We are the Shrimp People. We bring gift.

[OrandaMan]

Okay, so I grabbed a few ghost shrimp a couple of weeks ago. When I got them home, I didn't notice until I opened the bag that the employee had accidentally nabbed a small stem - the stem and leaves so thin that they didn't notice it and neither did I. So I netted the shrimp and put them in their new home. I was about to chuck the bag when I changed my mind and took that little stem out. What the heck, I thought, and stuck it in an open spot in one of my ten gallon tanks. The leaves (thin like pine needles) all curved in a certain direction, but I wasn't sure which way would be up. So I just poked it into the substrate, wished it luck and returned to whatever I had planned on doing.

The next evening, I took a peek and it was still there, still green. After that I started ignoring it. Until, oh, about four or five days later when the tip of the plant was poking up out of the water.

I still had no idea what this thing was, but it sure shot up fast. I figured that if it grew from a cutting in the first place, it'll do so again. So I pulled it up (it had grown what I thought were roots), pinched it in half and replanted both pieces. The bottom piece had even started to branch out. How neat.

So I looked and looked. Google glanced at me funny when I typed in "skinny aquarium plant that has these needle-like leaves and grows really fast, please". It gamely threw some results at me, but I didn't find anything.

So I went back to the same place last night and asked about it. Hornwort. Way cool name. Makes me think of an old, evil wizard who lives in a giant tree (oh, someone shoot me).

Okay, so this seems to be going well, but I'm wondering if this wasn't the Shrimp People's curse upon me for sloshing them around in a bag. Is this going to wind up taking over every tank I have and then the house?

Seriously, what are some good uses for it? It grows fast enough to be good goldfish food, but is probably too delicate to try planting it with them.

I've also read that it grows either floating or planted... what are your thoughts on that?

[Astex]

It's actually a neat little plant. It is great in starter tanks or QT tanks to soak up extra nutrients and as you've noticed grows like a weed. I had it in my tank of adult sevrums and it did not get eaten but my SAE and flag fish will eat it.

It's traditionally a floating plant in ponds, but I usually take multiple strands, tie a plant weight around the middle and make a bush out of it. When the tops are longer than the bottom, I keep the tops, toss the bottom and start over again.

[CichlidFan]

I've never had any luck with plants....they usually die or get eaten before they have a chance to get going in any of my tanks....

CF

[Mzungu]

I like hornwort, as well! It's actually a native plant, and you can find it growing around here. However, it doesn't form roots, so planting it in the gravel won't do anything but make the part that's under the gravel die and rot. :)

But yes, it's a great plant for fry tanks and such. I like to just throw it in such tanks and let it do its thing. And no, it won't take over the world. That's duckweed you're thinking of.

[dblondfemme]

I love mine...
I loop it through a hole in a rock or around a piece of driftwood if I want to keep it out of the intake in my planted. It's kind of funny... I have the largest penguin HOB on a 30 and it is covered in the furry moss that grows in planted tanks?. Anyway... my shrimp's favorite place is to lay on the intake and catch food as it is quickly sucked through. I have full output but the shrimp will with sit right on it or hang on the hornwort nearby. It's a great plant and I think it adds to a planted tank. I prefer it compared to guppy grass.

[lilmissruffcountry]

Hornwort is great, I got a ton of it, and use it in most all my tanks. I float it an plant/sink it. If you like it, I have some I was going to bring with down to the meeting if anyone wants some, I will have a small bag/s available.

[mark razmandi]

lol i want some for my fry tank!!!

[lilmissruffcountry]

lol i want some for my fry tank!!!

I'll bring ya some with your new babies....

[mark razmandi]

lol youre like my lady santa clause and if you dont want any more geos ill buy them all

[lilmissruffcountry]

lol youre like my lady santa clause and if you dont want any more geos ill buy them all

Well, then you will ge the five that arrived safely...and very hungry, some plants for them, and if you want another three....I am going to bring them with as well, unless they get sold before the meeting.

[OrandaMan]

However, it doesn't form roots, so planting it in the gravel won't do anything but make the part that's under the gravel die and rot. :)

*ahem*

A rootless plant, Hornwort can be kept floating at the top of the aquarium or buried in the gravel to suit your taste. If you bury Hornwort in the substrate, the Hornwort stems are held in the gravel by root-like organs called rhizoids.

From http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fres...s/hornwort.php

Told ya I saw sum'n.

[OrandaMan]

Hornwort is great, I got a ton of it, and use it in most all my tanks. I float it an plant/sink it. If you like it, I have some I was going to bring with down to the meeting if anyone wants some, I will have a small bag/s available.

I'm already planning to do my best to make it there. If you have some for me, I'll snatch it up greedily.

[a/cwizard]

If anybody wants this stuff i got lbs around.Thats what the ghost shrimp are hiding in when i catch them.I just throw it back in the water.Can bag it for anybody if they want any.

[OrandaMan]

I'll take any that's offerred. Maybe I could keep some with my goldies if there is enough. The anacharis does really well and adds some green, but it's monotonous.

[mahoro]

what ever you do just don't plant them into the gravel, it will rot away, and also any area not getting enough light (but they do not require much at all) will also rot away