. I agree on the regular water changes though. Changing the water in planted tanks is essential to replace nutrients that the plants consume. Fast growing plants like Anachris really deplete nutrients from water quickly.

 

[Aquaboy]

What kind of lighting do you have? This is a very importand factor with these plants. I had that same problem w/ my anacharis until I got better lighting. Get a few supplements as well. Add them after a water change(This will affect the fish less). Flourish and Flourish Excel are good ones supplements.

 

[Toirtis]

I am not sure how much light it really needs, as I have it thriving in tanks that get only 1.25W/gallon. Much of my anacharis is not planted, either...it grows just fine floating as well.

 

[Talon242]

I have some in my tank which is almost 2 wpg. I fertilize with Kno3, flourish potassium, flourish, and fourish iron. It tends to grow very fast.

 

[RoK]

I only have a 40 watt light, it's what came with the 75 gal tank. Can it still grow even with the low light, like say if I added the fert? or is more light indisputably necessary?

 

[czcz]

I would forget about the one that was dying quickly, especially if it looked unhealthy when you bought it. Anacharis will grow fine under 60w incandescent and doesn't need ferts given regular pwc, ime. It is very hardy. Suggest you just let it float until it grows long, to maximize the 40w.

 

[RoK]

Thanks! Although I will still be looking if I can get a deal on some better lighting.
I had an anacharis plant in my 20 gal for awhile and it grew too large for the tank so I had to move it to my 75 gal but the fish in there contracted ich, so I was told to throw out the plant because the fish will keep getting back the ich since the plant will still be carrying it. I don't know if this is true (although I now doubt it) or if I threw out a perfectly good plant. :? This happened awhile ago though..

 

[czcz]

Just FYI, trimmings will grow like new plants. Don't be afraid to cut it when it gets too long. This also encourages new growth to shoot out at angle, and when thick looks better imo. HTH

 

[RoK]

Sounds good, although I wish I would have known more before I threw that one I had out (the one when my fish were battling ich). I would have just put it in some hot water for awhile in case it actually had some of the parasites on it and then let it stay in a different container until the ich was gone. This probably would have probably kept the plant free from it and it would have lived through, right? or would it have not even been helpful for the fish and would just have been the same with it? Just want to know for future reference, just in case I guess.

 

[czcz]

I don't know, haven't had disease yet. Hope someone experienced answers. Good luck!

 

[Aquaboy]

I got that same problem w/ my ancharis. I ordered a 2x 65watt fixture and its coming on Friday, March 11. I hope they don't fall apart by then.