Best plants for an axie tank?

[Fatboyisthebest]

I've had my axolotls for 3 years and my babies for 9 months, I have had all sorts of plants, but the only ones I have really had were tropical which obviously die, does anyone recommend any plants for me! Thanks in advance!

 

[pondweed]

If you look on websites selling waterplants, go for ones which tolerate (or are even used to) low light and cooler temperatures.

Low light, because axolotls don't have eyelids and too much light is like going out on a bright day without sunglasses. Ow.

I'm researching to plant up my own tank, and thinking I might stick with the basics like Java Fern (which you can attach to logs/buy attached to logs). Their rhizomes can't be buried in sediment because they'll rot.

Frogbit, water lettuce, water fern (Salvinia Natans) are floating plants that'll block a bit of light for the 'lotls benefit, and such up nitrates for you. I think Salvinia Natans is one of the prettiest little plants ever.

Java moss is good too. And people here have done really inventive things with it, like plaiting it into ropes to make mossy pillars. Marimo balls are about the cutest things you can get. Like green tumbleweeds.

These are all fairly low-maitenance plants, too. In fact, with the floating ones, you may find yourself picking them out now and again to make room!

I hope this helps. As a beginner aquarist, these are going to be the ones I go for to get me going.

 

[Fatboyisthebest]

Yeah I was looking at java fern, I have marimo moss balls, they're so cute! trying to think what else would be good Thanks

 

[Lagomorphette]

Hmmm... Normally it helps to give some info about your set up, like what kind of lights do you have? How big of a tank is it? What kind of substrate (if any?) are you using? That can affect the kind of plants I'd recommend for you.

As long as you have a fluorescent light of some sort over the tank (T8 or T12 is fine), I'd suggest trying plants that can live happily floating at the water's surface: anacharis, java moss, water wisteria, frog bit, and water sprite. I've had a lot of good luck with crystalwort (Riccia fluitans), too, as long as it's floated at the top (versus being tied to other decor underwater)! Like someone else mentioned, you'll get the benefit of having live plants (using waste, adding O2), PLUS a little shade for your axys.

On the other hand, if you have a sand substrate and a tank that isn't too deep (under 25"), you could try some anubias species (keep rhizome above the substrate), valisneria (apparently--haven't tried these, myself), and java fern (again, rhizome above substrate). In these conditions, you could plant the anacharis. Tying the java moss to decor would work here, too.

Please note that if you have 1) a deeper tank 2) a big tank with a low-power light or 3) rock substrate/bare bottom, I'd probably try the floaters and skip anything in the second bunch. Go for silk plants on the bottom (if you want the "planted" look but can't support it) and live floaters on top!

If you don't have a fluorescent light, skip the live plants altogether. They may survive a while in your tank, but are ultimately just slowly breaking down and worsening your water quality...

Good luck!!

Jeni