My Dying Hornwort

[jewett]

I have tried this plant twice in my tanks, both with poor results as the plants are all dead within a few months. Everything I have read about Ceratophylum is that it is a great, low maintenance and easy plant for tanks. But I am not finding this to be the case. I have anacharis/elodea, java moss, and java fern all thriving in the same conditions in which my hornwort dies. The water temperature averages about 65F and the light is low, but not too low for the above mentioned plants to struggle. My water is pretty hard, and I do once weekly ~15% water changes in all my tanks (including the ones I have tried hornwort in). So whats my deal, and how do you all keep this plant alive? I think it is pretty, and I like how lush and full it seems to grow in pictures I have seen of others tanks that keep this plant. Please offer suggestions!

 

[Jake]

My hornwart always dies in low light, I have the best luck with very bright lighting. If I keep it in low light all of the 'neetles' fall off and it turns brown.

 

[jewett]

Thanks Jacob. You describe just what my Horn wort has done so I bet that is my problem. So which species of newt do you keep Horn wort in with that doesn't mind the brighter light required for the plant to thrive?

 

[Yahilles]

Hornwort is not an hard-to-keep plant, maybe you should try with Cerathophyllum from other place? I had no problems with it in low-lighted aquarium.
It's a beautiful, fast growing plant

 

[mantighoul]

Just put a little light on it. This stuff can be the plague if it has enough light. I get so much of it i have to toss a nice chunck every month. Beware of duckweed, that is a worse plague. Stick with your java moss and fern those are nice and do not get out of control like Hornwort. Do not worry too much about hornwort. If you really want some hornwort, just put a little light over it, even if it is a little desk lamp or an aquarium light or natural light.

You can also try growing it outside of your tank like in a tub or tank by a window, outdoors or under light and whent it grows throw it in your tank. Just do a seperate hornwort farm. It will be easy to control how much hornwort you have. Try that out! If you have any of your hornwort still alive, I suggest doing this, just a small bit of it with its "hairs" or "spikes" still on it can and will grow in light.

Goodluck!

 

[Jake]

Thanks Jacob. You describe just what my Horn wort has done so I bet that is my problem. So which species of newt do you keep Horn wort in with that doesn't mind the brighter light required for the plant to thrive?

I keep the plants growing in two of my tanks that have plant lights on them. One of those tanks has my L.vulgaris and the other has nothing but plants and snails (and a few random newt larvae that I added). There are plenty of plants and rock formations that if they wanted to hide they could if the light botheres them, but I see them out and active most of the day. I remove the tips of the hornwart to place in my C.pyrrhogaster, M.a.apuanus, and several Triturus species' tanks. When the clippings get covered in eggs or begin to die (because they're not in very bright light in the other tanks) I just place them in tubs and set the tubs under my plant light near the original plant tank.

 

[jewett]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I do find it curious that my Horn wort dies because I do keep a light over it - the same style/strength fluorescent bulb I use over my tanks with flourishing elodea, java moss and java fern! I kind of do want it to grow like a plague so I would have plants I don't mind cutting up when I harvest newt eggs out of my tanks. Maybe I will just try a brighter bulb or outside when the weather warms up. Thanks, all!

 

[mantighoul]

If you have it well lit and it is still dead, I would definately check water quality!

 

[cheddarsox]

Might have to do with water hardness. I get the idea that hornwort prefers hard water, because I have been able to get it to do well in my artificial ponds with gravel or rocks, but it dies out in ponds without, and both have ample light.

I've been scratching my head over the issue as well, and that is the only explanation I can come up with.

 

[TristanH]

Hmmm... interesting one this. In the wild hornwort is tolerant of pretty low light levels (it's often one of the last species to die off after the introduction of large fish e.g. carp stirring up silt). But it does prefer hard water and / or plenty of nutrients. I've not tried growing it in a tank.

As others have said, it's easy to maintain outside in a water butt or similar container, though again it would appreciate some silt to root in and perhaps a little lime if the water is soft.

I presume we're talking about hard hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) here. Soft hornwort is agood deal bigger and I've not been able to get it to grow - it prefers brackish conditions. Beautiful thing though. The two can be distinguished because in hard hornwort the leaves are tough and fork twice, whereas soft hornwort has flexible leaves that fork 3 times.

Tristan