Egeria densa dissolving in warm water

[angelica]

I picked up some of this stuff last weekend and it's been a disaster in my tropical tanks - pretty much all melted away. I've read mixed reviews on whether it does well in warm water, so I'm torn between giving it time and just getting rid of it. The other plants I bought are doing great, so it's not like my tank is the problem.

My tank specs are:
pH: 7.3
KH: 20+
Temp: 25.5C
Nitrates: <5 ppm
Lights: Standard LED for Fluval Flex and Aquastyle 185 - 8 hrs a day
Substrate: Inert sand
Ferts: Seachen flourish complete (half strength in community, full strength in nano)
CO2: None

I planted it in the substrate and also floated some. At first, it looked like it was growing like crazy, but it's been going downhill since day 3.

I'm pretty sure I kept this in a tropical tank before, but that one was at 23C and had CO2 injection - maybe that's the difference.

[boomer]

I'd be surprised if Egeria densa survives in your tropical setup, to be honest. It's a good fit for goldfish tanks or ponds, mainly because of the cooler temperatures - though I suppose the goldfish might just eat it anyway. Temperate conditions are where it really thrives.

[coltin]

Many plants struggle with sudden temperature fluctuations. Elodia and similar plants, often sourced from cold water ponds, frequently disintegrate into a brown mush after a brief period in tropical tanks. However, they can thrive in tropical environments if given time to acclimate to the warmer conditions – ideally over several months.

If you acquire them during warmer months, they tend to fare better, as ponds are generally warmer then. Similarly, sourcing them from a tropical aquarium often yields better results. The drastic change from 10C in a pond to 26C in a tank in mere minutes is often too much for them to handle, resulting in their demise.

[angelica]

Thanks for the insight guys. I've actually given up on them now and moved on. I did briefly consider throwing them in the pond to see if they'd recover, but figured they'd just end up as a snack for the fish.

[wingbeat]

I can totally relate to your struggle. I once tried using a type of pond weed, possibly hornwort or something that closely resembles it, to add some decoration to my tropical tank. The initial result was stunning, and I was really pleased with how it looked.

However, my excitement was short-lived. The next morning, I woke up to find the entire tank floor covered in a blanket of dropped leaves, and the hornwort had essentially disintegrated, leaving behind only its bare stem.

[coltin]

Once they've turned into brown mush, you can pretty much write them off - they won't come back from that.

[Carbon]

I've learned the hard way to acclimate all plants, aquatic and terrestrial, before introducing them to my indoor aquariums. Transferring exterior or wild pond plants can be a recipe for disaster, as they can bring potentially harmful microorganisms into your system. I once tried to acclimate wild Horn Wort from my parents' pond, and it was a partial success at best.

I spent hours matching temperatures, adding tank water to the pond water, and cleaning and rinsing the plants in a separate container. But despite my best efforts, I soon found myself dealing with all manner of visible microorganisms and small aquatic insects. My fish loved chasing them down, but I was worried about introducing something harmful to my water systems.

Fortunately, I had good water quality and healthy fish, so I was able to get rid of the unwanted visitors with the help of my fish and some activated charcoal. But the experience left me shaken, and I realized that it's just not worth the risk. I've since stuck to domestic aquatic plants, which have flourished for years and sent out descendants.

The Horn Wort did well for a couple of years, transforming into a beautiful, lacy, bushy version of the wild parent plant. But eventually, it turned into a sickly whiteish mush, not the vibrant green I was hoping for. It was a valuable lesson, and one that I won't soon forget. From now on, I'll leave the wild plants in the wild and stick to what I know works.

I've had my share of close calls and nightmares, but I've learned to be more cautious. I've found that it's better to spend a few dollars on domestic plants than to risk introducing something harmful to my aquariums. And as for my parents' pond, I'll just have to admire its beauty from afar. It's home to all sorts of creatures, from wild ducks and geese to bass and the occasional crane. But I'll stick to my domestic plants, thank you very much.

[Carbon]

I'm just saying.

[angelica]

To be honest, I'd forgotten that some plants struggle in tropical temperatures. I specifically asked for them, along with vallisneria, as they're both found in the biotope I'm trying to replicate. Seeing them in the same indoor tank at the shop, albeit in cold water, misled me into thinking they'd be fine.

The plants were going straight into a new tank, so quarantine wasn't really an option. The only unwanted guests I found were daphnia and a few pest snails. I squished the snails I saw, but I'm not too fussed about them. The daphnia were a nice surprise, actually - it was a good sign the plants were safe for my shrimp, and the fact the shrimp were still active two days later confirmed it.

[coltin]

You could put the daphnia in a container with green water or infusoria and you'd have a great source of live food for the fish.