Hornwort

[Guyver]

I got my hands on a handful of hornwort (ceratophyllum demersum), and over the course of a month it's turned into three or four handfuls. It's also started to put down roots. How should I go about managing this stuff?

I've never needed to prune, which is half my problem, as I'm completely pruning-uneducated.

I've heard that hornwort is a free-floating plant, but it's been putting down roots. Is this supposed to happen?

Here's a website and details on what the plant is:
Ceratophyllum demersum, hornwort

Here's a pic:

 

[Zagz]

Hornwort grows like crazy. Your best bet is to sell or offer it to your local aquarium society members or sell it on craigslist.

 

[jsoong]

That doesn't look like hornwort to me ... maybe I am not seeing it ... a close up might settle the matter.

Hornwort don't grow roots (although buried leaves will modify to become anchors), and if you are seeing roots coming dowm the stem, you have the wrong plant ID.

My hornwort grows an inch or 2 a day, it is so robust you can basically do anything to it & it will bounce back. So if you have hornwort, just prune it to any esthetically pleasing shape. <I usu. loop off the bottom & replant the top.>

Hornwort is so cheap it is prob not worth selling. <Def'n not worth shipping.> You might want to just post a notice in the buy-sell-barter & see if someone local wants to pick some up. <But if you don't have hornwort, that is a different matter!>

 

[mfdrookie516]

i agree with jsoong... doesnt look like hornwort from the picture. looks more like guppy grass (which can have roots but also does fine floating) to me...

 

[timwag2001]

i agree

 

[Guyver]

Alright, guppy grass sounds good. I'm horrible at plant ID's. I'll see if my LFS will take donations of the excess.

Thanks guys!

 

[mfdrookie516]

you could offer to ship it for the cost of shipping on here if you're not looking to make a profit... seems like somebody on here placed a wanted ad for some recently... i threw some out a while back because it had gotten shredded by one of my fish and was just little pieces floating around. I've got some that i stuck in the sand that grew roots and now stands about 10" tall. I cut one in half and its already grown 2 inches in the last week...