Ceratophylum demersum (Hornwort)
Contents:
- planting hornwort?
by "Fishhead/Windsong" <fishhead/hotcom.net> (25 Oct 97)
- C. demersum
by "Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill/rt66.com> (Tue, 18 Jul 2000)
by "Fishhead/Windsong" <fishhead/hotcom.net>
Date: 25 Oct 97
Newsgroup: rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants
I've had this hornwort for years and it's truly a weird plant. Indoors in
my tanks it floats & is always rootless. In the pond outside (zone 6) it
sinks mostly to the bottom and I was shocked to find an old piece ROOTED
into the gravel along it's side. The roots were strange white wiry things
holding the plant to the gravel. I never saw this before. Had i known it
was rooted I would have left it alone. This is a fast growing plant &
nitrate USER big time.
--
Carol..... ICQ #2982961 fishhead-at-hotcom.net
~~}<(((o>~~~><(((ö>~~~}<(((Ô>~~~><(((ö>~~ SNIP
> Hornwort never puts out roots. If you stick it in the gravel or, in my
> experience use the weights, the ends will eventually rot and break free.
>
by "Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill/rt66.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000
On Tue, 18 Jul, 2000 Susi Barber wrote:
> I have Ceratophyllum submersum (Tropical Hornwort), which has no roots, and is
> a floating plant. "Demersum" I think means it should be grown emersed, ie in
> the air, not underwater - experts please advise.
C. demersum is an obligate submersed plant. It has no roots but can
anchor itself to the bottom with modified leaves. It's often found
floating. The specimens I have floated by me while I waded in the Rio
Grande.
> Anyway, they need a lot of light - losing leaves suggests to me not enough
> light. It should also be floating at the top of the tank if it is
> "submersum", rather than anchored to the bottom of the tank with a stone.
C. demersum (like most plants) grows best in bright light, but it can
adapt to live in rather dim light.
As to Klaus' original problem with the plant dropping leaves, I think this
could be from an earlier stress, from a change in conditions, or from fish
picking at the plant. None of my fish will regularly chew up C. demersum
but a couple weeks ago my American-Flag fish took a sudden liking to it
and stripped a stem bare. Now they've changed their minds about it and
it's recovering.
Roger Miller
The Krib
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