Utricularia graminifolia: content, photo-video review

3.8

(4)

It is impossible to imagine a beautiful aquarium design without the use of live plants. Of course, there is a separate style in aquadesign where vegetation is not used (marine aquariums with salt water). However, in most cases, aquascapers strive to create an underwater world using various aquarium plants, of which there are a huge variety.

Utricularia graminifolia is a plant that designers love to use in almost any project. Thanks to its unusual appearance, it fits perfectly into aquadesign styles, creating the atmosphere of a real underwater world.

Maintenance and care in the aquarium

This fish is ideal for those who want a large aquarium with large individuals, and at the same time prefer unpretentious species.
But, of course, some nuances in the content are still worth taking into account to make your pets comfortable: Aquarium. Its volume must be at least 250 liters. This is explained by the fact that metinnis is a schooling fish, and not of the smallest size. Accordingly, she needs space where she can swim calmly. Moreover, you definitely need a lid on the aquarium, since this relative of the piranha is active and can accidentally jump out;

Ground and background. It is better to use a dark substrate. This will highlight the natural beauty of these fish. The background, of course, should not be bright either. You can put various decor on the bottom, namely stones, driftwood, etc.;

Water parameters. These animals love warm water, so its temperature should be about 23-27 degrees. Hardness – not higher than 10 dH, acidity – neutral. However, it is not the parameters that are more important, but the cleanliness. Therefore, you need to install a good filter and a powerful aerator. Metinnis prefers clean, oxygenated water. It is also desirable that there be a flow, so there is no need to install a “flute” on the filter;

Plants. It will not be possible to plant natural vegetation with these pets. They will accept any bush that is planted as food. Only special varieties with very dense and hard leaves are suitable.

Selecting a menu does not cause any particular difficulties for aquarists. These fish eat any food that is based on plant components. They also do not disdain vegetables. For example, they like lettuce, spinach, cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin, nettle, and plantain. The main thing is to treat them with boiling water before serving. This will kill bacteria and make the vegetable softer. For variety, you can occasionally give food of animal origin. However, in general, the diet should consist of 80% vegetation.

Content

The pistia plant is very popular because it grows very quickly and does not require special care. There were cases when aquarists simply threw it into the river, and there it multiplied so quickly under the hot sun that it covered most of the reservoir and had to be disposed of like an aquatic weed.

To achieve good growth, you need to fulfill a few simple conditions:

Lighting. This is the main requirement. It should be intense and strong, and daylight hours should be at least 12 hours. Otherwise, the bushes will be small, almost like duckweed. Pistia reaches its largest size exclusively in natural light. In an aquarium, no matter what the lamp is, the bush will not reach such dimensions. In addition, when installing the lighting device, you need to take into account that it must be high enough, otherwise it may burn the water lettuce. Fluorescent lamps should be at least 5 cm from the sheets, incandescent lamps - 10-15. LEDs can be placed close together because they don't get hot;

Water parameters

It is important that it be warm, at least 24 degrees, since in nature it grows in tropical reservoirs, where it is warm all year round and there are many sunny days. Acidity does not matter, and hardness should be no more than 12 dGH;

Priming. Considering that pistia is a floating plant, the type of substrate is not at all important to it. Therefore, you can select it for other aquarium flora;

Fish. Water lettuce takes root well in aquariums where their inhabitants are indifferent to plants. Otherwise, they will constantly bite off parts of the roots and over time the bush will die.

The massive roots of a plant are by no means an indicator of the good condition of the bush.

It is also worth noting that large and massive roots are by no means an indicator of the good condition of the bush. Quite the contrary. A floating aquarium plant with large roots indicates that there are few nutrients in the aquarium and they have to grow stronger to absorb as many nitrates, phosphates and trace elements as possible. Therefore, if there is a sufficient concentration in the water, the roots will look more modest.

Pistia performs a lot of useful functions. It absorbs organic matter well, an excess of which can lead to poisoning of fish and other inhabitants of the aquarium.

Another important feature is that it absorbs heavy metal salts. Sometimes this plays a huge role if fish that are sensitive to such substances live in a home artificial pond.

In addition, the roots of the plant can serve as shelter for small fish and fry, as well as a substrate in which females lay eggs.

Utricularia graminifolia

by: fisher 12/07/2015 0 Comments

Aquarium plants

other plants

Utricularia graminifolia belongs to the family Lentibulariaceae (pemphigus) and is native to Southeast Asia. A very unusual and interesting aquarium plant. Many people have probably heard about the existence of insectivorous plants. As a rule, they grow on land and catch mainly flying insects. So, Utricularia graminifolia is an aquatic insectivorous plant that feeds on small insects that from time to time fall into its traps - bubbles, thanks to which Utricularia received its Russian name - pemphigus, which speaks for itself.

All plant species belonging to this family, both aquatic and marsh, are insectivorous.

In addition to a rare feature for aquatic flora, it is also a beautiful aquarium and ground cover plant, which can be compared with such recently popular species as Hemianthus cubes, glossostigma, Eleocharis and lileopsis.

Utricularia graminifolia in a decorative aquarium (in the foreground)

The species name graminifolia literally means "with grass-like leaves." Indeed, this type of bladderwort fully lives up to its name, since in a relatively short period of time it creates a magnificent green carpet on the soil surface from 2 to 8 cm in height, depending on the growing conditions. Ideal as a foreground plant.

Under natural conditions, Utricularia graminifolia , as a rule, grows on poor soils, receiving the lion's share of nutrients with the help of its bubble traps, which it actively uses to catch small insects. It does not pose any threat to shrimp and small fish kept in the aquarium.

Utricularia has delicate green leaves 1-2 mm wide and up to 3 cm long. The thin branched stem of utricularia is very similar to the layering of Eleocharis, through which it reproduces. But unlike Eleocharis, utricularia does not have layers as such. Therefore, when planting it, you should not separate each leaf. This is equivalent to dividing the stem of a long-stemmed plant into whorls and planting them. For better survival, utricularia must be planted in bunches the size of a square centimeter.

Utricularia graminifolia planted in bunches

Do not confuse Utricularia graminifolia with humpback bladderwort (Utricularia gibba), the appearance of which in an aquarium is unlikely to please anyone. Bladderwort (Utricularia gibba) has a thread-like structure and does not have leaves on the stem. Therefore, humpback bladderwort has low decorative value and only clogs the aquarium.

The stem of utricularia graminifolia is similar to the stem of bladderwort (Utricularia gibba) and actively branches. It can either spread across the ground in a horizontal plane or grow intensively deep into the substrate. Thanks to this feature of utricular , a 2-3 cm layer of soil near the front glass can rise to a height of 5-6 cm in two months.

Utricularia graminifolia extending deep into the substrate

It is not recommended to use river sand with a fraction of less than 1 mm as soil. utricular stems to penetrate into it, so in this case you will not be able to get a beautiful green mat.

In terms of growth rate of the utricularium, graminifolia approaches glossostigma. As a result, she requires frequent haircuts. Which is done in a similar way to cutting the glossostigma, but is complicated by the fact that the utricularia squeezes soil particles into the upper layers.

Another interesting feature of Utricularia graminifolia is the ability to form a dense green carpet, in which the leaves are not randomly located, but oriented in a certain direction.

Utricularia graminifolia - use in aquascaping

It seems that they are being tilted by a strong current of water. And there is some truth in this. Any current, even the slightest one, can force leaves to grow in one direction or another.

This property of the plant can find its application in aquascaping, because the presence of directional lines cannot go unnoticed by the viewer.

If you place the filter outlet pipe in the upper left corner of the aquarium, then the flow in the ground area will be in the direction from right to left. Utricularia leaves will also grow in the same direction . In addition to this, leaves usually grow in the direction of the slope of the relief, which is also in demand in aquadesign.

As for the growing conditions, the utricularia is quite contradictory in this regard. In one case it can behave like a capricious aquarium plant, and in another it can grow beautifully in seemingly completely unsuitable conditions. The plant can rather be classified as finicky, so the aquarist is required to constantly monitor the conditions of its maintenance.

It is safe to say that the plant takes a long time to adapt to new conditions. But after the utricularia takes root in a new place and adapts to the surrounding conditions, it grows without problems, even if the growing conditions noticeably worsen for a relatively long time.

Utricularia graminifolia is very responsive to the iron content in water, so in addition to the standard set of fertilizers, additional iron is necessary.

It is not picky about the lighting conditions in the aquarium - both 0.5 W/l and 1 W/l are acceptable. But with a lack of light, the leaves of the utricularia become lighter.

The CO2 concentration should be maintained at a level that ensures a pH value of no higher than 7.5, but at the stage of utricular survival, the CO2 concentration should not be lower than 20 mg/l.

Utricularia graminifolia is a very fragile plant, so it can be seriously damaged during transportation in soft packaging. It is recommended to purchase plants obtained by tissue culture (meristem) in dense packaging.

During planting, you should divide the contents of the container into several parts and plant the resulting bunches at a distance of 3-5 cm from each other.

Within a month, a continuous bright green carpet may form. Which should be thinned out every 3-4 weeks, which improves the lighting regime and promotes further growth and reproduction.

Other

Content

The main feature of the Indian water fern (besides its beautiful shape and appearance) is that it acts as a kind of filter in an aquarium. While in water, it absorbs various compounds, purifying it and reducing the load on the biobalance. It is also worth noting that keeping ferns in an aquarium does not require any special skills. It quickly adapts to any environment and grows vigorously. The owner will have to regularly remove large branches and leaves so that the plant can produce young shoots.

The optimal place for planting ferns in an aquarium is in the center or near the side walls. It is often planted in paludariums and used in aquatic design, allowing it to imitate a piece of forest and dense thickets. Despite the name, the fern also feels comfortable in a pot with substrate on the windowsill. The main thing is to provide it with an increased level of humidity by sprinkling the leaves with water and spraying it in the air.

If you plant a plant in an aquarium, you should remember its considerable size. A water fern will require a lot of free space, so it is intended only for large aquariums with a capacity of 100 liters or more.

The root system of the plant, although powerful, is very delicate. The roots break off easily, so coarse and dense soil is not suitable. It is better to fill the bottom with fine sand or special clay balls. Ideally, the soil should be heavily silted.

To stimulate the growth of a newly planted plant, powerful lighting of at least 12 hours a day is recommended. Over time, in order to slow down its development, the duration of the lamps can be reduced. Fern also likes additional addition of CO2 and various mineral fertilizers to the water, although this is not necessary.

Editorial: Tetraodon fahaka

As mentioned above, the plant loves tropical climates and warmth.

Therefore, it is extremely important to maintain the temperature within 25-28 degrees. In cool water, the plant becomes lethargic, the color intensity disappears, and growth stops completely.

Fern also does not like water that is too hard and acidic, the parameters of which exceed 6-10° and 5-7 pH.

Unlike other aquarium plants, Indian fern does not require frequent water changes. An environment rich in humic substances and organic waste is ideal for its comfortable maintenance.

In an aquarium with a fern, you can add calm and peaceful fish that do not dig the soil and do not bite leaves.

Lifehacks and tips for aquarists

Tip #1. Even a weak current can be used to set the direction of growth of the stems and leaves of the utricularia. This is actively used in the design of an aquarium. To set the flow of water, install the filter pipe as needed.

Tip #2. Owners of Utricularia graminifolia recommend breeding this plant in Dutch aquariums or planting it before fish are introduced into the water. For some aquarists, even peaceful fish damaged young attached shoots. As a result, the pemphigus did not take root.

Tip #3. It is advisable not to place the utricular in areas with strong currents. The latter can be caused, for example, by the exhaust of purified water from the filter through special tubes such as Lily Pipe.

Content

Riccia is not too demanding in terms of conditions of detention. This is an excellent plant option for beginner aquarists. But, despite this, it is also actively used by experienced aquascapers, since it makes it possible to quickly create an interesting landscape inside the aquarium with minimal effort.

However, despite its unpretentiousness, some water parameters should still be observed:

The temperature should ideally be 22-28 degrees;
Hardness – 5-7;
Acidity – 7-8.

Don't forget about water changes. About 20-25% of the total volume 2 times a month. Filtration and aeration do not play any role for Riccia. But the volume of the container matters. It should be at least 10 liters, since moss tends to grow quickly and will be difficult to care for in a small aquarium.

Lighting is not particularly important, but there are still some nuances you should know. Firstly, you should not use regular incandescent lamps

They get too hot and if there are bushes nearby, they may die due to overheating. Secondly, for lighting it is better to use fluorescent lamps or LEDs at a rate of 2 W/dm².

The amano variety needs to be fertilized, unlike its counterpart. To do this, you can use liquid UDO (micro, iron, macro), and the supply of carbon dioxide will also help growth.

Utricularia graminifolia

Utricularia graminifolia photo
Utricularia graminifolia, herbaceous bladderwort. An unusual and very beautiful ground cover aquarium plant. It is a predatory plant. It can feed on small insects that fall into its trap bubbles. This is a ground cover plant that can be placed on par with such species as Hemianthus cube , Glossostigma , Eleocharis and Lileopsis .

Utricularia graminifolia photo

Utricularia has delicate green leaves 1-2 mm wide and up to 3 cm long. The branched stem of utricularia is very thin and similar to the layering of Eleocharis, with the help of which it reproduces. But unlike Eleocharis, Utricularia does not have bushes as such. Therefore, when planting utricularia, you should not separate each leaf. This is equivalent to dividing the stem of a long-stemmed plant into whorls and planting it. For better survival, utricularia should be planted in bunches the size of a square centimeter.

Utricularia graminifolia photo

This plant should not be confused with humpback bladderwort (Utricularia gibba), the appearance of which in the aquarium is not welcomed by many aquarists. This bladderwort (Utricularia gibba) has a thread-like structure and, unlike Utricularia graminifolia, does not have leaves on the stem. Therefore, humpback bladderwort does not represent any decorative value, but only clogs the aquarium.

Utricularia graminifolia photo

The stem of Utricularia graminifolia is similar to that of its aforementioned relative, bladderwort (Utricularia gibba), and is extensively branched. It can crawl both horizontally along the ground and actively grow deep into the ground. Due to this peculiarity of the growth of utricularia, even a 2-3 cm layer of soil near the front glass in a couple of months can turn into some kind of mixture of soil and utricularia with a thickness of 5-6 cm. It is not recommended to use fine-grained sand of a fraction of less than 1 mm as a soil. It is extremely difficult for stem mutricularia to penetrate into it and in this case it will not be possible to get a beautiful green mat.

In terms of utricular growth rate, graminifolia is close to glossostigma. Therefore, it requires frequent haircuts. The haircut is also similar to the haircut of the glossostigma, but is complicated by the fact that the utricularia squeezes soil particles into the upper layers.

Utricularia graminifolia photo

An interesting property of utricularia graminifolia is to form a dense green mat, in which the leaves do not grow chaotically, but are oriented in a certain direction. It's as if they are being tilted by a strong current of water. In the design of an aquarium, this property can find its application, because the presence of directional lines cannot go unnoticed by the viewer. But what makes utricularia leaves grow in one direction? Based on my observations, I can say that even a slight current indicates the direction of growth of utricular leaves. If you install the filter outlet pipe in the upper left corner of the aquarium, then the flow near the ground will be directed from right to left. The direction of growth of utricular leaves will be the same. Plus, utricularia leaves usually grow in the direction of the slope of the relief, which is usually necessary in aquarium design.

Regarding the conditions of detention, utricularia is very controversial. It can behave like a whimsical aquarium plant, or it can grow in very harsh conditions. One thing can be said - this plant can take a long time to adapt to new conditions. But after the utricularia takes root and adapts to the conditions in the aquarium, it grows without problems, even if the conditions worsen for a long time. It loves iron very much, so in addition to the standard set of fertilizers, additional application of iron is necessary. She is not picky about the level of lighting in the aquarium - both 0.5 watt/l and 1 watt/l are acceptable for her. But in the shade, the leaves of the utricularia turn white. It is enough to maintain the CO2 concentration at a level that ensures a pH of no higher than 7.5, but at the stage of planting the utricularia, for its better survival, it is recommended to increase the CO2 concentration to at least 20 mg/l.

Utricularia graminifolia video review

Cool videos about plants from FanFishki

Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss anything

PRACTICAL NOTE ON GROWING AQUARIUM PLANTS

This note is posted in all FanFishka articles dedicated to aquarium plants. This is a cheat sheet with a link that will help you grow any aquarium plant and herbalist of any complexity.

Most of the reference materials are located in the Aquascape , we also recommend our brochure: Aquarium navigator for beginners: “Underwater Gardens of Babylon” .

The formula for success in growing plants can be depicted as follows.

First of all, the proper level of lighting is necessary.

(light intensity - Lumens)

Next, the proper concentration of CO2

Further macro-fertilizers and micro-fertilizers

Water parameters, care and quality water changes

The gradation of this formula is based on the degree of importance. Lighting intensity is primary, and then descending. Therefore, if your plants have holes in the leaves, they have sciatica (crooked) or there are problems with algae, then please do not read the “bad advice” - this is chlorosis (lack of iron), this is a lack of potassium... diarrhea, phimosis and endometriosis )

You always need to solve the problem of setting up an herbalist from major to minor. Plants will die more quickly from a lack of lighting than from a lack of Fe and K. Moreover, the latter are always present in one degree or another in the aquarium, but it is difficult to measure their precise value.

Below, let's go from the main to the minor.

Lighting in an aquarium with plants . Remember, the most important thing in light is its intensity (Lumens)! All other lighting characteristics: spectrum, Kelvin, PAR/PAR, Ra... are important, but secondary. There will be no intensity of lighting, there will be nothing. At the same time, the lighting intensity must be balanced - selected specifically for your project (height of the water column, number and types of plants, daylight hours).

Based on the above, choose aquarium lighting primarily by the number of lumens, and then everything else.

Lighting is the most expensive part. The most budget-friendly solution is to install ordinary construction-street floodlights above the aquarium . Fortunately, they are now very thin and aesthetic. And believe me, under them everything grows with a bang, of course, provided that all the other components are present.

In order not to be unfounded, here are photos of our herbalists, which were grown exclusively under LED spotlights or with their presence.

If you want professional lighting or aesthetics. Then you will have to fork out some money. The amounts can vary quickly from 10,000 to 50,000+ rubles for a 100 liter aquarium. For example, in 2021 we switched to professional lighting - ISTA Titan . Yes, not cheap, but the lamps are Achon! We have grown a professional competitive aquascape under them. That’s why we advise you to pay attention to them.

Well, it’s difficult to advise anything, because... Everyone has different needs and capabilities. In this article we talk about the products of our partners - Tetra , Laguna , ISTA lighting .

We tried to briefly and objectively talk about them. Then it's up to you. In any case, we do not really recommend that you pay attention to handicraft lighting assembly from folk craftsmen. Not all, but as a rule, they shove who knows what kind of diodes into such an assembly, assemble it all on their knees... and believe me, more than once on the forum you hear echoes of the consequences of such a purchase. After all, a company is a company. At a minimum, you are given warranty and post-warranty service.

If you are a beginner, your first herbalist, then LED spotlights are your choice. Let's move on, otherwise this note isn't very short =)

CO2 for aquarium plants . The plant is approximately 90% water, the remaining 10% is dry matter. Of that 10%, 46% is carbon. This is why CO2 supply is so important in a planted aquarium.

Plants in an aquarium obtain carbon “from water” - from carbon-containing compounds. But the natural concentration of C-carbon in water is small and is only sufficient for unpretentious plants, but they, and even more so, will be happy with additional carbon feeding. The supply of CO2 can be provided using mash or a CO2 balloon system , lemon juice or other methods.

The best, professional, simple and budget option is to supply carbon dioxide through a cylinder. One thing, however, is the initial purchase of a set: a cylinder, an MG valve, a diffuser…. will hit the budget.

Is it possible to do without CO2, but for a couple of bushes of simple plants ( cryptocorynes , echinodorus , most ludwigias , etc.).

What balloon systems can you recommend? The most budget option is an assembly from craftsmen who sell CO2 systems in VK and on forums. Everything is very high quality.

If you want a branded item, then we recommend the most inexpensive and at the same time high-quality CO2 systems from ISTA (Taiwan) . We have been using them for 5 years and recommend them to you.

On sale you will find two series of ISTA Aluminum CO2 Cylinder cylinders, with horizontal and vertical threads of 1 and 3 liters.

Fertilizers for an aquarium with plants . All fertilizers, of any brand, can be divided into MACRO-FERTILIZERS and MICRO-FERTILIZERS .

Macro fertilizers are nitrate NO3 and phosphate PO4 from which plants take N-nitrogen and P-phosphorus. These are the most important elements after CO2 - C-carbon.

Remember - Redfield's proportion rules . Always keep it under control and everything will be ok. Right, based on our observations, Redfield’s proportion rules only in full NPC proportions. Incomplete proportion - without carbon C does not give good results.

Micro fertilizers . These are all the other less important elements that are necessary for plants (see link). There is no point in putting too much emphasis on them. Firstly, all of them are contained in one quantity or another in tap water and are restored in the aquarium with changes. Secondly, an overdose of micro very quickly leads to an outbreak of algae.

A common mistake made by beginners is not understanding what they are pouring into the aquarium. For example, let's take such a popular and popular fertilizer as Tetra PlantaMin . Read the product summary at the link - it strengthens, stimulates, and gives a chic body shape.

A beginner, without delving into the essence, uses it and gets an outbreak of algae, writes on the forums - “Like, wow, what a bad Tetra.” And the trouble lies not in the drug, but in a lack of understanding of the nitrogen cycle and balance in the herbalist . The beginner has a Redfield bias (let’s say N and P are generally zero) and instead of making up for the lack of these primary elements, he fills the aquarium with Tetra PlantaMin - a micro-fertilizer (iron, potassium, manganese). As a result, going over the micro is only detrimental, because... plants lack the base - nitrogen and phosphorus.

Thus, you must understand what plants lack and understand fertilizers.

How to understand what plants lack? It's simple. Now the market is filled with a variety of expensive and not so expensive aquarium water tests. We recommend inexpensive domestic ones - VladOx drop tests , they are sold online and offline.

We also recommend, let’s not be afraid of this word, innovative domestic UHE tests . They are currently only sold online.

The minimum set of tests for an herbalist is NO3 and PO4. It is advisable to have the entire nitrogen range: NH4, NO2, NO3. As well as kH and pH tests.

Tests help us monitor the situation in the herbalist, but over time it is advisable to learn to see and feel the aquarium for yourself. With experience you need to move away from “convulsive testing”; the best aquarium test and tool is ourselves.

Let's summarize this part. Macro, it’s macro in Africa too. The link above generally contains a recipe on how to make them yourself. If you are not yet ready for self-mixing, then always and everywhere you will find a line of fertilizers from Tetra: Tetra Planta Macro , Tetra PlantaMicro , substrates, root tablets and much more .

Of course, there are many other brands that produce aquarium fertilizers. There is an opportunity, use even ADA products. All markers are different in taste and color. The main thing is to use it with a clear understanding of what you are using it for and what you want to get in the end.

From the professional line of fertilizers, at an adequate price, we can recommend Prodibo (soils, soils, macro, micro, stimulants, etc.).

So, something like a note turns into the Talmud. Which is not surprising - the topic is very broad. One moment left.

Water parameters for aquarium plants. Link1 and Link2 , please look at these articles, they cover the essence quite well.

Here we note that the quality of photosynthesis is influenced by the process of caring for the aquarium: water parameters (kH, pH below 7), high-quality filtration and aeration, competent and timely water changes.

Please study

Content

It is preferable to keep Otocinclus affinis in an herbalist to provide it with the necessary amount of greens and microorganisms. A container with a huge number of shady plants, driftwood and other decor that creates secluded corners is considered optimal.

Fish prefer moderately warm water between 21-27 degrees Celsius. It is necessary to install a filter and aeration to keep the water clean, saturate it with oxygen and create a slight flow. There should not be too much organic waste in the water, otherwise the catfish may die from bacterial infection. It is imperative to have a mesh on the suction tube, otherwise catfish may be drawn into it.

Hardness should be kept from 2 to 18 GH, and acidity about 7 pH. Once a week you should replace 30 to 50% of the water.

The soil should be chosen with small and medium fractions, without sharp corners. It is recommended to choose natural soils, without the use of dyes and other chemicals.

It is preferable to keep otocinclus in a herbalist to provide it with the necessary amount of greens and microorganisms.

The main food for these catfish is vegetable food. Both special foods are suitable - flakes, plant-based tablets, spirulina, and vegetables - zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, peas. Before lowering them into the aquarium, you should scald them with boiling water or boil them for a minute. Then the vegetable is tied to a heavy accessory, a stone or a piece of driftwood. Leftovers are removed the next day. To provide catfish with algae nutrition, it is enough to place one plant under the sun, and soon harmful vegetation will appear on its surface. It would not be superfluous to add protein to the Otocinclus Affinis diet - artemia, daphnia, bloodworms. They are not disturbed by the bright light that plants need, so the lighting can be selected taking into account the growth of the flora.

Otocinclus have spiny fins that can pierce your finger when transplanting fish. Therefore, you should carefully catch them with a net and lower it into the water so that they get out of it on their own.

There are other algae eaters that destroy algae along with otocinclus. However, you should not place them in the same aquarium, as it can provoke fights due to competition for food. Cichlids are also not suitable for peaceful cohabitation. They are constantly trying to eat otocinclus catfish. The rest of the fish will be wonderful and peaceful neighbors.

Despite the fact that fish have strong immunity, they are often exposed to poisoning in polluted, neglected water. For this reason, they may experience hypoxia, parasites or infection

It is important to note that salt, copper or insecticides should not be used when treating any of these otocinclus diseases! Otocinclus vulgaris will die from these drugs! Before planting new fish from the store, they should be quarantined for several weeks in a fish tank. To do this you will need an aquarium with a volume of 30 liters, without soil.

You need to add a little methylene blue to the water for prevention. You should observe the fish and their behavior for several weeks. After this, if you don’t notice anything suspicious, you can transplant them into a common aquarium.

Growing and care

The first difficulty that aquarists encounter after purchasing Utricularia graminifolia is its poor survival rate. The plant may wither for a long time after planting. Then it either dies or comes to its senses and begins to grow.

As many owners of herbaceous bladderwort note, after successful adaptation in the aquarium, it is able to grow well even in severely deteriorated conditions.

When purchasing a plant, pay attention to the packaging in which the utricularia is provided. Bladderwort is very fragile, so it is best to take the sprouts in dense, rigid containers.

It is also advisable to take meristem utricularia. It is grown from those cells that are characterized by constant growth and division. A plant grown using meristems has a number of advantages:

absence of fungi, viruses and unwanted bacteria;
the absence of caviar and algae, which can fill the entire aquarium and are difficult to remove from the general ecosystem;

“pure” plant - less likely to buy a representative of another species or family;
a large number of sprouts in the container, thanks to which you can quickly get daughter bushes in the aquarium.

Since there is a lot of planting material in the container, there is a better chance that the utricularia will take root. Many plant owners note that small “bumps” often die.

After acquisition, the plant is planted in small bunches with an area of no more than 1 square centimeter.

Water parameters for ideal maintenance

Utricularia graminifolia prefers acidic, soft water. It is recommended to maintain the following fluid parameters:

temperature - 21-28ºС;

hardness - 2-10º;

acid-base balance - 6-7.5.

Pemphigus can grow in more severe conditions. If they are unfavorable already at the time of planting, the plant’s acclimatization time will increase.

Lighting requirements

Like most tropical plants, Utricularia graminifolia grows best under bright light.
It is advisable to create a luminous flux of 0.5-1 W/l. With a lack of light, the leaves of the bladderwort turn pale and may change their color to brown.

Demanding requirements for soil and nutrient substrate

Under natural conditions, Utricularia graminifolia grows on soils with low amounts of nutrients. Its main source of food is small insects. The utricularia hunts through vesicles that act as traps. Despite this, it does not pose any danger to small fish and crustaceans.

For good growth of herbaceous bladderwort in an artificial environment, the presence of nutritious soil is a necessity. Aquarists recommend using the ADA Aqua Soil line. It contains 4 types of soil. They can be used to soften water and reduce acidity levels.

You can also choose according to the level of nutrient saturation. The most fertile soil in the line is Amazonia, the least nutritious is Malaya. It is important that the granule size is more than 1 mm. Otherwise, it will be difficult for bladderwort to penetrate it, because it has a very delicate root system.

Requirement for fertilizers

The utricularia needs to be fed not only with the standard set of macro- and microelements. Herbaceous bladderwort needs a lot of iron. Therefore, the emphasis is primarily on this element. It is advisable to use it in chelated form.

Special compounds make it possible to most effectively supply plants with divalent and trivalent iron. Since the plant quickly creates an even carpet over the entire available area, it takes its main nutrients from the substrate and liquid fertilizers.

It is not necessary to add carbon dioxide to the aquarium. However, to improve the condition of Utricularia graminifolia, it is advisable to introduce carbon dioxide into the water in a volume of up to 20 mg/l.

Description of appearance

The skeleton of this fish resembles that of a shark, and it consists of cartilage, not bones. At the same time, she, like other ancient creatures, can breathe ordinary oxygen. The swim bladder is divided in two and more closely resembles the lungs of mammals.

Today, these animals can be found in fresh water bodies in India or Africa (upper Nile, Congo basin). It loves a bottom with silt and muddy water, and, accordingly, these conditions need to be recreated for the pet in aquarium conditions. Some individuals even live in swamps. They navigate the terrain thanks to their sense of smell, but vision is their weak point, since they see practically nothing.

Polypterus needs to periodically swallow atmospheric air, so it stays closer in shallow water. This fish is a typical predator, attacking its victims from ambush. She sits in the thickets and waits for a potential “dinner” to swim nearby, and at that moment she makes a sharp lunge, grabbing the victim.

Editorial: Rasbora maculata

Thanks to their respiratory organ, these fish can move to other bodies of water directly over land. If a swamp or river begins to dry out, the polypterus crawls to another place where there is more water and there is no threat to life. That is, this animal can live without water, but as long as its skin remains moist. In very extreme conditions, they even bury themselves in the silt, where there is moisture, and wait until the drought ends.

Another feature of these fish is their ganoid scales. It contains a special fabric that makes it incredibly durable, almost as strong as tooth enamel.

Many naturalists call Polypterus a dragon fish. This is because she has an elongated body (like an eel) with many spines on her back (almost two dozen). Under natural conditions, individuals reach a length of 70 cm, but in an aquarium they usually grow no more than 40 cm.

The body is covered with diamond-shaped scales. The tail is oval, the pectoral fins are powerful, the ventral fins are shifted towards the tail. The mouth is large, the eyes are poorly developed, which cannot be said about the nostrils. Sexual characteristics are not expressed.

Utricularia graminifolia portion with match. boxes

Utricularia graminifolia, herbaceous bladderwort. An unusual and very beautiful ground cover aquarium plant. It is a predatory plant. It can feed on small insects that fall into its trap bubbles. This is a ground cover plant that can be placed on a par with such species as Hemianthus cubes, Glossostigma, Eleocharis and Lileopsis.

An interesting property of utricularia graminifolia is to form a dense green mat in which the leaves do not grow chaotically, but are oriented in a certain direction. It's as if they are being tilted by a strong current of water. In the design of an aquarium, this property can find its application, because the presence of directional lines cannot go unnoticed by the viewer. But what makes utricularia leaves grow in one direction? Based on my observations, I can say that even a slight current indicates the direction of growth of utricular leaves. If you install the filter outlet pipe in the upper left corner of the aquarium, then the flow near the ground will be directed from right to left. The direction of growth of utricular leaves will be the same. Plus, utricularia leaves usually grow in the direction of the slope of the relief, which is usually necessary in aquarium design. Regarding the conditions of detention, utricularia is very controversial. It can behave like a whimsical aquarium plant, or it can grow in very harsh conditions. One thing can be said - this plant can take a long time to adapt to new conditions. But after the utricularia takes root and adapts to the conditions in the aquarium, it grows without problems, even if the conditions worsen for a long time. It loves iron very much, so in addition to the standard set of fertilizers, additional application of iron is necessary. She is not picky about the level of lighting in the aquarium - both 0.5 watt/l and 1 watt/l are acceptable for her. But in the shade, the leaves of the utricularia turn white. It is enough to maintain the CO2 concentration at a level that ensures a pH of no higher than 7.5, but at the stage of planting the utricularia, for its better survival, it is recommended to increase the CO2 concentration to at least 20 mg/l.

Description

In nature, this breed lives in South American rivers, in particular in the reservoirs of Colombia and Venezuela. Although some specimens were caught in Brazil and tributaries of the Amazon River.

The ramirezi apistogram primarily attracts the eye with its colorful appearance. The front part of the fish’s body is bright yellow, the back is bluish, reddish or faded yellow. There are black spots on the back and sides, and along almost the entire length of the body there are thick bright blue patches. The intense red eyes are crossed by a vertical black stripe that can extend from the forehead to the gills. The fins are red or black, some may also have blue spots. The only ones left without color are the pectorals. The long ray of the ventral fin is blue.

The color of females and males is slightly different. In adult males, the nose is painted bright red, while the abdomen of females is distinguished by a pink tint. In addition, there is a difference in the shape of the fins, which are much longer in males. Females are also smaller in size.

It is quite easy to distinguish a female from a male. Males have longer fins, a bright red nose, and a larger body.

The Apistogramma Ramirezi is a dwarf cichlid breed. The maximum length of adult males is 7 cm, and females - 5 cm. In good conditions, the life expectancy of the fish is 4 years.

Reproduction

Pistia reproduces vegetatively. When the active period begins, the uterine bush throws out a lateral layer, at the end of which a young shoot is formed. There can be about 50 such layers at the same time.

The growing season begins in March and ends only in November. Daughter plants are separated when they reach approximately 5-6 cm in diameter. At this point, you need not just disconnect the bush, but remove the shoot itself, thanks to which the uterine pistia will retain its strength.

When the active period begins, the uterine bush throws out a lateral layer, at the end of which a young shoot is formed.

During the dormant period, which lasts during the winter season, the plant grows much more slowly. At this point, it is better to slightly dim the lighting and change the water less often. When water lettuce survives the winter, it will “wake up” again and actively send out new shoots.

Utricularia (Utricularia graminifolia) meristematic

This plant should not be confused with humpback bladderwort (Utricularia gibba), the appearance of which in the aquarium is not welcomed by many aquarists. This bladderwort (Utricularia gibba) has a thread-like structure and, unlike Utricularia graminifolia, does not have leaves on the stem. Therefore, humpback bladderwort does not represent any decorative value, but only clogs the aquarium.

The stem of Utricularia graminifolia is similar to that of its aforementioned relative, bladderwort (Utricularia gibba), and is extensively branched. It can crawl both horizontally along the ground and actively grow deep into the ground. Due to this peculiarity of the growth of utricularia, even a 2-3 cm layer of soil near the front glass in a couple of months can turn into some kind of mixture of soil and utricularia with a thickness of 5-6 cm. It is not recommended to use fine-grained sand of a fraction of less than 1 mm as a soil. It is extremely difficult for the utricular stems to penetrate into it and in this case it will not be possible to get a beautiful green mat.

In the Exomenu online store you can buy meristematic Utricularia (Utricularia graminifolia) at a competitive price. Utricularia (Utricularia graminifolia) meristematic: customer reviews, characteristics, description, photographs, related products.

Kinds

Apistogramma ramirezi has a colorful appearance that attracts the eye. However, this was not enough for breeders, and they developed many varieties, the most popular of which are:

Veiled

It is distinguished by its extraordinary beauty, iridescent color and veil-shaped fins. Its body is yellow, orange, red and even olive in shades, with blue and light blue spots along its entire length. The fins have pink, red and purple tints and when the fish moves, they really resemble a veiled cape;

Balloon

It differs from the usual apistogram in the shape of its body, which is more round and resembles a flat disk. There are Ramirezi and Electric Blue Ballon. Since the species was bred artificially, the fish reacts sharply to unsuitable conditions, so the balloon is more demanding to care for;

Gold

The content is similar to ordinary ramirezi. Unpretentious and peaceful, gets along with many types of fish. It is not picky in its diet, but from balanced feeding it quickly acquires a bright color;

Electric blue neon

It appeared in 2010 and literally conquered the whole world with its bright blue color, against which the red iris of the fish’s eyes and the yellow front part of the body stand out effectively. If the aquarium has clean water, optimal temperature, a lot of vegetation and a varied, nutritious diet, Electric Blue will feel comfortable. Of all the breeding species, ramirezi electric blue is distinguished by the strongest health;

Albino

It has a yellow-green body color with characteristic blue spots. The forehead and upper part of the fish’s head are bright orange, the fins are transparent, with a red edging and blue splashes. Very demanding in content.

All breeding species of Apistogramma, except electric blue, due to their origin, react sharply to changes in the environment. Therefore, they should be started by experienced aquarists who are able to maintain the necessary water parameters and provide proper care for the fish.

Breeding

The red-headed tetra is not only difficult to care for, but also difficult to reproduce. Only an experienced breeder can do this.

Difficulties in carrying out the process arise for two reasons:

If the breeders were kept in insufficiently soft water, the female's eggs will not be fertilized;
Very slow growth of fry;
Before spawning, it is extremely difficult to determine the sex of a fish.

You will need a small separate container - 30-40 liters. Before launching a couple into the spawning tank, you need to carefully process it. It is recommended to use an ultraviolet sterilizer for the filter. Disinfection will help protect eggs, which are sensitive to various bacteria and fungi, from infection and death. It is also necessary to place a small-leaved plant in the spawning tank, like cabomba or Java moss. The only thing you should know is that spawning requires dim light, and cabomba loves bright light. Therefore, moss will be the best option.

From the editor: Corridoras Yuli

After the end of spawning, anti-fungal drugs are added to the water - malachite green, methylene blue, etc. It is also recommended to add peat to the spawning tank to create the necessary water parameters.

As mentioned above, in order to successfully produce offspring, it is necessary to keep the breeders in acidic and soft water all their lives. If the conditions of detention were not ideal, breeding need not begin - there will be no results.

Before spawning, aquarium fish are placed on the floors and intensively fed with live food in order to improve their condition and increase their strength. You can add soft water to the aquarium to stimulate spawning in fish.

Rhodostomus females are always larger and rounder than the male.

The pair (or a female and two males) move to the spawning area a week before spawning. Gradually the water temperature rises to 32 degrees. It is better to place the aquarium in a dark and quiet place, since the fish are shy and the owner can disturb them while doing everyday things.

After the eggs have been laid, the parents must be removed from the hatchery. Then methylene blue should be added to the water. At first, the eggs stick weakly and simply fall to the bottom and leaves of the plants, lingering there. Perhaps after some time its stickiness increases. During spawning, a female can lay from 150 to 400 eggs.

The ripening of caviar should also occur in semi-darkness. The process takes about 72-96 hours. Having hatched from the eggs, the larva consumes nutrients from the yolk sac within 24 hours. Only after this can she swim independently. At this time, you can feed them ciliates and ground boiled yolk. Every day you should replace 10% of the water. Plants are removed from the aquarium and the water level is reduced to 10 cm.

The fry grow very slowly. These are the slowest growing fish of their family. Ciliates are given as the main food for 3 to 12 weeks. During the same period, you can try feeding your babies Artemia nauplii. After which you can switch to larger feed. It will take 6 months to switch babies to daphnia.

After 2 weeks, the fish develop a characteristic red spot, and by two months they can reach 4 cm in length.

The growth and development of babies continues at 30 degrees, since the fry is extremely sensitive to infections. Also, do not forget about the soft and acidic environment, and the composition of the water, if offspring from these fry are planned in the future.

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that breeding Rhodostomus is a difficult task, which must be prepared for from the very birth of the babies. It will take a lot of experience and a certain amount of knowledge about the proper keeping of fish to get a successful result. Despite this, their reproduction is an unusual and exciting task, and once completed, you can safely consider yourself a serious breeder.

Breeding

The fish are ready to spawn after two years of life. Gender characteristics are weakly expressed. You can distinguish a female and a male only by the genital tubercles. In males it is pointed, and in females it is rounded. To obtain offspring, it is not necessary to separate the parents. They take care of the eggs and fry.

Spawning often takes place over stones; after spawning, the female collects the eggs in her mouth and presses herself against the male, who fertilizes her. During one spawning, fish produce only 5-20 eggs, since more than that will not fit in the oral cavity. It is interesting that the females continue to feed while bearing eggs, unlike the species living in Lake Malawi.

The incubation period lasts about a month, after which the fry appear ready for independent life. At first, when a threat appears, they can hide in their mother’s mouth.

Kinds

Polypterus has several varieties. In general they are very similar, but there are still some differences.

Polypterus senegalese

Polypterus senegalus

The most common type. It is called so because it naturally lives in the reservoirs of Senegal. An active and friendly fish towards its relatives and other large individuals. Some aquarists may confuse it with an eel. But, of course, there are no similarities between them.

The fish has a silver body with a slight tint of blue. There is an albino form. The scales are small, diamond-shaped. This species, like others, breathes atmospheric air and can move on land.

Polypterus endlicher, brindle

Polypterus endlicherii

A large representative of its species. Lives in the tropical zone of the Red Sea and water bodies of Africa. Doesn't have the brightest color. The body is gray-blue, with dark stripes. The fish is very strong, but leisurely. It is predominantly nocturnal, but is active in the aquarium around the clock. Not the easiest pet, since even one adult requires aquariums with a volume of about a ton. They are fed exclusively live food.

Ornatypinis, Congolese polypper

Polypterus ornatipinnis

Aquarists also call it the “marble dragon.” Length is standard. Has an aggressive character. It stays hidden in the pond, so it is shown only during “lunch”. The body is gray-brown, with an interesting white pattern. The abdomen is lighter in color and a mesh pattern is visible on the head. The minimum volume of the aquarium is 400 liters. Water parameters are standard.

Delgezi

Polypterus delhezi

The brightest representative. The body is gray-olive, with dark stripes and dots. It grows no more than 35 cm. It sits in a shelter during the day and moves actively at night. Suitable for more modest sized aquariums, about 200 liters.

Lapradi

Polypterus bichir lapradei

It grows up to 40 cm. It has a gray body with many black dots. The dorsal fin has a yellow tint. Suitable for aquariums of about 600 liters.

Senegalese albino

Polypterus senegalus var. albino

Subspecies of Polypterus senegalese. Has the same conditions of detention and appearance. It differs only in its white color, which it acquires due to its bottom-dwelling lifestyle.

Main plant species: Utricularia graminifolia

Description Utricularia (or as it is also called “herbaceous bladderwort”) belongs to the Lentibulariaceae family. In its natural environment, it lives in water bodies of Southeast Asia. This is an unusual plant that has one important feature. Surely many are familiar with the fact that there are plants that feed on insects. As a rule, they live on land and lure passing flies, beetles and mosquitoes by releasing a special smell or liquid. Utricularia is different in that it is an aquatic plant that eats insects. It catches victims using bait - bubbles, which is how it got its second name.

Plants of this family are divided into aquatic and marsh. Both are predators.

Despite its peculiarity, the utricularia is also incredibly beautiful. It belongs to ground cover plants. It is often compared to the popular Hemianthus cuba, Glossostigma or Eleocharis. The name of the species literally translates as “grass-like leaves,” and this is true. In a short time, the utricularia is able to completely cover the ground, turning it into a magnificent green and lush carpet, ranging from 2 to 8 cm in height. This is ideal for placement in the foreground of the aquarium.

In nature, flora grows on depleted soil, and receives the main share of nutrients thanks to its predatory abilities. It is worth noting that the plant is completely harmless to the inhabitants of the aquarium and does not pose a threat to fish, shrimp or other small creatures.

Utricularia has small elongated leaves of a soft green color. They grow no more than 3 cm in height, and about 1-2 mm in width. Many beginners confuse this plant species with bladderwrack, which is a weed and is not welcome in aquarium design. It has thread-like processes that replace its leaves. The stems of these two species are very similar. Both actively branch and quickly cover the entire surface around them, penetrating deep into the substrate. However, the appearance of the humpbacked bladderwort does not have any decorative value, and therefore it is better to throw this plant out of the container without regret.

The feature of active growth allows you to raise the soil level in the aquarium. If at the beginning of planting the soil layer was about 2-3 cm, then after a few months it can rise to 5-6 cm in height, because most of the inside of it will be occupied by flora shoots.

For this reason, fine river sand is not used in aquariums where utricularia grows. In this case, the stems cannot penetrate deep into the layer, and a thick green mat will not be obtained.

Since the plant grows incredibly quickly, it needs to be trimmed periodically. The process is similar to cutting the glossostigma, but there is a complexity. When the soil rises, its particles are squeezed out and can interfere with cutting.

Another feature of Graminifolia is that it can point its leaves in one direction. It looks very neat and aesthetically pleasing, since each sheet is directed in the right direction and there is no randomness at all. Some believe that this is facilitated by the direction of the current, which causes the stems to grow in one direction. This is partly true. Either way, it looks incredible in aquascaping.

Utricularia can be classified as fastidious plants that require special conditions for maintenance. The condition of water and other parameters requires constant monitoring so that the plant develops in a comfortable environment.

It should be immediately noted that this type of flora takes a long time to adapt to a new habitat. However, after an adaptation period, it quickly takes root in a new place and begins to grow actively.

The plant prefers water saturated with iron and other fertilizers. As for lighting, the requirements here are weaker. It accepts any lighting, from 0.5 W/l to 1 W/l. If the aquarist notices that the plant is losing color, becoming lighter or paler, it means there is a lack of light and the intensity of the lamps should be increased.

The acidity of the water should be maintained within 7.5 pH. It is also important to provide additional carbon dioxide supply. The optimal CO2 content in water is 20 mg/l.

When transporting a plant to a new aquarium, it is important to transport it tightly wrapped. The leaves and stems are very fragile and can be damaged in a soft container.