Hornwort

This is probably not a native plant, but my question relates to this plant in general, I have 5 tanks running currently, natives of various kinds, from 75 gal to 15 gal breeder, i have tried this plant which thrives, in a 40 gal breeder tank, in all the other tanks, basically the same water, but in the rest it just falls apart. I love the plant as my natives in the 40 seem happier, and the water looks better. Why does it fall apart in my other tanks ??

This is probably not a native plant, but my question relates to this plant in general, I have 5 tanks running currently, natives of various kinds, from 75 gal to 15 gal breeder, i have tried this plant which thrives, in a 40 gal breeder tank, in all the other tanks, basically the same water, but in the rest it just falls apart. I love the plant as my natives in the 40 seem happier, and the water looks better. Why does it fall apart in my other tanks ??

Hornwort (AKA coontail, Ceratophyllum demersum) is native throughout most of the temperate and tropical world. There are a handful of other Ceratophyllum species with more restricted ranges. As to why it falls apart- it's just very picky. If it does like your tank it'll grow like kudzu, otherwise nothing. Be careful not to change conditions too quickly when introducing it to a new tank- sudden shifts in light intensity, hardness, etc. seem to shut it down. Is the lighting on your 40 gallon significantly different from what's on your other tanks?

Agreed. Newt covered just about everything. Large water changes can/will cause some 'melting' and create tons of mush at the bottom of the tank. If you are moving the hornwort from your 40 to the other tanks, make sure you slowly acclimate it - like you would a fish. I have noticed when I do major thinning, or throwing out rather, the much more entense light tend almost burn the leaves nearest the surface. While the plants a bit below the surface tends to grow very rapidly, then the cycle starts all over again. I have a love/hate relationship with mine.

Hornwort (AKA coontail, Ceratophyllum demersum) is native throughout most of the temperate and tropical world. There are a handful of other Ceratophyllum species with more restricted ranges. As to why it falls apart- it's just very picky. If it does like your tank it'll grow like kudzu, otherwise nothing. Be careful not to change conditions too quickly when introducing it to a new tank- sudden shifts in light intensity, hardness, etc. seem to shut it down. Is the lighting on your 40 gallon significantly different from what's on your other tanks?

yes the lighting is different. on the other tanks i have T5 rather high intensity, and on the 40 is just a shop lite about 3 feet above the tank. as for the love hate relationship Willie ditto

That's probably it then. When I find hornwort in the wild it tends to be covered in silt and diatoms, in murky water, or underneath a cover of floating plants, so it's not geared to high light. If you can find some growing in a clear sunny spot it might adapt better; the hornwort in my 300 is from such a site and is growing like gangbusters under HO T5 lighting. Or if you can get some that's growing in someone else's high light tank, that might work too.

That's probably it then. When I find hornwort in the wild it tends to be covered in silt and diatoms, in murky water, or underneath a cover of floating plants, so it's not geared to high light. If you can find some growing in a clear sunny spot it might adapt better; the hornwort in my 300 is from such a site and is growing like gangbusters under HO T5 lighting. Or if you can get some that's growing in someone else's high light tank, that might work too.

Thanks for that lesson in hornwort, i think since a couple of bouts cleaning up the aftermath of this stuff falling apart ill leave it where its happy and look for some other similar floating plant thats not so pickey