Re: Pond plant?

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Pond plant?
From: Stephen.Pushak at saudan_HAC.COM
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 11:49:30 PDT
In-Reply-To: <199510091939.PAA31706 at looney_actwin.com>; from "Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com" at Oct 09, 95 3:39 pm
Mailer: Elm [revision: 70.85]

> From: justin_frese at csufresno_edu (Justin Frese)
> 
>      I was wondering if anyone knew what sort of plant I occasionally
> see at the local shop.  It looks like hundreds of little lilly-pads
> aprox. 4-6mm across.  Are these intended for tanks?  Iwould think that
> the lighting would cook those little guys!

Salvinia I suspect. The leaves are oval shaped and bisected by
a distinct central vein. The two halves don't lie quite flat and
are covered by tiny hairs which make them float. They are very useful
for breeding tanks and can be used in a mixed plant tank to provide
shading (if necessary) for plants like Cryptocorynes which might
get algae with intense light. They multiply extremely quickly and
can be used during the break in period. Some fish like to eat them.
I have some of this but keep removing the majority. I just keep
enough for propagation. I think Salvinia is also good for raising
infusoria (live and dried and crushed for food).

Steve