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I have a pair of golden wonder killifish and have been told that they will appreciate a floating plant to hide under. It is a 75-gallon tank with mostly rainbowfish and loaches. There are also some plants rooting in the substrate so I don't want to block all of the light. Speaking of light, all I know about mine is that it came with the hood.

My lfs suggested duckweed. After coming home to research it I'm not sure that it is the right plant for me because I don't want something that will take over the tank. Can anyone suggest a floating plant that will comfort the killifish but require minimal attention.

Hornworts a good floating plant. IME it prefers tanks with less water movement and has been known to come apart if the outflow from your filter is too much.

As for the bulb, easy...pop it out of the fixture it should say somewhere. Otherwise what lenght is it?

^_^
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Hi,
I would go with the LFS's suggestion.
Or, go Babels' suggestion.
Once the plant is in the tank and growing, your only
"Maintenance" would be to occassionally snip it back
as it grows. If you put, say 8 inch lengths in the
tank, and then let the currents carry them to a resting
spot, just trim on occassion so the growing mat
does not shade the remainder of the tank too much.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I'm wary of the duckweed because I've been reading online that it will take over my tank and is utterly uncontrollable. You don't think it will be a problem?

If it gets to be too much for the tank all you do is take it out .

You may be able to sell it although it's doubtful you'd get much of a price on it since it is so easy to reproduce. Otherwise let it dry in the sun or add it to the compost heap, just so long as there's no chance of it being washed into nearby waterways.

"They" say hornwort will take over a tank too... I never had a problem with it.

^_^[hr width='40%']
"And I said What about Breakfast at Tiffany's"

I know lots of people that have added duckweed to their tank and now regret it. It gets everywhere and even after they skim it all off the top it comes back. I'll take some though. My fish eat it all gone in 2days.

zoeandmaia

I have used Water Sprite for this purpose once it gets going it requires no maintaince other than removing the excess.

I personally "Duck Weed" is just that a Weed and should be treated as such.

I will not buy a fish or a plant that has duckweed in a tank.

Keith

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i was looking for exactly the same thing for the exactly same size tank. ive been looking around for some top cover for my gouramis.everyone else has suggested true floating plants but honestly i think 99% of them are ugly. and i agree with ya on the duckweed its not what ya want as far as looks.

anyway to my point. this is what i cam eup with for a sollution. Lotus....Tiger lotus in perticuler. its a lilly pad simply put. it grows from the bottom on this thin stem with a lilly pad on the top of it and grows to the surface. im sure killies would love to rest under these pads. if there are to many pads you simply cut some off to let in more light.

only draw back is your gona need more lighting im betting you got a 40 watt 4ft T12 bulb. thats just not gona cut it.

another sollution is to get a really tall plant and let it grow tall enough that it curls over the surface like a letter "L". you prolly see this done in alot of tanks.a low light plant like cryps would prolly do this for ya. and you wouldnt need more lighting.

"I will not buy a fish or a plant that has duckweed in a tank."

I buy the plants in the tanks with the duckweed on purpose so I can get some into my tanks. It just never grows in any tank I have. Either it can't take the turbulent surface or it gets eaten. I have lillies in my tank but they took at least 3wpg to get them past 4inches tall and to do more than send out an occasional leaf. Now I think I'm going to have to pull my largest one cause it's shading half my tank. I cut off 3 of the biggest leaves so the plants besides crypts are growing again.

Salvinia (Salvinia Auriculata) or Salvinia (Salvinia Natans) is a great hardy floating plant, and won't take over your tank, in fact you can remove it from it at any time with out it coming back like duckweed.

Whisteria (Hygrophila Difformis) can also be kept floating and it will do great if you don't mind the descending roots.

Water sprite is a great little floating plant. It is tough, will do well in low light, and provides plenty of shade for baby fish and surface dwelling fish. Water sprite is a great plant for beginners.

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I know this probably isn't want you had in mind or maybe want but bear with me!

I have keyhole cichlids and they are supposed to like floating plants for security, well i tried hornwort and it fell apart - i have a fairly strong current going. in the end i bought plastic plants and hung them, sort of wedged them, ok how can i explain..... my tank has wooden lid and a glass slidey frame thing underneath. the glass bit has trianglar bits cut out in the corners to let wires out etc, well i wedged the plant in trianglar bit and it hangs in the water - across the tops of the water line so you don't exactly see it? i don't really like plastic plants but was desperate!(the only thing that really grows in my tanks is java fern. it provides some shade and doesn't fall apart! ok so its a bright green colour which looks sort of odd but no one but me notices!

good luck
GFG

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ive actually seen tanks with fake plants hanging off the top and laying in the water. it really does give it an effect you would see of an embanking leading to water . i would do a vine type something you would naturally see hanging from a tine and dangling into the water. this could only help the effect of a SA tank or river pool.

Put some Duck Weed in your tanki &amp; when it grows, just take some out. It's quite easy to keep.



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