# low light marginal/bog/water plants?



## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

What would be some good *low* light marginal/bog/water plants? I guess I could use some of the philos and syngoniums, but I am looking for a smaller more compact plant. Any ideas?


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## mbrutger (May 23, 2004)

for water/possible marginals you could use java ferns and anubias species.


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

I was thinking of trying some of the smaller anubias, but how much light do they need? I am not familar with java ferns, just the moss... which would like more light then possible in this area.


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## mbrutger (May 23, 2004)

Java ferns are possibly the easiest aquatic plant to use. the can grow on almost anything from rocks, wood, whatever. They also do just fine w/ their roots in the substrate. They hardly need any light. I accidentally left one in a bucket in the dark for probalby three months and it was just fine! anubias really don't need much light at all. A. nana would probably be good because it is pretty small (for an anubias)


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

Cool, thanks a lot. Do you know where to get some cheap java fern?


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

Petsmart or a good aquarium shop will usually have Java fern. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can find Anubians there as well. Just be sure to carefully remove all snails and egg masses. :x


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

I have only seen java fern for sale once, and it was VERY expensive as they grew it on a peice of wood. Looked cool, but I just need the fern not already attached to wood lol. I saw some anubias at pet stores, but it was very large... and you are right about all the snails, they are all over the plants in the those stores lol.


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## Moe (Feb 15, 2004)

Checkout this link for a aquatic plant database. Go to lighting requirements.

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide.php

M.N


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## mbrutger (May 23, 2004)

Any place that has a decent amount of aquarium plants should have them.


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2004)

i bought an anubias from petco and now i have 2 little fish living in the water out of no where... kinda cool i guess, i wonder what kind they are


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

I highly recopmend the Crypt species. I have some of these in my tanks, can't remember which variety, there are several. I got mine from a local (70 miles is "local" for me! :lol: ) pet store. Black jungle recently added them to their website. They are a great plant, will grow underwater, on land, and just about everywhere inbetween. They have a great deep green color, stay a compact 5-6" tall, (from what I've seen) and seem to live and grow with very little light, but strong lighting don't bother them either. 
Have fun!


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

Dancing frogs said:


> I highly recopmend the Crypt species. I have some of these in my tanks, can't remember which variety, there are several. I got mine from a local (70 miles is "local" for me! :lol: ) pet store. Black jungle recently added them to their website. They are a great plant, will grow underwater, on land, and just about everywhere inbetween. They have a great deep green color, stay a compact 5-6" tall, (from what I've seen) and seem to live and grow with very little light, but strong lighting don't bother them either.
> Have fun!


I have Crypt. beckettii and usterianum in my terrarium, growing emersed. I agree that they are a great plant. However, the genus Cryptocorne is so diverse that you have to be careful about lighting conditions, water conditions, etc. with each species to pick one that will go well. Crypt. beckettii and wendetii (sp?) are both good candidates (and commonly found in the aquarium trade) for growing emersed in frog terraria, but get from 4-9" tall.

I would not recommend Crypt. usterianum for growing emersed . . . it struggled, and I may have one small portion being strangled out by beckettii as we speak.


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2005)

*fish*

thats so cool about the little fish!


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## mack (May 17, 2005)

i'll add that java moss which is grown submerged can take the lowest light imagineable. it may not spread as fast, but will stay alive forever even from ambient room light. i also just pulled some plants from the shady section of my fountain and they are blooming like crazy in my viv on land under two normal flourescent bulbs...i'll do some checking 'cuz i can't remember what it's called, but i have not seen anyone else using it. the flowers are over an inch across and white(i think there is also a purple variety), and the leaves look like wide leaves of grass but grow in rosette formation off of a main stem.


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## Guest (Aug 9, 2005)

The water section of my tank has the standards, all three im about to mention are aroids, Cryptocoryne wendetii, Sygonium podophyllum, and Anubias barterii. I also put a Spathyphylum cutting in there and is doing fine growing new leaves. Let us know what you go with.


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## mack (May 17, 2005)

oops


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## mack (May 17, 2005)

my mystery plant is ruellia brittonia. some varieties get really tall, but it takes pruning well. the white ones i have are very compact, and i have new blooms today. i have it growing in my fountain rooted in sponge aquarium filter and tucked into some wood, so it will take it very wet.


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## Guest (Aug 10, 2005)

*crypt*

i just added a crypt. undulata to my tank growing with its roots in the water but leaves emersed.


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## doncoyote (Apr 20, 2005)

Consider one of the smaller forms of Spathiphyllum as well (if you have room or if the crypt doesn't do well). They're from South America, will grow in gravel w/ an inch or so of water above and seem to thrive under viv conditions (at least mine are). Be sure to look for a dwarfish variety - I've seen some that get huge. If you get one from a garden center, give it the full treatment - mine got blasted with the hose to get all the potting soil off, and I let 'em sit in a quarantine container for a week or so getting rinsed regularly to make sure any pesticides were gone. If you want to see what they look like, check out my gallery (link in my sig) - they're on the right side of the viv.


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