# Aquatic plants emersed?



## Lycosa (Jul 13, 2010)

I'm just wondering if anyone grows some aquatic plants emersed in their vivarium?

I'm thinking of gathering this list:

Anubias nana 'petite'
Hemianthus callitrichoides - dwarf baby tears
A few aquatic mosses, Java, Peacock, Christmas maybe
Not sure about Fissidens fontanus emersed, but I'd love that if possible
Java fern (Microsorum pteropus)

Those are the main ones I'd like to keep at this point.. the rest will be bromeliads, some tillandsias, and I have a really beautiful Nepenthes show plant that I wouldn't mind putting a cutting in there too..would definately outgrow it, but I think it'd be a great place to propagate it as long as the pods don't eat my frogs..

So, what do you think? Anyone kept those emersed in a dart frog habitat with success? Any special considerations I should be aware of?

Thanks!


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Your list is pretty much the same list of aquatics I use in my vivs. I use a Micranthemum which may be the same as "dwarf baby tears" or may be slightly different. There are several versions of "baby tears out there" that include a couple different Micranthemum types. They tend to need a little more light then java ferns and stuff I think. They can also grow in the boggy soil around your pond. May take over more of the viv then you want though whatever version I have seems to stick only to the wettest land areas so I am happy.

I haven't tried the fissindens yet, but hope to. Looks like it should be a good choice. I think you have a good chance of success with everything on your list.

Depending on your lighting setup you may need a little extra light over the water area for the plants to thrive depending on your water clarity (lack of tannins) and depth. Working up some way to hold the plants in place as they take root is a good idea.


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## Lycosa (Jul 13, 2010)

Thanks for the reply Dendro.. 

For my first tank it'll be a 20g long with a Current USA Satellite 1x65w PC over it so I think I'll be fine with light. The light is a Sunpaq dual-daylight 10k/6500k bulb. I like the bulb for the color it brings out more than the 6500k alone.

The Anubias and Java fern I was thinking of tying off to a peice of driftwood in a foam background. Probably have to trickle water around it, but I'm guessing if it was placed right it would grow.. Java ferns as they bush out are really impressive IMO and I'd really like to give one a chance emersed.

Do you have any pics of some of those growing? I'd love to see if what I imagine looks like it does in reality.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

I think thats anubias or some type of crypth I forget









thats some kind mirco sword or something, again i forget...both I think are common at petco or petsmart.

Here is a full tank shot...








I remodeled or something, but somehow the micranthium is now growing where the micro sword was...i forget how that happened...i forget alot 



















I've also used riccia in some of my tanks in the past, can be a ground cover or floating plant. I've also used salvia natens and accidently used duckweed. natens is nice for the small lily pad look but duck weed is so small its very hard to get rid of. 

I'd like to plant my water features more but by the time I get that far I'm usually low on cash, and then another project takes over my focus later when I do have cash so the old tanks don't get new plants added often.


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## Lycosa (Jul 13, 2010)

Very nice looking tanks, and thank you for sharing those pics.

I have some of those micro-sword growing in a tank myself.

I had no idea riccia could grow emersed. I hate it in a planted aquarium just because it's always finding a way to break free and float to the top.

Salvinia I have right now in a planted tank and I was thinking of using some in a water feature in a viv. I love that stuff and I collect it out of the lake in front of my house so it's always available. I put it in a qt tank and wait till it divides into new growth with bright green roots before transporting it.

It looks like on the right it is Anubias or a crypt like you said, hard to tell. It looks really great in there though.

I hope mine turn out 1/2 as nice.

Thanks!


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## Epiphile (Nov 12, 2009)

I believe from all I've read and still having tried it emersed that Fissidens fontanus is a true aquatic, unfortunately. It does look great underwater, though.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Dave.... Holy sh!t those are beautiful!! You've inspired my future 30 cube. Thanks for posting those pictures.


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## vugger#1 (Jul 20, 2009)

Here is a list of what I have growing emersed or have grown emeresed.
Anubias all of them will work.
Crypt's most of them.
Mondo Grass is really cool also.
Dwarf baby tears need to stay wet as possible.
Mondo Grass is really cool also.
(Keep the roots as wet as possible.)
Java, Peacock, Christmas all of these do great but Christmas moss looks and does the best.
Most of the micro swords will work but again keep the roots wet.
I will try to post some pictures tonight.

I keep a 40 long just for starting these plants. Sand or fine gravel with a 1/4" of water over the top and the leaves stand right up. The colors are great, deep dark greens on the Anubias and reds on some of the Crypt's. (Note the Crypt plants stem's are not very strong so larger frogs will break them if them) I use them with the thumbnails more often then with Tinc's or Leuc's.

Just my experance over the last 5-8 years of growing them.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Dave, do you have construction journals for the first two vivs you pictured? I'd love to see how you did the landscape on them both.


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## Lycosa (Jul 13, 2010)

Thanks for all the great info..

I didn't know crypts could grow emersed either.

I have a few in my tank and a couple outside in a pond. I might try one as well. 

I think my main display plants will be bromeliads and Java ferns. I want to mount the rhizome on driftwood and have them bush out in a few places.. that's what I have pictured in my head now anyhow.

I love mosses and will attempt a carpet of moss of different types.

I'm seeing a lot of leaf litter in other viv's rather than moss.

Is there an advantage to the leaf litter over moss? Other than leaching tannins into the water?


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Frogtofall said:


> Dave.... Holy sh!t those are beautiful!! You've inspired my future 30 cube. Thanks for posting those pictures.


No prob I've already pimped those 4 vivs around here in a dozen different threads probably...whats 1 more 

Sadly since I haven't had much in the way of frogs or geckos the last year or two since the ice storm that wiped out most of my collection the vivs kinda got neglected and aren't as pretty as the pics, but I'm in the processes of fixing everything back up. I also picked up 2 super blues at a local show and 4 red galacts came today so I'm back in the hobby for real now  I'll post pics asap when everything is pretty again.


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