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WEST BENGAL UNIVERSITY OF ANIMAL AND FISHERY SCIENCES

FACULTY OF FISHERY SCIENCES

A SEMINAR ON: Aquarium plant: Utility and propagation

SUBMITTED BY:KARTIK MONDAL

FS-10/13B.F.Sc 2nd yr 2nd sem

FAQ-225

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Being at the base of food chain, plants are important in any ecosystem. Plants help to provide the biological balance, besides creating bio-topic aquarium.

The presence of different aquatic plant provide a number of houses to the fishes in side the aquarium.

Most fresh water aquariums can be set up with live plants and whenever possible, it is recommended to do so.

introduction

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Types of aquatic plantsAquatic plants

Semi-terrestrial

Truly Aquatic Marginal

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Truly aquatic plant:These plants survive only in the water. These plants are

of three kinds: 1) Submerged plant:• The entire plant-stem , leaves and roots remain submersed in

the water. These plant are further divided into two categories according to their cultivation and growth pattern.

a) Rooted plants: Such Plants are cultivated by roots , corm or rhizome , e.g. ,

Vallisneria . b) Bunch plants: These plants are cutivated by cutting, e.g. , Cabomba, Bacopa

etc.

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Contd….2) Floating plants: Plant which float on the surface of water are floating plant. The

stem and leaves of plant remain floating on the water surface and their roots hang down in water column. Roots never anchor in soil. e.g., Pistia, Lemna.

3) Emergent plants: • The roots of the plants are anchored in the bottom soil but their

leaves floats on the surface, e.g., Nymphaea.

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SOME IMPORTANT AQUARIUM PLANTS(SUBMERSED ROOTED

PLANTS)

Acorus calamus (sweet flag)• Family : Araceae • Origin: Indonesia.• Description:• The leaves of this plant are deep

green, smooth, narrow long and pointed.

• Propagation of the plant is done by cutting of the root stock in pieces.

• Slightly acidic water with pH of 6.5-6.8 is more suitable for culture of this plant.

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Vallisneria spiralis (Eel grass )

Family: Hydrocharitaceae• Origin: Southeast Asia Water• Description:• Its grass like structure grows in hard

water.• The leaves are bright ribbon like and

grow up to 60 cm.• It is a very hardy plant when cultivated

in the background of the aquarium it will give very natural look.

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Echinodorus paniculatus (Amazon sword plant)

Family: Alismaceae• Origin: Central and South

America Water.• Description:• It is the most beautiful plant, with

35 cm long bright green leaves.• Propagated by long aerial

runners.• Plants grow quickly in slightly

acidic water ( pH 6.9- 7.0 ).

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Hygrophila polysperma

• Family: Acanthaceae• Origin: Southeast Asia Water.• Description:• It is very hardy, beautiful, easy to

grow in cold water as well as warm water.

• Its small, oval or oblong leaves are light or bright green in colour.

• Numerous fine roots grow at the nodes, and therefore propagated by cutting and roots.

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Sagittaria subulata ( Arrow head)• Family: Alismaceae• Origin: North America Water• Description:• The leaves are dark green ,

ribbon shaped , narrow and grow unto 45 cm long.

• They form a tightly grown rosette on a rhizome, which produces, long , slender runner.

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Submerged-bunched plants

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Hydrilla spFamily: Hydrocharitaceae• Description:• Submerged weed. It grows under water.

But some of their leaves are coming out of water. Usually they are anchored to the hydrosoil. However, it may get completely detached from hydrosoil and continue to grow as free floating near the water surface.

• The stalks are upto 3 m long. It bears whorls of 2-9 straight dark green leaves at short intervals. The leaves are 2 cm long, and 0.3 cm wide. It is easy to grow either it’s rooted or free floating form provided it is given good light.

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Najas minor• Family: Najadaceae

• Description:• It is a flowering plant with smooth stem

which is branched.• Plants are 20-30 cm long. Stems are thin.

Narrow leaves of 1-2 cm in length. The leaves are green in colour. Sickle-shaped, 6-10 pairs of teeth. It lives in shallow, stagnant waters.

• The Najas is easy to grow. It requires good light and clear water. It can thrive and grow as free floating.

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Ceratophyllum demersum ( Fox tail)

Family: Ceratophyllaceae• Origin: South America Water• Description:• It is very fragile having no roots. • Leaves are green and fox tail

shape.• Propagation is simple by cutting.• It is commonly used in breeding

tank of life bearers and egg layers.

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Floating plants

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Lemna minor ( duck weed)• Family: Lemnaceae• Description:• It has tiny leaves of only about 1 to 3 inch

length which are dark green and shiny.• Its stem is modified into leaves which are

flat and round and root are single fibers.• It provides food , shade and shelter to

fishes in pools.• It is capable of purifying waste water. It

spreads spontaneously at an amazing speed. It will cover the entire surface of the tank if unchecked.

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Azolla caroliniana

• Family: Azollaceae• Origin: North America Water• Description:• It is a floating fern, leaves are pale

green lie in two row on the thallus whose stem is branched, roots are filamentous.

• This plant serves as food and shelter to the aquarium fishes.

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Pistia stratoites ( Water lettuce)

• Family: Arraceae

• Description:• It is a floating plant with slightly

furrowed leaves , arranged in rossette.

• The root are fibrous, adventitious and in cluster and its propagation is easy.

• It can be used in garden pools.

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Emergent plants

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Nymphaea sp. (water lily)

• Family: Nymphaeaceae• Description:• This plant produces very

attractive and delicate leaves and yellow flower.

• The floating leaves are flat, leathery and sturdy.

• It provides shade and shelter to fishes in garden pools.

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Nelumbo sp.

• Family: Nymphaeaceae• Description:• Its leaves are saucer shaped

with long petiole arising from a rhizome.

• Stem rhizome is a creeper.• It is a flowering plant.• It can be used in garden

pools.

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PLANT PROPAGATION

Introduction: Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts.

• Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants

• Many common plant species will reproduce on their own in a healthy aquarium. However it is often harder to obtain ideal conditions in the aquarium for all types of aquatic plants to readily propagate. Some aquarium plants will reproduce freely without assistance, while others will do better with some help.

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TYPES OF PLANT PROPAGATION

PLANT PROPAGATION

Asexual Propagation

Sexual propagation

(seed)Artificial

Propagation

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Asexual Propagation:• Most aquarium plants reproduce asexually, meaning that the offspring

are genetically identical to the parent plant. This is also known as vegetative propagation.

• There are three different ways for aquarium plants to reproduce this way

Runners (slips): One way is for them to produce runners, which grow out from the base of the parent plant and then produce what are called "slips" at the end of the runners. These slips can eventually anchor themselves in the substrate and survive on their own.

• Sometimes the runners that are between the parent plant and the slips break away from the slips, and sometimes they just continue to grow and produce more slips.

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Offsets: Offsets also grow off of the main plant, but they grow extremely

close to it and do not wander like runners do. These offsets can be removed from the parent plant and planted elsewhere in the aquarium.

Adventitious plantlets: The last asexual way of reproduction is when small plantlets form

on the parent plant, called adventitious plantlets. These can grow on any part of the plant, i.e. nodes, roots, leaves, or stems. After it has grown for a while, naturally its attachment to the parent plant will die off and it will be removed, however in aquariums you should remove them once they are about 3-4 cm and replant them yourself to ensure survival.

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Sexual propagation (seed)• Propagating plants by way of seeds is often difficult to do, however it

can be done. If you are trying to reproduce plants that propagate sexually, you should have at least two of those plants, and they should be able to produce flowers above the water surface.

• Parent plants: Provide a low enough water level that the plants can easily grow strong aerial stems above water. After flowers have been produced, you must then transfer pollen from the stamen to the stigmas using a watercolor brush, cotton swab, or your finger depending on how large the flowers are.

• Seedlings: Seeds should be produced if pollination is successful and you'll want to plant them as quickly as possible. First, plant the seeds in damp soil rather than soil immersed in water. Once they start to grow above the soil, add a small amount of water. As the plants grow, continually add just enough water to keep them submerged in water.

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Artificial Propagation:• It is also often quite easy to artificially propagate many

aquarium plants by simply cutting part of it off and replanting it (stem plants are the easiest to do this with); or by dividing the rhizome in two and replanting the two pieces (ferns and mosses can be propagated this way).

• Cuttings: The best place to take cuttings is from the top stems, however you can also take cuttings from side shoots and the middle stems as well, they are just not usually as strong as those from the top stems. To take a cutting, cut part of the plant off just above a node and remove any leaves around nodes that are directly above this. This is the area where the new roots will grow. Then plant the cutting into the substrate so that the nodes where you removed the leaves is just covered.

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Condition needed for growth of aquarium plants

Plant growth are affected by different factors among which the most important are listed below.

• Water condition: The first consideration would of course be the water in

which the plants will grow. The water temperature in aquarium play an important part in plant life. For tropical plants 23 °c -29 °c temperature is ideal and 19-22 °c temperature for temperate plants. As most the aquarium plants prefer a slightly acidic to neutral water .The water pH should be ranges between 6.5-7.5 .

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• Light: Since photosynthesis takes place in the presence of sunlight,

light is a necessity for healthy plants but long exposure to sunlight will also heat up the water , which is dangerous for the plants as well as for the fishes.

• Plant Substrate: In nature, plants are continuously receiving nourishment from

their surroundings. Aquarium plants derive nourishment from the substrate. So nutrient carrying substrates should be used in the aquarium.

Contd….

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Utility of aquarium plants Live aquarium plants will help to keep the water quality up by binding

organic waste. Live aquarium plants will convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. Live aquarium plants will prevent algae infestation by competing with

algae for nutrients. Many aquarium fish species hail from waters where aquatic plants are

common. They will therefore feel more at home in a planted aquarium. Keeping aquarium plants can reduce stress in several ways for fish.

Firstly, they can decrease the amount of fighting between the fishes by forming many small territories instead of one big one in the aquarium. Secondly, they will provide weaker fish a suitable hiding spots .

Plants are also used to decorate the aquarium. Plants provide shelter for egg and fry. Aquarium plants are a source of food for the fishes.

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Role of aquarium plants in nitrogen cycle• The aquarium nitrogen cycle is simply put the method

by which fish wastes and other decomposing organic matter (such as uneaten fish food) is converted from Ammonia or Ammonium to nitrites to nitrates by aerobic bacteria (Nitrosomonas & Nitrobacter), which are then converted to free nitrogen by Pseudomonas or nitrates is absorbed by the plant.

• Thus plants keep the aquarium free from toxic Ammonia.

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Planting of the aquarium plants

• Decoration of aquarium tank with plants is an art that can be practiced with imagination , experience and availability of plants.

• Vallisneria and Sagittaria are two of the commnest aquarium plants. They have the appearance of grass and ideal for background. Bushy plants like Ludwigia & Ceratophyllum are used in the corner of the aquarium. Marigrass and small plants are used to decorate the front portion. Plant should be disinfected so as to kill harmful germs, parasites, insects and other enemies of fishes.

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conclusion• Aquatic plants are used in aquarium for various

reasons. The fishes feel more at home in a planted aquarium. Plants are used as decorative materials in the aquarium. Besides this plants provide oxygen, food, shelter to the fish.

• So now a days , the use of live plants in the aquarium is very popular worldwide.

• But the use of plastic plants in the aquarium is slightly decrease the demand of live plants.

• Plant propagation is the best way of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts in aquarium condition.

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Hand book of FRESH WATER ORNAMENTAL FISHES-dr. l l Sharma.

WWW.GOOGLE.COMWWW.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

REFERENCES

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THANK YOU