What are the newest and easiest aquatic plants to keep?
Aquatic plants generally refer to herbaceous plants that can grow in water. Together with aquatic animals, substrate sand, and water, they create a circulating ecosystem. The soluble portion of the animals' waste is absorbed by the aquatic plants, preventing water quality deterioration, while the insoluble portion becomes bottom mud and silt, anchoring the aquatic plants' root systems. Now let's take a look at which aquatic plants are the easiest to keep!
Vallisneria
Vallisneria (tape grass) is a perennial stemless submerged herbaceous aquatic plant in the family Hydrocharitaceae, genus Vallisneria. It is commonly known as noodle grass, dragon whisker grass, carrying pole grass, and so on. It has stolons, with leaves growing from the base in narrow, ribbon-like blades. Leaf length varies with water depth, and the leaves are emerald green and semi-transparent, standing gracefully in the water. It has strong adaptability to water quality, prefers weakly alkaline water, dislikes high temperatures, is cold-tolerant, and loves light. It often grows in streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes.
Amazon Sword
Amazon Sword, also known as Amazon sword plant and crown grass, is a large aquatic plant in the family Alismataceae, genus Echinodorus. It has thick leaf stalks and broad, beautifully shaped leaves. The largest Amazon Swords can grow nearly a hundred leaves, with maximum leaf length reaching 50 cm and leaf width reaching 8 cm. It is called the king of aquatic plants. It is suitable for growing in weakly acidic to neutral water, likes warmth and light, and requires a water temperature above 24°C, with 26-28°C being most ideal.
Narrow-leaf Amazon Sword
Narrow-leaf Amazon Sword is a small marsh plant native to Brazil. Its lanceolate leaves are 10-15 cm long and 1 cm wide, with almost no leaf stalks, and the whole plant is about 20 cm tall. It produces 2-3 spiral-shaped flowers about 1.5 cm in size, with six pistils. The leaves are green and firm, with a clear midrib and less distinct lateral veins. It reproduces by budding, growing daughter plants on the reproductive stems of the mother plant. It likes strong light, with 20-25°C being most ideal.
Mini Crown
Mini Crown is native to Brazil. Its lanceolate leaves are 5-15 cm long and 0.5-1 cm wide and adapt to different lighting conditions. Its small size makes it an aquatic plant that can be freely arranged in an aquarium, and it is especially excellent as a foreground plant. It cannot be planted in a coarse sand environment and requires regular iron fertilizer supplementation. It reproduces by stolons, with a water temperature of 22-27°C being ideal.
Wavy Crown
Wavy Crown is native to southern Brazil, growing in waters with slow currents and relatively low water temperatures. Its submerged leaves are lanceolate, 25-35 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, with wavy edges, which is why it is called wavy grass. It has oval-shaped aerial leaves, 15 cm long and 9 cm wide, with flowers about 2 cm. It reproduces using lateral buds growing from its rhizome, with a water temperature of 22-30°C being ideal.
Anubias
Anubias is a type of aquatic plant in the family Araceae distributed in the West African region. Compared to other aquatic plants, it can be said to be very resilient and easy to cultivate. However, if planted carelessly and haphazardly, it will gradually develop rhizome rot and stunted growth, eventually leading to withering. It likes ample sunlight, requires slightly higher water hardness, low nitrate levels, and sufficient substrate fertilizer. The suitable growing temperature is 22-30°C.