Last Updated on June 10, 2024 by admins
Thinking of planting a Cherry hedge aquarium plant? Read this short guide and enjoy the beauty of a successful aquarium tank.
Live plants create a natural beauty in an aquarium. They are known for the fact that they can turn an ordinary aquarium into a beautiful underwater garden. There are many different varieties, but they all have one thing in common – they have adapted to living in a water-saturated environment.
Today, we are going to talk about the Cherry hedge aquarium plant. Stay with us and find out what it takes for this plant to thrive in your tank.
Table of Contents
Cherry Hedge Aquarium Plant
The Cherry hedge (Alternanthera ficoidea) is a terrarium plant, however very commonly used as an aquarium plant. It is recognizable by its amazing red color as the name suggests. In addition, it looks great in any habitat.
The Cherry hedge plant is a very hardy plant and can be used in aquarium tanks that host some aggressive fish like cichlids. In addition, it can be used as a spawning medium or as a refuge for newly hatched fry. As for the time it can spend submerged, the plant dies after a few months. Accordingly, if you want to plant it in your aquarium tank, they will die off after a few months at the most.
Native to the Americas, this plant awakens moderate growth and requires little maintenance. It is therefore perfect for aquarists who want to diversify their aquarium experience. It is important to note that these species of red aquatic plants can be grown as aquariums and houseplants.
Benefits For The Aquarium Ecosystem
The Cherry hedge plant has numerous benefits for your fish including:
- Produces oxygen and consumes carbon dioxide which benefits fish, helps with filtration and stabilizes the pH of aquarium water.
- Removes nitrates and phosphates from water and thus prevents excessive algae growth.
- Provides valuable cover and habitat for your aquatic pets.
- Creates a food source for fish that feed on natural microbes that inhabit the leaves of plants.
- Provides a place for spawning, as well as a refuge for newly hatched fry.
Everything I Need To Know About Cherry Hedge Aquarium Plant
Care & Maintenance
The first thing you need to pay attention to is that this plant has been known to cause allergic reactions in some people and may contain toxic compounds like calcium oxalate. Hence, be very careful when handling it. To prevent possible irritation, it is recommended to wash your hands after touching the Cherry hedge plant.
Also, under no circumstances should you allow your plant to dry out completely during the growth phase. This is especially true if you plan to replant it in a new tank. Furthermore, over-watering is not a problem at this stage; nonetheless, keep in mind that water levels should be allowed to drop significantly once the plant reaches maturity.
Herbivorous fish will not bite this plant while it is small, however, some larger varieties may be mowed down by goldfish and other omnivores. If you want to avoid this it is recommended to plant your Cherry hedge aquarium plant in tanks containing small or medium-sized tropical fish which are unlikely to eat it.
As for the temperature, it is very important to carefully monitor the temperature of the aquarium so that this plant does not suffer from any form of overheating. The ideal temperature range is:
- up to 30 ° C (86 ° F) to increase the growth rate,
- around 22 ° C (72.4 ° F) optimal for long-term health maintenance.
Most aquatic give their best when grown under full-spectrum light with a Kelvin rating or “color temperature” somewhere between 6,500K and 8,000K. Therefore, try to choose good and quality light. Also, keep in mind that you need to choose a light source specifically designed for growing aquarium plants because those intended for houseplants do not have the correct Kelvin rating. We recommend that you opt for LED or T5 fluorescent lamps.
Propagation & Trimming
Once your Cherry hedge plant is removed from the aquarium, it needs to be well watered in a clean tub full of fresh water until enough new roots have grown to start it growing again in a new aquarium. During this time, try to regularly trim off old leaves that have turned yellow and are damaged by substrate microorganisms.
If you plan to grow a cherry hedge aquarium plant from seed, you first need to prepare a layout plan before planting the seeds in the tank. After planting the seeds will sit there for up to several weeks without germination, so you have to be patient because otherwise, they will die in the substrate. Also, pay attention to where you will place it when it eventually sprouts. Namely, when this plant moves into its growth phase after being planted, it will grow very fast indeed.
Finally, we must note that if you want to skip the wait, you can always buy larger specimens in aquarium stores.
Furthermore, when it comes to trimming your Cherry hedge aquarium plant, it is easier to trim its roots than most other aquarium plants. This is done by gently pulling it out with your hand as soon as you notice that it is too big in your opinion, and then cut off all the old roots. This should not be done too often because Cherry hedge does not grow tangled as many aquatic plants do.
In Conclusion
Apart from the obvious aesthetic, keeping aquatic plants has numerous benefits for the overall health of your aquarium. They improve the water quality and help reduce or even eliminate algal growth in your aquarium.
Let’s not forget to mention one of the more important features, namely live plants provide cover to help keep your aquatic pets stress-free and provide natural boundaries for territorial species, as well as cover for small fry.
That would be it, now you know all about growing, caring for, and maintaining a Cherry hedge aquarium plant.
What are your experiences with this plant? Let us know in the section below.
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