Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V2 #152

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V2 #152
From: krandall at world_std.com (Karen A Randall)
Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 21:49:48 -0400

Subject: cichlids and plants

> I have a question on cichlids and plants.  Most of the plants th
> keep in our aquaria are soft water loving.  How can you keep cic
> like Juliochromis (my favorite) from the hard-water lakes of eas
> Africa, with plants that are by far the softest-water loving thi
> around!!

There are many plants that can do quite well in fairly hard water 
with a pH @ 7.5.  This is certainly lower than would be  found in 
the Rift Lakes, but well within the tolerance of fish like Julies, 
Lamprologus and Neolamprologus.

> Another question I have is the on the natural habitat of Anubius
> they normally found emmersed or immersed?  Their anatomical stru
> screams out "emmersed"...so what is the deal??  Another Dracena 
> fell into someone's tank and survived??? 

They are not in the same category as Draceana, which never grow in 
the water in the wild AFAIK, and will certainly die if used 
submerged in an aquarium.

But you are correct that they are not fully aquatic. (Most of the 
aquarium plants we use are not)  In the wild they grow on the edge 
of rocky tropical forest streams.  Their "feet" are more or less 
constantly weet, while the foilage is often exposed to the air in 
dry periods.  During the rain season, however, they are often 
flooded.  Most of the species offered for aquarium purposes adapt 
well and fully to submerged aquarium life.


Karen Randall
Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.
Boston, MA