# Suggestion for nano tank mid ground plant



## Harry Muscle (Mar 21, 2007)

I'm trying to find a mid ground plant for my 5G nano tank. Attached is a poor picture of the tank (taken with my Blackberry) from about a month or two ago. Please note that this tank is laid out sideways so foreground is the left side of the tank and background is the right side of the tank.

Currently I have two young amazons (not sure which species, it was given to me) and some crypt wendtii serving as my mid ground plants. Both of them seem to be getting too big to look good anymore and I'm trying to find some nice replacements that won't outgrow the tank like these did. So far the only plant that's made my list is Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica' since it apparently lies almost flat on the bottom and hopefully won't get as tall as the normal Crypt wendtii that's already there.

However, I'm wondering if there might be any other plants that I should consider. The space requirements is about 4 inches wide max and about 4 inches high max. My lighting is medium, equivalent on a larger tank to about 2 watts per gallon. No CO2 and flourite for gravel with regular fertilization in the water column.

Btw, it's a bit hard to see from the picture but crypt balansae plus some soon to be added corkscrew vals act as my background plants on the right side of the tank.

Thanks,
Harry


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

If you want a small cryp, although it may be hard to find, look for C. nevilli; it grows to about an inch or so tall. Chain swords (E. latifolius) grow to about a max of 4 inches and are easy to grow.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

You could also try Sagittaria subulata.

Bill's suggestion of a smaller crypt would work too.

As for a chain sword, you might also want to look into Echinodorus tenellus, but it grows more like a lawn so it might not give you the height you desire. I think it really depends on your light.

Good luck!


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

I've got some alleged E.tenellus, and it grows more like a hayfield for me -- 8-10" !!


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

What kind of lighting is it under? I'm curious, as I've only grown it under low/medium light.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Chris S said:


> What kind of lighting is it under? I'm curious, as I've only grown it under low/medium light.


I've got it in a 2 gallon tank I was raising killifish fry in, with an 11 watt CFL over it, so I guess that counts as high light intensity. It grows like crazy. Somebody gave me a few plants last winter and I just stuck them in there until I was ready to plant them elsewhere.

It seems strange that it would grow taller under higher light intensity -- you usually think of plants stretching toward teh light if they don't get enough -- but if it does, it does. I was planning to use it as a foreground plant in a lower light tank.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Here is what mine looked like in a 20g, with two 6700K T5 bulbs:


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Think about tank design first. Plants are just a tool to implement your design idea 

Look at this picture from one of Israel's shrimp keepers: 









You tank has *three front sides*, use this advantage 

A small piece of driftwood, crypt plants and moss will help to create something similar with picture


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Hm. Makes me wonder if I've got the same plant. Maybe it's a different strain. 

Is that an apisto, Chris? Which species?


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Part of my old breeding stock: Apistogramma algodon II / Apistogramma papagei

Don't think it was ever 100% identified


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