Riccia

[_fish_a_holic_]

I'd like to carpet one of my tanks with riccia, once I purchase the appropriate lighting. Right now, I have no lights, just natural light from a window and a puny desk lamp. Plus my fish -- kissing gouramis? -- keep eating the plants I did have!

My LFS has 8cm squares of riccia on a mesh for about $10 each. I asked if this would spread, and they said NO, not much (just to about 10cm square)! Is this true??? Because I definitely couldn't afford to buy that many squares!!! (it's a 6x2x2ft tank...)

Is riccia safe from the foragings of kissing gouramis? I'm not sure they are the culprits but the day after I introduced one, all my plants were wiped out and I'm stuck with artificial plants.

 

[handsomeboy]

riccia will not spread as you have to anchor them to something (thus the wire mesh)

 

[George Farmer]

I get mine to spread quickly by floating it for a while. I then make a "U" shape from lead and hold a clump in the substrate, it then spreads although slower than when floated.

You will need good lighting to get it do grow well submerged. A 6x2x2 would probably be best off with Metal Halides.

I'm surprised your Gourami's are responsible for eating plants - do you have other fish i.e. plecs?

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

I get mine to spread quickly by floating it for a while. I then make a "U" shape from lead and hold a clump in the substrate, it then spreads although slower than when floated.

I'm not quite getting the picture here... (the bit about making a U shape with lead)... do you mean use the lead to hold the pre-floated clump in the substrate?

BTW, how much does it spread when floated?

You will need good lighting to get it do grow well submerged. A 6x2x2 would probably be best off with Metal Halides.

OUCH!!!!! Don't think I can go with that on a vet nurse's salary...

I'm surprised your Gourami's are responsible for eating plants - do you have other fish i.e. plecs?

No, no plecs. Angels, tetras of all sorts, three apple snails, etc (for full listing click here, it's the first aquarium listed)

 

[George Farmer]

you're right about the U-shaped lead. It's more an "n" shape really spiked through the Riccia into the substrate.

Mine doubles in size every 2 to 3 weeks - although I do have strong lighting - 3 Watts per Gallon and CO2 injection.

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

Who do ya think is the plant-eating culprit in this listing??

6x2x2ft community tank:

*1 Angolan elephantnose - Bubba
*4 angels
*1 blue ram
*1 bolivian butterfly
*2 pink kissing gouramis - Bubble & Bobble
*6 blind albino cave fish
*5 black and albino/coloured widow tetras
*5 x-ray pristella tetras
*6 blood-red glass tetras
*6 head-and-taillight tetras
*5 serpae tetras
*8 hockey-stick tetras
*6 Ulrey's blue tetras
*15-20 neon tetras
*13 cardinal tetras
*3 banana catfish
*3 albino and bronze corys
*... and 3 marbled brown apple snails!

 

[BigC]

Apple Snails are eating your plants for starters..
http/www.applesnail.net/

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

I thought that might have been the case too but the LFS (grrr) said they wouldn't eat plants. Anything to make a sale I suppose...

 

[jimbooo]

riccias great.

i bought 4 tubs for £20, floated it in my tank for 2 weeks then sewed it into a plastic mesh thingy and wove lead strips into the mesh to sink it.

2 weeks after submerging

gives off more oxygen than an airstone (almost)

i have 10 White cloud mountain minnows, 6 glowlight tetras, 3 serpae tetras and a plec. (plus a few pest cone snails)

they dont eat the riccia, the plec just messes it up when he goes for a lap of the tank.

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

i bought 4 tubs for £20

You lucky bugger!!! That's like $48 AUD... Just how big were the tubs?

All I can get here is these stupid little metal mesh 8cm squares for $10 each yikes!!!!! (Unless any of you Aussies can point me to a better deal )

So do ya reckon if I get some squares for a start, remove the mesh, float the heck out of it (removing snails and kissing gouramis and whatever other vegetarian culprits to another tank in the meantime), then do your mesh/lead trick, would that work??

 

[jimbooo]

in theory yes,

the tubs were only small (round tub, 3 inches wide, 1.5 inches tall) i literally put the tubs in my tank to float (acts like a mini greenhouse), with a drop of liquid fertiliser.

when you remove it from the tub just lay it on the plastic and weave a needle and thread back and fourth, but not too sightly so to damage the plant.

when you place your finished "lawn" in the tank you'll inevitably get bits break off and float away. leave them be for another 2 weeks, then gather up all the floating bits and put them back in the pot and start again.

i've got 2 more pots floating in tubs now from the break away stuff (yipee, free riccia)


one thing though, i have 2.5WPG and CO2. both are essential for it to work otherwise it'll rot and die.

PM me if you need any more help (i just bought a new camera so i can take pics of anything your unsure of)

good luck

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

All I'll say on the forum is, bl**dy brilliant!!! PM'ing you..

Thanks for sharing/helping...

 

[jimbooo]

glad to help. i'll await the PM