i have a stream tank that I planted an area with Saggitaria. It looks great and grows similar to Val, but easier. No fertilizer needed.
I put larger cobbles along the back of the tank, added some soil along the back and sand over the whole thing then some smaller stones of the same type and a little more sand. I planted a few bunches of sag along the back, and a few bunches of willow moss pinched between some of the larger stones. It looks awesome, my darters and lowland shiners are very happy and I only have to clean the filter once a month or so. I do water changes of 25% every 3 months or so to set my mind at ease. So far my tank has not had any trates, trites, or ammonia showing in water tests.
I have a bunch of sag that I am about to trade at the pet store, but would be happy to send it to you instead if you like. this variety grows to about 16-18 inches.
Send me a PM if you are interested, but soon or it will be gone.
Ps. I think the sag will grow just fine in a bit of sand or pea gravel without ferts.

Edited by Elijah, 24 November 2010 - 12:42 AM.

i have a stream tank that I planted an area with Saggitaria. It looks great and grows similar to Val, but easier. No fertilizer needed.
I put larger cobbles along the back of the tank, added some soil along the back and sand over the whole thing then some smaller stones of the same type and a little more sand. I planted a few bunches of sag along the back, and a few bunches of willow moss pinched between some of the larger stones. It looks awesome, my darters and lowland shiners are very happy and I only have to clean the filter once a month or so. I do water changes of 25% every 3 months or so to set my mind at ease. So far my tank has not had any trates, trites, or ammonia showing in water tests.
I have a bunch of sag that I am about to trade at the pet store, but would be happy to send it to you instead if you like. this variety grows to about 16-18 inches.
Send me a PM if you are interested, but soon or it will be gone.
Ps. I think the sag will grow just fine in a bit of sand or pea gravel without ferts.

Thanks for the offer! I have a bunch of dwarf and regular S. subulata already, though from what I understand it's more common along the muddy banks of slow-flowing streams. I think I'm going to give Ludwigia repens a try, since I've stumbled across reports of it occurring in gravel along streambeds.

Oh wow, you're right. I wonder why it's purple?

Sometimes a particular specimen of any plant has more red pigment than usual. The horticulture industry often capitalizes on that fact by offering clones (cuttings) of red specimens as cultivars in the trade. When plants are grown in full sun, it tends to bring the red out even more.

Hi Sticklematt,

I like to give a reply , as I do have rainbowshiners, N. chrosomus as well, bought last year 10 of them in Amsterdam, I did put them in a 200 liter tank, but now, since this spring I have 40 of them.
I learned from other people rainbow are very adaptive to temperatures, some people keep them all year round warm, which is ok, others like me keep them in winter cooler, even in summer I try to keep them on 18 Celsius, which is ofcourse trying and because of the hot weather not always possible, Also when you keep them cooler they live longer, they keep their coulers better esp.in summer, and they more easy spawn in spring with a natural rise of temperatures, in my tank they started spawning at 18 Celsius, in heart of winter they had 2 Celsius.In the hottest day of our summer their tank was 26 Celsius. I give them every week 20 liters fresh water, sometime from tap, sometimes rainwater.
I consider your tank is big enough to keep 10 of them.
I got mine also with gravel, roots, and rounded rocks and some plants like Ceratophyllum demersum, Fontinella antipyretica, which is a local plant from the Netherlands from creecks and small streams, also growing very well. What I like to advise is to restrict yourself to just some plant species for your tank, most aquatic nat habitats have also just a few species, but that species grows than in abundance, is also very nice to look at and not so "busy".
Overhere it is sometimes difficult to have the right plants from RB.shiner biotope, but I learned there are n't much plants at all, in rainbowshinercreecks.... . But ofcourse it is nice to try to make your fishes as much " at home " as you can, ofcourse. I know for sure the fishes will not bother if the plant is from their original biotope or not. In my opinion important is to have well growing plants in your tanks, otherwise algae will grow and iritate you al lot. I am using Gro-lux and warm white 83. I have just a little bit flow in my tank, just enough to make them happy.
vieuwing spawning rainbowshiners is spectacular, something, to invite your - tank- friends, and watch the firework.......... .
Mazurel

What plant species are commonly found on the wet riverbanks in rainbow shiner habitat?

If I do this tank as a riparium, I can have background plants (with roots in water+aquasoil) that stick up out of the water, with a rocky underwater area for the shiners.

Stinging nettles (jewel weed), various mints, cane (including many natives), cardinal flowers, native passion flowers, and of course many Smilax species including greenbrier. A lot of grasses and forbs are scattered about too.

Stinging nettles (jewel weed), various mints, cane (including many natives), cardinal flowers, native passion flowers, and of course many Smilax species including greenbrier. A lot of grasses and forbs are scattered about too.

Thanks! What about emersed species (soil under water, plant mostly above water)?

That would be mostly grasses and forbs, and to some degree cardinal flowers. It could be different in the southern end of the range, I'm describing what you might find in the north along Little Willis Creek.

You might consider the following species for a paludarium:

Echinodorus species
Sagittaria species
Lobelia cardinalis
Eleocharis species
Bacopa caroliniana
Sparganium species (if you have a lot of height)

Justicia americana (water willow) is probably the most common emergent in much of the fish's range. Orontium aquaticum (golden club) and various species of Ludwigia are also present, and Osmunda regalis is a common marginal species. These are all fairly large, though.

I'm not convinced the tank has enough width to do emersed plants particularly well, especially with such big species. I think I will use a little bit of Fissidens moss in the tank, and have no other plants. I'll use a golden pothos houseplant in my filter to help with nitrate removal, since there won't be any serious aquatic plant biomass in the tank.