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Hi guys

i have a problem, as my tank is a low light tank i dont have any floating plants as that would be to low in light. MY Q is what can i put in my tank that will float to help my Dwarf Gouramis make there nest. Once again i cant put live floating plants in as there is not anuf light for them or the plants below to live. Any suggestion's ?

well the material I gave mine when they bred was duckweed, hornwort, cabomba, and riccia. Your tank is probably to low of light for the riccia but the others could work. Maybe even some anacharis would help. I found that the mainly use duckweed and then but some supporting plants such as hornwort under that. Duckweed will also easily grow in a low light tank and is not expensive.

-Vincent

I saw something at my LFS a couple days ago and found it on Petco.com just now; it is called the (Penn Plax Aqua Plant Baby Hide out). It says it is great for livebearers on the floor of the aquarium or you can float it for bubble nest builders. I saw your thread and thought I would let you know. I think they were 10.00 (U.S.). You could probably float just about any plastic plant or a cutting of a live plant and get the same result though. I hope this helped!

"Talk is cheap. Action can be almost as affordable"

You can go with floating plastic plants or I've heard of cutting plastic cups in half and attaching half to the side of the tank with the edges just under water. Then the gouramis can build their nest between the edges underneath the curve of the cup.

thanks for the help guys

I must say sham the cup idea i might try

keep your ideas comming

bubble wrap or nashi pear mesh work

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Hornwort is a plant that would work, and has relatively modest lighting requirements of its own, but there are two issues to remember if you try using Hornwort as a bubble nest support for Labyrinth Fishes.

One, in a tropical aquarium it will grow FAST. Mine can grow at three inches per day when it's so minded. The fun I have cutting that back in the Panda Fun Palace is something to behold!

Two, this plant is brittle beyond belief. It will shed bits like mad once the Labyrinth Fishes start using it for bubble nest support. So you will have some additional maintenance issues surrounding this plant.

However, if you're prepared to manage the aforementioned issues, Hornwort has as its virtues that it's dirt cheap, will survive and even thrive in a wide variety of aquaria with a wide variety of water and lighting conditions, and in addition makes a VERY nice hiding place for the fry once they're hatched because of its structure. It also acts as a nitrate hoover in the aquarium and helps keep your nitrate levels down, which compensates considerably for its disadvantages. As a nursery plant for fry, it has few equals.

Make sure that your Hornwort comes from a reputable supplier with a good provenance though, and that it is free of any nasties inhabiting it. Wild collected Hornwort is free, of course, but you could end up bringing a host of unpleasant hitch hikers into the aquarium from wild harvested stock. Usual way to deal with that is to let an adult Betta and a Three Spot Gourami give it the once over, as they'll eat most of the unwanted hitch hikers. However, cultivated Hornwort is the better bet - trouble free as regards hitch hikers.

As a plant for the fry nursery, I recommend it highly. Fry can hide amongst its leaves, feel secure, and in the case of Labyrinth Fish fry, they can come to the surface and collect air in a relatively danger free manner, so the fry are happier.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002