Elodea plant. Elodea dark (Egeria densa). Plant benefits and toxicity

Elodea is a perennial aquatic herb from the Vodokrasovye family. They grow in cool waters and quickly fill up all available space. In its natural environment, elodea can be found in the waters of North and South America. There are more thermophilic and cold-resistant varieties. Growing up, the plant behaves quite aggressively and displaces the rest of the flora. Because of this, it received the name "water plague". The plant is also called "pond snail". In the aquarium, elodea feels no less great, it purifies the water and ennobles the space. The plant is very unpretentious, so it's easy to take care of it. It is preferred not only by experienced aquarists, but also by beginners.

Botanical description

Elodea is a fast-growing perennial. It has long flexible stems that can grow up to 2-3 m. The plant also forms side shoots. Unlike most algae, Elodea has organs rather than a single cell mass (thallus). It has clearly distinguishable roots, stems, leaves and flowers. Elodea is often used to study cell structure. In its leaf under a microscope, the movement of the cytoplasm is clearly visible. It slows down and speeds up depending on the temperature.

Elodea roots are white, thin. With their help, the plant is fixed in the soil, although it feels fine, just floating in the water column. In the nodes of light green or brownish shoots, whorls of 2-3 linear emerald leaves are located. Foliage shines through in the light. The length of an individual plate does not exceed 1 cm, and the width is 5 mm. The edge of the leaf is pointed, and the lateral surfaces are serrated. At the apex of the appendix, there are smaller and lighter leaves.















In summer, the shoots release a dense peduncle. On it above the surface of the water, single, rather large flowers bloom. Corolla consists of three oval petals and a small center with stamens and ovary.

Types of elodea

In total, 6 species of plants are registered in the genus Elodea. Here are three of them, the most popular:

Most commonly used in home ponds and aquariums. It is ideal for cool waters. The plant grows especially quickly and is capable of filling even a large body of water. For normal development, he needs not too hard, fresh water, bright lighting and low temperatures. The shoots of Elodea canadensis are quite thick. They are covered with ovoid or linear leaves that curl slightly along the central vein.

More demanding, thermophilic plant. It blooms more often and more abundantly. Greenery consists of tough stems and bright green leaves that grow close to each other.

Cord-like shoots end with a poorly developed rhizome. Large flowers bloom near whorls with bright green narrow-linear leaves. Each leaf grows up to 5 cm in length and up to 6 mm in width.

Reproduction

At home, elodea is propagated by cuttings. Rooting takes place without much difficulty. It is enough to cut the long stem into pieces about 20 cm in length. They are left to float freely in water or are fixed upright in the soil. While swimming, the cuttings of elodea fall to the ground and take root on their own. Even in the absence of roots, Elodea develops well in the soil. It is important that the tip does not protrude above the surface of the water.

Care must be taken. Fresh juice of elodea is detrimental to fish, therefore, at first, the cuttings are kept in a separate vessel.

Plant care

Elodea is a beautiful and unpretentious plant. It can develop in water of any hardness, but with a sharp change in this parameter, it gets sick and withers. Some species grow better in soft water, and gradually dissolve in hard water.

The optimum water temperature in the aquarium is + 15… + 22 ° C. If it rises above + 24 ° C, growth slows down and the plant dies. As it gets colder, the stems sink to the ground and hibernate. In spring, new shoots appear from growth points. Elodea canadensis, unlike thermophilic species, freezes for several months even without changing water parameters.

Bright lighting is very important for the plant. If there is not enough sunlight in the room, fluorescent lamps should be used. They must completely see through the water column for at least 10 hours a day.

Cloudy water is not a problem for the plant. It is even used as a water filter. All the suspension settles on the leaves, so the liquid quickly becomes transparent. The particles of dirt themselves serve as fertilizer for the algae, accelerating its growth. Also, in the process of growth, Elodea releases bactericidal substances that prevent harmful microorganisms from developing in water.

It is important to remember that Elodea is an inhabitant of fresh water bodies. Even a small amount of salt can kill it.

Using elodea

In aquariums and small standing ponds in the garden, Elodea is an indispensable plant. It effectively greens the pond, serves as food for fish and a refuge for fry. The green mass grows quickly, you just need to periodically remove its excess.

As a result of photosynthesis, a large amount of greenery releases a lot of oxygen, which enriches the water. Elodea plays a very important role as a natural filter. It collects suspended matter, absorbs harmful substances and prevents the development of putrefactive bacteria.

In an aquarium, a green mass with openwork leaves is often placed in the background. It creates a wonderful backdrop for plants with larger leaves.

Many lovers of domestic fish try to beautifully equip their home using the aquarium plant elodea for this. It belongs to the water-colored family and is considered one of the most popular aquatic plants. Due to its accelerated growth and the ability to densely fill the water container, this plant is called water plague.

Elodeya - description

The stems of the aquarium plant Elodea are long, cordlike and fragile. The stems, covered with whorls of leaves, branch strongly and often grow very long. The leaves of the plant are transparent, bright green and have an oblong shape. Old stems of elodea are dark in color. Due to its unpretentiousness, this plant is suitable for novice aquarists. Elodea grows very quickly in the aquarium. It has many beneficial properties:

  • protects fry and viviparous fish from other, more aggressive aquatic inhabitants;
  • used as a food for angel fish or goldfish;
  • cleans the aquarium, playing the role of a kind of filter and collecting suspended matter in the water;
  • provides;
  • sanitizes the aquatic environment of the container and prevents harmful unicellular organisms from developing in it;
  • absorbing nutrients from the water, prevents unwanted algae from appearing in the container;
  • decorates the aquarium.

Elodea - species

In the aquarium hobby, two main varieties of the aquatic plant Elodea are used: toothed elodea and Canadian. They have a similar liana-like structure of stems, long bright green leaves. These plants have an amazing ability to grow quickly, they are unpretentious and easy to care for. However, for all their similarity, these types of aquarium elodea have some differences.

Elodea toothed

From South America comes from the genus Elodea leafy or toothed. Therefore, this aquatic plant is able to withstand high water temperatures, while other types of water plague can die from this. Toothed elodea has tough stems on which thick bright green leaves with jagged edges grow. The plant can change its appearance depending on the habitat conditions.


To breed this plant, you need to provide it with sufficient lighting and a suitable temperature. In the presence of bright light, leafy Elodea releases a large amount of oxygen, which is very useful for the underwater world of the aquarium. Under appropriate conditions, the aquatic plant Elodea serrata can bloom in the aquarium. White flowers on a thin long stem bloom above the surface of the water.


Elodea Canadian

This plant is native to North America. Elodea Canadian or anacharis, as it is also called, is a very common aquarium plant. It is perfect for cold water aquariums and can easily withstand a drop in water temperature down to + 12 ° C for a long time. The plant loves bright light, but is able to withstand moderate shade. The peculiarity of Canadian Elodea is that if it decreases significantly, then its stems sink to the bottom and remain in this state until the conditions of detention change.


Elodeya - maintenance and care

Elodea is a freshwater plant. It grows well in any container, but the plant will die in a saltwater aquarium. The picky elodea does not require special care. The water temperature must be maintained within the range from + 14 ° С to + 25 ° С. The hardness and acidity of the water are not important for the plant. However, it should be remembered that these conditions should not change too dramatically, as this can adversely affect the growth of water plague.

Since elodea grows very quickly, it can soon fill the entire space of the aquarium. Green plants are a great decoration for the fish house, however, when the thickets become too thick, they must be periodically thinned and cut. To do this, the plant must be removed from the container, since the juice of elodea contains poison that can destroy both the fish and all the rest of the living creatures of the aquarium.


Elodeya - how to plant in an aquarium?

Aquatic waterweed in an aquarium can grow without rooting by simply floating in the water. You can plant its stems in the ground. It is good if it is coarse river sand. If you bought a plant in cotton wool, then before lowering it into the aquarium, you need to remove the cotton wool and thoroughly rinse the roots, if any, and only then you can start planting. Taking the edge of the elodea stem with tweezers, you need to carefully bury it in the ground. You can press down on the plant with a pebble. Such plants floating on the surface of the aquarium are best planted at the back wall.


Elodea - reproduction

The aquarium plant Elodea propagates very easily by cuttings of the stem. A stalk about 20 cm long will take root in a new place better. It must be placed in an aquarium. After a while, thin white roots will appear, and then the elodea can be rooted in the ground or left to grow further, simply by swimming in the water. Soon the elodea will grow in the aquarium and become a bright decoration for the fish house.


Content:

Canadian

Elodea is a plant widespread both in natural reservoirs and in home aquariums. This perennial herb is so hardy and unpretentious that it can survive in almost any conditions, growing rapidly and striving to take up as much space as possible. However, with timely care and pruning, elodea can become a real decoration of a home reservoir.

Varieties and origins

The plant belongs to the perennial grasses of the vodokrass family. It is a whip of considerable length, covered with whorls of lanceolate small leaves. Depending on the light and the presence of algae, as well as the age of the plant, its color varies from pale green to dark brownish green.

In the aquarium hobby, there are two types of elodea:

  • Elodea Canadian. The most common herb. It was she who, thanks to her unpretentiousness, received the widest distribution throughout the world. Elodea canadensis is also called "water plague" - growing rapidly, it is able to fill a reservoir with amazing speed and exist even in the harsh conditions of life. So, in our country, Canadian Elodea spread from the European part to Siberia. However, despite its endurance, Canadian Elodea is a freshwater plant. It dies in salt or hard water. Elodea canadensis, as the name implies, comes from the freshwater bodies of North America. The variety of climatic regimes in this region explains its amazing vitality. When the temperature drops and the period of illumination decreases, as it happens in winter, the plant sinks to the bottom and for the most part dies, leaving living buds capable of growing. As soon as conditions improve, the "water plague" starts growing again. With constant light and temperature, it grows all year round.
  • Elodea toothed. Also popular in our aquariums. Unlike its Canadian relative, she is accustomed to the more uniform and livable climate of South America, and does not hide during the cold season. This aquatic perennial often blooms with medium-sized and delicate white flowers of three petals. Otherwise, the conditions of her life are the same, the only thing is that the water temperature less than 16 degrees can be detrimental to the grass. This variety has a brighter green color and a jagged edge of the leaves, and the denticles are very small, they can be distinguished by touch rather than visually.

Grass bears fruit, no matter what variety it belongs to, no more than once a year. It usually bears fruit in July or August. It rarely bears fruit in the aquarium. And this moment can hardly be considered essential in breeding, since the main way of its reproduction is vegetative.

The Lagarosiphon plant is also often mistakenly referred to as elodea, calling it curly elodea. However, this green inhabitant of the domestic reservoir does not belong to the elodea, although it looks like a more graceful and leafy representative of the species.

Toothed

Elodea in an aquarium thrives best in cool or slightly lukewarm water. In domestic waters with a tropical climate, it can die.

Surviving in nature in stagnant bodies of water or in slow currents, the grass is quite tolerant of water quality. However, she needs good lighting. How long should a daylight last? At least 10 hours, while the entire volume of water in the aquarium should be well visible.

The optimum temperature for a plant is 14-20 degrees. The Canadian variety tolerates well a temperature drop of up to 12 degrees.

The grass can survive with a gradual increase in water hardness. But keep in mind that a sudden transfer from a soft to a hard environment will kill the grass.

This plant is versatile: it can live both rooted and floating freely in the water column. When firmly rooted in the ground, the grass forms long, up to half a meter, white roots.

The ability of the leaves to pick up dirt will keep the water in your aquarium clean, but the grass itself, covered in a layer of dirt, can look unaesthetic at times. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary to rinse it.

The Canadian variety of Elodea by the fall can bring you an unpleasant surprise, falling into an autumn "hibernation". Sometimes this happens without changing the conditions of keeping, due to the seasonal "programming" of the plant. To avoid this, it is better to use warmer-water varieties for your home pond, or simply not plant the aquarium with this plant alone.

Scourges of perennial grass can grow up to a meter in length. Therefore, for density and a beautiful aesthetic appearance, the perennial must be pruned periodically.

Important! The sap that comes out of the plant stems during pruning can be toxic to fry and some aquarium grasses. These manipulations should be carried out in a separate container, into which the grass is removed from the aquarium.

The easiest way to propagate a perennial is vegetatively - by sections of branches and stems. No matter how many cuttings you cut, almost each of them can grow into a separate bush.


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Elodea is an aquatic plant that belongs to the genus Vodokrassovye. Elodea is the most widespread aquatic plant in the world. Its homeland is North America. Due to its ability to grow rapidly and densely fill water bodies, it is called “water plague”. We are talking about elodea canadensis, the most common among aquarists.

Stems are long, branching, cord-like, fragile, growing extremely fast and covered with whorls of leaves. Stems are highly branched, and often reach lengths of more than two meters. Leaves are bright green, transparent, oblong or linear-lanceolate, slightly curly, up to 1 cm long and 0.5 cm wide, finely toothed, sharp, which are arranged in rather dense whorls, three leaves each. In the crown parts of the stem, the leaves are always lighter in color than in the lower ones. The stems spread along the bottom of the reservoir and branch strongly, giving numerous vertical shoots, which leads to the formation of powerful thickets. In the autumn-winter period, with a lack of lighting and low temperatures, it sinks to the ground, preserving growth buds. In the conditions of the aquarium, while maintaining favorable conditions, the plant grows evenly well throughout the year.


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As well as, it is a very unpretentious plant. Elodea canadensis is most suitable for cold water and moderately warm aquariums. It grows satisfactorily at a temperature of 16-24 ° C and tolerates a prolonged decrease in temperature to 12 ° C. In a tropical aquarium, at temperatures above 24 ° C, it cannot grow for a long time. The hardness and active reaction of water do not matter for elodea, it grows in both very soft and hard water. However, when transferring a plant from one aquarium to another, the conditions in which it was kept prior to transplanting must be taken into account.

When a plant is transferred from very soft water to hard water, it quickly dies, its branches literally dissolve. Moving into softer water for Elodea is painless. Elodeya is very afraid of the admixture of sodium chloride and iron oxide in the water and quickly dies in such water. In the absence of CO2 in water, it strongly shifts the pH to the alkaline region. The lighting for Elodea is bright enough, but it can withstand moderate shading.

Its stems root easily at the base and bear long, up to 40 cm, white roots. The main condition for its successful growth is good rooting in the soil, in which there would be lime.


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It grows, floating freely in the water column. On the branches thrown into the aquarium, new shoots quickly develop, which in a very short time become independent plants. Stems are long, forming dense matted thickets. Bright green, with a metallic sheen, sprigs of Elodea cover the bottom and, rising to the very surface of the aquarium, form a dense emerald net in the water, which makes Elodea an adornment of the underwater landscape. In summer, Elodea grows rapidly and takes up a lot of space, so from time to time it needs to be partially removed from the aquarium. In still water, growth slowed down significantly, because in still water, as a result of respiration and assimilation, a shell of weak carbon dioxide forms around the plant, which slows down growth. In this case, the movement of water should be strong just enough so that no carbon dioxide shell is formed around the plant.

In an aquarium with cloudy water, elodea becomes an excellent filter, collecting particles of turbidity, so that the water becomes crystal clear. Due to its very rapid growth, it assimilates many of the substances that accumulate in the aquarium water, which also contributes to its purification. Winter does not endure well. In the autumn-winter period, with a lack of lighting and a low temperature, elodea sinks to the ground, preserving growth buds. When conditions improve, it begins to grow rapidly again. By maintaining a satisfactory water temperature and sufficient lighting, elodea decorates the aquarium all year round.

Overgrown elodea should be removed from the aquarium very carefully, because the sap of the plant is poisonous and, getting into the water, can cause the death of fish fry that settle in the thickets. In addition, the juice of Elodea has an inhibitory effect on the growth of many delicate plants. Therefore, before pruning, the plant should be removed from the aquarium and pruned in a separate container.


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Elodea leafy grows in the waters of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. This aquarium plant has cordlike, long and branched stems. The root system is poorly developed. The arrangement of the leaves is whorled, from 4 to 6 large twisted leaves of a linear shape, light green or bright green, up to 5 cm long, up to 0.6 cm wide. The size of the leaves and the color of the plant depends on the conditions of the plant in the aquarium. It blooms with white flowers. Elodea reaches a height of 70 cm.

Elodea leafy blooms in summer. Flowers with three large white petals. In its homeland, in some areas, the plant is known as a dioecious plant, while in others, both male and female flowers can appear on the same plant specimen. Plants with staminate flowers grow in Europe, and specimens with pistillate flowers have not been found.

Elodea is a leafy unpretentious plant. Feels best in cold water to moderately warm aquariums. Water parameters for the content of leafy elodea: hardness 8-20 °, pH 6.0-8.0, temperature 15-26 ° С.

Lighting for elodea should be bright enough, only in this case the plant emits oxygen well. For artificial lighting, fluorescent lamps of the LB type and incandescent lamps are suitable. The power of the illuminators is selected individually, depending on where the aquarium is located and what plants surround the elodea. Direct natural light is also good for her. In an aquarium, the plant grows well throughout the year.

Elodea leafy propagates by cuttings, which grow not only in the ground, but also if they are left to float in the water column.

Under the collective name of Elodea on sale and among amateurs you can find representatives of four botanical genera: Elodea, Egeria, Lagarosiphon and Hydrilla. Let us briefly consider them.

Nayas (Egeria najas)

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Nayas is usually represented in aquariums in two species: the modest, graceful Guadalupe Naiad and the much longer-leaved, hornwort-like Indian naiad. Plants are only aquatic, from green to dark green in color, with a thin branching stem and leaves covered with small thorns.

The stem of this version of Elodea can become brittle in some cases in soft water. However, the plant does not die from this, but only spreads more widely throughout the reservoir. It can be planted in the ground and then forms ascending “fountains” of openwork greenery, but it also develops satisfactorily in floating form. At temperatures above 25 ° C, the stem becomes brittle.

Egeria najas plants have two positive qualities: they are very beautiful, and their herbaceous bushes can be excellent material for a variety of compositions. In addition, they are an excellent substrate for eggs during the spawning of many fish species. You need to plant their cuttings taken from stems that break easily. The tough stems of these plants can reach a height of about 50 cm. Most varieties prefer soft water. The lighting should be bright, but not excessive.

This is one of the most unpretentious and resistant plants. It can be grown both floating in the water column and planted in the ground. In the latter case, an underdeveloped root system is formed, which mainly acts as a means of fastening in the ground. Located in the background, the nayas creates a wonderful backdrop for plants with large leaves. Forms dense openwork thickets in the water column. In its thickets, an ideal environment is formed for fry and many aquarium fish. It actively affects the metabolism in the aquarium, provides oxygen to the aquarium inhabitants and prepares the water for other more demanding plants. Easily transfers transfer from one aquarium to another. Fallen leaves should be removed immediately to avoid contaminating the aquarium.


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Lagarosiphon grows on the shallows of stagnant and slow-flowing bodies of water on the island of Madagascar. It was first introduced to Europe in 1967.

It is a graceful plant with a very thin and flexible stem, similar to Canadian Elodea. The leaf plate is linear, up to 2 cm long, up to 0.12 mm wide, with the tips bent down, light green. The root system is fibrous, consists of many thin fibrous roots. The lagarosiphon grows to a height of 50 cm.

It is recommended to plant lagarosiphon in an aquarium in dense groups in the background of the aquarium. It looks very decorative against the background of broad-leaved plants. When properly maintained, it multiplies quickly and soon forms a neat lawn, which serves as a safe haven for fry and shy fish, and also cleans the water well. It grows rapidly up to 5 cm per week.

An important condition for the cultivation of lagarosiphon is bright lighting. The power of LB type fluorescent lamps should be 0.5-0.7 W per 1 liter of volume. Duration of daylight hours is at least 8-10 hours. With a lack of light, the plant stops growing and may die. Water parameters for optimal lagarosiphon content: hardness 8-12º, pH 5.0-7.0, temperature 24-28º С.

Lagarosiphon gets its food mainly from water. Therefore, the plant reacts sharply to the lack of ferrous iron: growth stops, the crown becomes pale yellow and after a few days falls off the stem. The introduction of liquid fertilizers and additional saturation of the water with carbon dioxide are very useful for the plant. Lagarosiphon propagates by dividing the stem or by separating the shoots from the stem and base of the root.


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Hydrilla whorled is easy to confuse with similar species of the genera Elodea, Egeria, Lagarosiphon. Differences in leaf arrangement, number of leaves per whorl, internode length, and leaf edge shape. Height 40 cm. Diverse aquatic plant 1-2 mm thick, with a soft stem, more than 2 m in length. The internodes are usually 0.5-2 cm long.

Leaves are sessile, stipules are opposite, upper leaves are in 3-6 membered whorls. The leaf blade is linear to narrow lanceolate, usually 1–2 cm long, transparent, soft, light to dark green in color, sometimes with a red central vein. Leaf whorls and a rather strong root system distinguish hydrilla from Canadian Elodea. It is rarely kept in aquariums, since it is not very decorative. The species is perfect for aquarium conditions, so it can be kept in both soft and hard, slightly acidic or alkaline water.

Develops a strong root system, gives a large number of shoots. If the plants are planted in the ground, due to their unusually rapid growth, they soon have to be pruned. At temperatures above 25 ° C, it grows worse, the higher the temperature, the longer the internodes. Planted in a group or left to float in the water column. Forms thickets quickly. If you pinch the top, then the plant develops lateral branches.

Propagated by separating young plants from the rhizome and cuttings. It grows up to 5 cm per week. It forms thickets in Lake Tanganyika and therefore is suitable for decorating aquariums for fish from this lake, Lakes Malawi and Victoria. Due to the fact that hydrilla whorled forms a grassy carpet, it can be especially recommended for small spawning aquariums in which plants are simply laid on the surface of the water.

Most of those who have just begun their acquaintance with the underwater kingdom will pay attention to elodea. This plant was brought to us from Canada and America back in the nineteenth century quite by accident, and since then it has become very popular among aquarium owners.

The freshwater plant Elodea, or anacharis, is quite unpretentious, it grows quickly under any conditions. For this it is called the water plague. Able to survive even in the inexperienced hands of novice aquarists.

In the reservoirs of Europe, it has become a real disaster. Growing and filling the entire space, it made it difficult for the activities of shipping, fishing and many other areas. One sprig of Elodea, thrown inadvertently into a reservoir, can fill it in a few years, displacing the native flora.

Elodea in the wild.

The appearance of elodea and methods of its reproduction

Despite all the simplicity, the plant has an attractive appearance. The shape of elodea resembles a liana with a thin stem and translucent leaves located along its entire length. They are two centimeters long and 5 millimeters wide. The color of the young plant is bright green. As it grows old, its stems begin to darken, and the leaves begin to shrink. All types of water plague have minor differences.

Most of all, Canadian elodea is planted in aquariums, which can survive at a water temperature of 12 ° C. It is often used for spawning fish, whose fry hide in dense thickets.

Toothed Elodea comes from South America. Thanks to this, it can withstand high water temperatures, at which other species will inevitably die. To breed this type of anacharis, it is also necessary to provide it with good lighting.

Elodea Densa is a bushy plant. Its appearance will change depending on the changing conditions in the aquarium. This species is also distinguished by the fact that it is able to emit more oxygen than other elodea.

The length of the water plague can reach from one to three meters. In this case, it must be thinned, cut off the old stems, you can also cut the tops.

This aquatic plant can be planted directly in the ground or thrown into the water. In both cases, it will grow equally well and quickly. In the case of planting in the ground, white roots will appear on the stems in order to keep the plant at the bottom. They also make Elodea look more interesting.

Conditions for keeping elodea in an aquarium

As mentioned earlier, this plant is not a big deal. It must be remembered that it is freshwater, and if you put Elodea in an aquarium with sea or salted water, it will die.

Anacharis will reproduce best if the water temperature is maintained within 20-25 ° C. If it increases, then the growth of all its species (except for the toothed one) will slow down or completely stop.

The hardness of the water does not have much effect on the state of this representative of the underwater world. You need to think about it only in the case of transplanting a plant from soft water to harder one. As a consequence, the stems can shrink significantly.

Of the external factors, lighting is most influenced by elodea. It should be equally good in all corners of the aquarium. If in some part of it, for example, at the bottom, light does not reach the plant, then the leaves will begin to rot and fall off.

In winter, water plague practically stops growing and may die altogether due to a decrease in the intensity of natural lighting. To avoid this, it is important to create the necessary conditions using artificial light sources for the cold season.

The fast-growing elodea can also act as a biological filter itself. It absorbs organic matter from the water with its entire surface, so it does not need feeding. Despite this, you shouldn't forget about timely substitutions.

Beneficial features

Shelter. Elodea is often used as protective thickets for fry, as well as for viviparous fish species (guppies, swordtails).

Feed. This plant is also used as a food for or as a delicacy for other types of fish, for example, tetras or scalar.

Elodea is believed to be poisonous. But the concentration of poison in its juice is so low that adult fish eat it with pleasure without harm to health. However, if there are tender shrimps in the aquarium, it is recommended to prune this plant outside the container.

Purification. Anacharis plays the role of a phyto filter, absorbing organic matter from the water, thereby preventing the appearance in the aquarium, which is often very difficult to get rid of.

Aeration. Thanks to intensive photosynthesis, Elodea enriches the water with oxygen. She can provide them with a medium-sized aquarium on her own.

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