Egeria najas – Live Aquatic Plant

While this plant is very beautiful, it is actually not a prime choice for aquariums because it is very hard to grow. The main reason it is so hard to grow is because it required a very high level of light, that being more light than most aquariums can provide without killing everything else inside of it including fish and plants. If there is not enough light, at least 3 watts per gallon, then the plant becomes very fragile, the shoots begin to become thinner and weak, and eventually the whole plant will die.

This aquatic plant also requires a lot of attention in terms of nutrients. It needs a very rich substrate that is full of various nutrients and it will also require supplements to thrive as well. The most common supplemental need of this plant is nitrate as well as phosphate.

The Red Camboba also needs to be regularly fertilized with micronutrients in order to live up to its full potential. It also requires a fairly high amount of CO2 to be present in the water which means that regular CO2 injections are needed. Without any and all of these nutrients the Red Camboba is not likely to grow very big or very well, and if left for too long without any of these nutrients it will die.

Supplier of plants:
oxygenators, reeds, iris, water lilies, bog gardens,
wildlife ponds, natural ponds, lakes, floating plants,
deep water plants, marginals, native british and tropical.

Hydrocotyle leucocephala inhabits wet and marshy habitats from northern Central America to southern South America. Owing to its ease of growth and suitability as an aquarium plant, it has long been common in the hobby and may be obtained from a wide variety of sources. It has no widely used synonyms in culture.

H. leucocephala has alternate leaves that form along a creeping stem from which its half-dollar sized and shaped leaves appear. It is one of the easiest plants in cultivation and is suitable for almost any aquarium. It isn�t at all picky about light or carbon dioxide levels and will do well in tanks where many other species don�t. Warm temperatures are not a problem, making it suitable for planted discus tanks. Its leaves tend to turn yellow along the edges with insufficient iron, but that is easily remedied with the addition of a micronutrient supplement containing iron. Although it will do well in less than optimal conditions, H. leucocephala absolutely thrives and reaches its highest potential when light, carbon dioxide and nutrients are in abundant supply. Emersed culture is rarely a problem and is very productive.

An interesting fact about H. leucocephala is that it is edible. The leaves have a slight peppery taste and are used as a spice and even the basis for a soda in some parts of the world.

Supplier of plants:
oxygenators, reeds, iris, water lilies, bog gardens,
wildlife ponds, natural ponds, lakes, floating plants,
deep water plants, marginals, native british and tropical.

Far from creeping, this fast growing North American native will provide a quick cover for fish. Olive-green leaves are reddish on the underside and form large mats of foliage. In ponds, they produce brilliant yellow flowers. Plants can survive with only three hours of direct sunlight each day but they prefer as much as possible. They grow natively along streams, swamps, and around ponds and can be invasive in earth-bottom ponds. Plants can be submerged in up to four inches of water. These are good for indoor aquariums too! The plant typically grows to a height of 12 to 20 inches. The width of each stem is about 2 to 3 inches, based on leaf growth. In order to achieve strong shoots the substrate should be nutrient rich and light intensity high. The red color is more intense if proper lighting is provided. Three to five strong specimens can be used for the mid to background area. Ludwigia repens can grow well in both very soft and hard water although soft, slightly acidic water is best. Optimum growth temperature is 75 to 79 degrees, although it can grow in temps from 59 to 79 degrees.

Supplier of plants:
oxygenators, reeds, iris, water lilies, bog gardens,
wildlife ponds, natural ponds, lakes, floating plants,
deep water plants, marginals, native british and tropical.