Freshwater Planted Aquarium - How to Succeed in the Reproduction of Plants



Posted: Tuesday, December 15, 2009

by Brian Wong

When plants are left alone in their own environment, they can reproduce exactly as they were meant to because all the necessary conditions are present. When plants are in an aquarium, you will have to learn how to succeed in the reproduction of plants. The best way to get plants to reproduce in a freshwater planted aquarium is simple. Give the plants what they would get in nature.

Due to their sturdiness, some plants will reproduce alone even in an aquarium. Other plants will need for the aquarium owner to help duplicate growing conditions. Reproduction in plant world is done either asexual or sexually. Sexual is usually how the plant reproduces in its natural surroundings. This is done through the flower or seed part of the plant. Plants that reproduce through asexual means or vegetative methods are plants that reproduce through artificial means otherwise known as help from the aquarist.

Most underwater plants are asexual which makes them much easier to grow, reproduce and care for. When a plant that uses asexual means to reproduce, what happens is that the plant's runners create slips. A runner is basically just a stem or outgrowth growing horizontally rather than vertically. When one of these runners in turn grow a slip, that slip can be reproduced as an entirely new plant.  This method is similar to putting a cutting from a houseplant into a glass of water. The cutting will produce a slip. When that slip is planted, it grows another plant the same as the one it came from. Underwater slips can be removed from the original plant in an aquarium and replanted. Plants that reproduce with runners are usually quite fertile and will grow rapidly.

Aquarium plants also grow offsets which is simply a growth from the original plant that can taken off and planted in a new location. Left on their own, most plants will reproduce giving the right means to do so. However, if the plants fail to propagate alone, the aquarium keeper can reproduce artificially. This means the aquaris must gently lift up the plant from its setting and separate a part of the plant from itself and then replant it in either another area of the same aquarium or another tank. This method is referred to as cutting and while it's one of the easiest way to double your plants, you will have to be sure that there's enough of the stem to fit below an inch of substrate. Otherwise, the plant can fail to thrive.

Don't forget that even plants living below water have to be pruned. Without pruning, some of the bulky plants will keep smaller plants from getting the correct amount of light needed to grow.



Brian Wong is a freshwater fish enthusiast, and enjoys helping others get started in this amazing hobby. His newest book, "The Ultimate Guides To Freshwater Aquariums" teaches aquarists everything they need to know about starting and maintaining a thriving freshwater aquarium. For more great information on freshwater planted aquarium, visit http://www.freshwateraquariumguides.com
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