Emeraldking-aquatics livebearers

Plants

I also grow my own plants. The main focus is the enchinodorus radicans broadleaf. Also known as the amazone swordplant broadleaf. By the way, the name "broadleaf" does not implicate the width of the leaf by any means. It's just a herbicide term to divide this plant from other grasslike vegetation.

I've started off with just a small plant and in time it just grew up till a height of approx. 1 meter. Just with this single plant, I've harvest a huge amount of young sprouts.

This enchinodirus radicans is originated from South-America where it's considered a swamp plant. There are two groups of enchinodorus plants. The real aquatic ones and the swampy ones. The enchinodorus radicans belongs to the alismataceae family. This plant is also partially an epiphyte.

To keep this plant well in an aquarium, is to put it in bright light or half shadow. Temperature rates of 18 till 30°C are great rates for the plant to develop into a strong plant. Becoz' of the height this plant is able to reach, I do prefer to keep these plants in open tanks. It's just great to watch such a plant grow out of the water. When the plant is doing well, it will develop a stem which grows out of the water as well. On this stem on several places flowers will occur. After the flowers have bloomed, new young plants sprouts are developing. They just grow in the air and they are being fed by the stem and by epiphytical influences.

I harvest the young sprouts each time. And I won't cut the stem for with some patience, new flowers will develop at the same spot and again young sprouts will occur. When the cluster of young sprouts grow in the air, they get more heavier and the stem will lower to the surface (water or soil), There they will root and become as big as the mother plant.

And if the plants overgrow then it must be thinned...