water sprite

[chooz]

Hi All,

I am new to water sprite but I intend to grow them. I will need advise on:

1. The scientific names are Ceratopteris pteridoides, C. thalictroides, etc. How many types of water sprite are there?

2. Which is the easiest to grow? I heard there is one that grows like weed but I don't know which one.

3. What is the common name of this plant in LFS?

4. I understand they can be grown floating and planted. What are the growth condition for each situation?

5. Are they grown emersed in the farm? How to adapt them to aquatic life?

[Abaddon]

I won't recommend this plant. It grow really fast and things get way messy before you know it.

[Philosophos]

Killing water sprite takes skill. Stick it in the tank, watch it grow. If the fish are alive, this plant should be too, unless the fish are tearing it apart.

-Philosophos

[chooz]

I don't really have green fingers. I hope it will grow like weed. When it really does take, I will then start worrying.

"If the fish are alive, this plant should be too". Is it really that easy?

I went to C328 and I found water sprite there. The lady boss said it is called (in Chinese) "guppy grass". Is that the correct one? She said it is grown emersed, so it will die and hopefully some will grow back. She didn't say it so directly but I got the hint.

[Philosophos]

Guppy grass? Looks like a highly abused name when I google it. Results range from java moss to subwassertang and najas. Get pics and ID if you're unsure of the binomial. Even the term, "water sprite" can reffer to a few variations, and is also a very common mislable for H. Difformis.

If it is water sprite, it really is that easy. When I first started keeping fish tanks, I kept some in a 125L tank; >1wpg, HOB filter, gravel, no fert, no CO2. Nutrients came from water changes and food. Under these conditions, it grew uncontrollably. I took it out because it would overgrow half the tank in a month.

Adaptation is something I'm unsure of with this species. Most aquatic plants can make the transition back though, even if they melt some.

-Philosophos

[flybaits]

from my experience high lighting makes the leaves fine and normal/low lights leaves are a bit broad. very easy plants. grow by stem cuttings or plantlets. at times creep horizontally and with stems shooting vertically. messy after some times. really fast grower once adapt to the tank conditions. great for beginners and water cycling.

cheers!

[chooz]

There are 2 types at the shop. The broad leaf ones and the narrow ones.

I got a big bunch of the narrow ones at a really really affordable price. Will see if my green fingers work.

[Abaddon]

My problem with water sprite is that its growth rate will explode and block out the light for other plants.

But I like the look of the plants

I once grew it in tap water with a table lamp, no fert, no co2

[Emokidz]

If you're planning on getting water sprite because it's hardy, yopu could consider java ferns / windelov ferns or Anubias Nana.
Low light requirements and tough plants. They're much slower in growth and aesthetically pleasing too.

[idiot]

The interesting part is in the leaves.
Less light the leaves becomes one broad piece, more light & the leaves fork out like a big piece of ricca.
You can plant the leave & eventually it will grow.

[gcce]

Fast growing & undemanding plant. Good for soaking up excess nutrients in the water. But be prepared for very regular trimming.

[chooz]

Thanks for all the information. I will see if mine can multiply amply, then you will see me giving away extra plants in the forum.

The one that I bought comes in a small pot with a metal ring to weigh it down. Is that a lead ring? Will the metal leach into the water?

There a lot of cuttings stuffed into the small pot. I am thinking of separating them out but I don't see any roots at all. Is that normal?

Can I separate them and tie them to driftwood? Like tying java fern? However, unlike java fern with horizontal stem and vertical growing leaves, the Ceratopteris has vertical growing stem and horizontally spreading leaves. How do I tie it down then?

[Tony]

Water sprites are real easy. Just insert the stem into the soil (I'm assuming you have gravel like GEX, ADA, Amazonia soil, etc in your tank) and they will eventually grow roots. I prefer to remove the lead ring or plastic pots if the plants came with it.

They can also survive and spread even if left to float; but I find it rather messy and blocks out light to other plants this way. Happy planting