Because of its adaptability and low maintenance requirements, hornwort is a popular choice among aquarium enthusiasts. This adaptable plant is good for both novice and seasoned aquarists because it can flourish in a variety of water conditions.
Hornwort offers vital advantages in addition to giving your aquarium a natural look. It provides fish with hiding places, oxygenates the water, and even absorbs excess nutrients to help stop the growth of algae.
Hornwort is a dependable and alluring choice if you want to improve the ecosystem in your tank or just make it look better. It is a favorite in both freshwater and planted aquariums due to its hardiness and quick growth.
For both novice and seasoned aquarium enthusiasts, the hardy and adaptable hornwort plant is ideal. It absorbs excess nutrients to keep the water clean, grows quickly, and gives fish excellent shelter. It is a popular option for boosting the aesthetics and health of any aquarium because of its versatility, which makes it appropriate for a variety of water conditions and low maintenance requirements.
- General information
- Common species
- Useful properties
- How to plant hornwort
- Propagation
- Why is it not growing
- Video on the topic
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General information
An aquatic plant called hornwort even blooms underwater. It has long stems that are adorned with a ring of leaves that are spaced equally apart and have an extremely unusual shape. The sheet segments are very thin, long, slightly dentate, and vary in color from light green to dark green. They are repeatedly dissected from 5-8 tops.
Because of its immature root system, hornwort is able to float freely on the water’s surface. If required, rhizoids—thin, thread-like processes—are used to fix it in the ground.
Native to North America is hornwort. Still, its habitat is extremely broad. With the exception of Antarctica, it is actually present on nearly every continent. grows in reservoirs with stagnant, slow-moving water at varying depths.
Common species
Only four of the several dozen species of hornwort are utilized in aquaristics.
Type | Description |
Submerged or dark green hornwort | Long stems with dark green hard leaves. Grows up to 60 cm in height, has leaves of 1-4 cm. Grows faster than others. |
Semi-submerged or light green hornwort | Has a brittle thin stem, soft light green leaves, up to 6 cm long cm. Grows slower than other species. |
Cuban Rogolitnik | The most decorative of all. The leaves are located closer to each other, due to which it looks fluffier. The stem is not brittle, red. Unlike the others, the growing season for this species continues in winter. |
Mexican hornwort | A subspecies of light green hornwort. It has a brown stem. The most undemanding of all species |
Ceratophyllum demersum, submerged hornwort, or dark green
One of the most humble members of the aquarium flora is hornwort. It can be kept in aquariums with cool water as well as tropical ones. When the following signs are present, the plant will feel at ease:
- water temperature – 18-30 °C;
- hardness – 6-15;
- acidity — 7-7.5 pH.
Lighting is the only requirement that matters for hornwort. When there is a shortage, the plant wilts, the leaves drop off, and the stem margins decay. Give it 12 to 14 hours of moderate natural light that is kept out of the sun. or artificial, using lamps that use between 0.3 and 0.5 W of power per liter of water.
Maintenance needs:
- Weekly change a quarter of the water.
- The plant needs to be trimmed. Hornwort grows very quickly (up to 2 cm per day), so it often needs this procedure.
- Since hornwort collects debris on its leaves, it needs to be washed. Do this carefully, with water at about the same temperature as in the aquarium.
Ceratophyllum submersum, semi-submerged hornwort, or light green
Useful properties
When starting a new aquarium, hornwort is practically a need because it’s critical to get the biological balance in there as quickly as possible. The formation and upkeep of the ideal chemical balance depend heavily on live plants. However, while other plants take a while to adjust and grow, hornwort grows and gets to "work" almost right away. This keeps ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate outbreaks in a new aquarium from happening unintentionally. and drastically cut down on how long it takes to achieve equilibrium.
In addition to being elegant and charming, hornwort has several beneficial qualities for aquariums, including:
- helps clean the aquarium of algae;
- purifies the water of suspended matter and food remains;
- fry and small fish take refuge in the fluffy leaves of hornwort.
How to plant hornwort
Hornwort lacks roots, so it cannot be planted in the ground like a typical plant. It is also not a good idea to just bury the plant’s stem in the ground and use stones to press it down. It will eventually start to rot. Suction cups and fishing line work best. On one side, the fishing line is fastened to the stem, and on the other, to the suction cup or weight. Take caution not to harm the plant by doing this.
It is preferable to plant it close to the back wall or in the aquarium’s corners. Another option is to let the hornwort float freely.
Propagation
The hornet reproduces via both cuttings and seeds. Due to the low effort and time commitment required for vegetative propagation, the first method is rarely used.
Cut a young shoot or a top that has become heavily overgrown into separate, 10-15 cm long pieces. Drop them into the water. In ideal circumstances, the morned carrier will reach one meter each month.
Why is it not growing
Even a humble plant like a morned man has the potential to grow poorly, turn yellow, and lose its leaves. The primary causes are:
- low -quality soil and decor for the aquarium that distinguish harmful substances affecting the plant;
- the morned carrion does not tolerate drugs for the treatment of fish;
- bad lighting;
- insufficient filtering and rare water substitution;
- Sharp changes in water indicators.
The hornwort has a growing season, both at home and in the wild. Thus, the plant’s growth slows down in the fall and winter. It sinks to the bottom and frequently loses all of its leaves, leaving only the upper shoots.
It will rapidly regain its former size and beauty in the spring. Diseases are not the same as a plant going into vegetative dormancy.
Aspect | Description |
Plant Type | Floating or rooted aquatic plant |
Light Requirements | Moderate to high lighting |
Water Temperature | 68-86°F (20-30°C) |
Growth Rate | Fast-growing |
Care Level | Easy, suitable for beginners |
Benefits | Helps reduce algae, provides cover for fish |
The hardy and adaptable hornwort plant is a great addition to any aquarium, offering fish protection and oxygenation in addition to aesthetic benefits.
It is the perfect option for both novice and seasoned aquarists due to its low maintenance requirements. Hornwort adapts readily to a variety of situations, whether it is floating freely or anchored in the substrate.
Consider including hornwort if you’re searching for a simple method to enhance the ecosystem in your aquarium. It’s an easy yet efficient way to give your fish a more appealing and healthy home.