Scape from plants found locally

[flyinmysoup]

Hi guys!

I've got this spare tank sitting in my room and am interested in fixing up a scape made up of aquatic plants found locally.

Has anyone done this sorta thing before and could you share any pictures or info regarding collection methods, locations and species?

Think it'll be interesting to have such a piece of Singapore in my room. Thanks in advance!

[budak]

If you look for the small Science Science guide books on nature in Singapore (sold in Popular) there is a volume on Freshwater Life in Singapore which lists plants and animals found locally. I don't suggest you go out and collect, as many of the species are available as farmed or overseas-sourced specimens in LFS. But among the species native to Singapore are Blyxa japonica, hairgrass, riccia, Singapore moss (the one from NA Nature Aquarium), Limnophila sessiflora, Nymphaea pubescens, Nymphoides indica, Cryptocorynes (griffithi, ciliata), Najas indica and Hydrilla.

[flyinmysoup]

Thanks for the info budak!

Will go look into how to get this set up. Don't worry, won't deplete our natural resources. But surely, picking some moss off the roots of a tree won't do that much harm I suppose. Appreciate the list of plants especially.

Anyone has pictures of a tank they did with this concept in mind?

[Nevada]

hi edmund,

another project huh? makes me jelous now ... my hands are very itchy lately!

[flyinmysoup]

Hi Edwin!

You're back in Indonesia right? I'm itching to start a tank made up of plants solely found in the Singaporean ecosystem. These plants gotta be local, not introduced. Would really want a piece of Singaporean aquaculture (which, may not be around in years to come) in my room for once.

[wong1979]

Hi Edmund, it would be interesting to see a uniquely wild 'Singapore' style aquarium. Of the true native species that I know of, there are quite a few.

A type of hairgrass commonly found along reservoirs, looks short terrestrially but when submersed grows long. It is also quite messy when the babies grow out from the tip of the grass.

Blyxa aubertii, a rosette plant, a true aquatic plant that can be found in shallow waters. It seems to propagte only by seedlings from its 'flower'. My old tank always have blyxa aubertii sprouting mysteriously even though the tank is cleared of it for a few months.

Another one found in abundance is a stemmed plant that resembles limnophila family. It can be found almost everywhere beside water. Follow this link to see how it looks.http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=13034

Nymphoides indica and Nymphaea stellata can also be found but they seem to be dying out. So try to preserve them if you find any.

Looking forward to see such a tank.
Cheers,Wong

[flyinmysoup]

Hi wong1979!

Thanks for the input. Found some Singapore moss and a something which looks like pellia without the forked characteristic of the latter today. Also found the plant that you were talking about in the other thread.

Looking forward to have a little Blyxa aubertii and Cryptocorynes griffithi to add to the list, no luck so far. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

As budak says, is Blyxa japonica native? I read in A Guide To Freshwater Life in Singapore that Blyxa aubertii is native, but how about the japonica?

Anyone?

[wong1979]

Recently, I found some wild Blyxa japonica in a stream somewhere between upper and lower pierce. As its name implies, I doubt its native to Singapore. Few years back, there are plenty of Blyxa aubertii at lower pierce reservoir, where people fish legally. It can also be found in Tampines mountain biking track which I believed some planters went to plant down there

I've also noticed the so called wild 'pellia' and have tried growing it. Doesn't look like the ones sold in LFS.

[flyinmysoup]

Any luck with the local pellia? Haha... should it have a name?

Post your pics here dude!

[wong1979]

I do not have any pictures of my own. I have no luck in growing it, probably needs cold water. Anyway, here is a picture from molluscan.com. They have many local and asian aquatic plants in their gallery.
http://www.molluscan.com/macrophytes/images/ut009.jpg
It's called Pellia endiviifolia.

[budak]

japonica simply refers to the fact that the plant was probably first discovered or ID-ed in Japan. Blyxa japonica can be found all over East Asia, including Singapore, in suitable habitats. I hope those of you who visit the reserves would refrain from collecting from the wild though, as local populations are very small and vulnerable. Build up your collections from LFS or farm specimens instead. Or go on outings to Malaysia, where populations of wild plants/fish are large enough to sustain some collection without damage.

The so-called pellia common in shops is actually Monosolenium tenerum. But there hundreds of species of liverworts, all similar in shape, so unless you are a botanist, there's no way of telling what species the local ones are.

[flyinmysoup]

Thanks for the replies and clarifications!

Guess having Blyxa Japonica in my tank would still warrant the tank to be truly Singaporean eh? (I'm using ADA soil ANYWAY....)

wong1979:

Does the plant need cold water? I found it emersed. Hmm... doesn't look like the emersed form thrived in cold conditions. Humid and even hot more like it. I'll take a shot, will let you know if it works in my tank.

[BFG]

What about Egeria Densa? I remembered seeing them around some bodies of water when I was young.

[flyinmysoup]

"Egeria densa is a good plant for beginners, and its rapid growth helps create a balance in the aquarium from the start. It can also help prevent algae because it absorbs a great number of nutrients from the water. The plant secretes antibiotic substances which can help prevent blue-green algae (a type of bacteria). The growth rate depends largely on the amount of light and nutrition available. Growth does not stop in unfavourable conditions, but the plant turns light in colour and the tendrils grow thin."


Yeah! Saw lotsa Egeria densa around once. Took the above from www.tropica.com and seems it has qualities that prevents blue green algae! Will it prevent BBA??? If it does......

[wong1979]

I'm not sure if hydrilla is native or not. If you know how to scape, anything can be nice. But to me, its not that exotic enough, more like a weed

I've just noticed a tiny piece of pellia hidden between some rocks. I think it has been acclimatised to be submersed now as it is very light green and translucent now. I'll try to cultivate it and see if it can grow to be aesthetically pleasing

[flyinmysoup]

Agree on that Hydrilla is a weed. Can't have it overgrowing in the tank eh?