Lizard Tail in an Aquarium

[InsanityShard]

So, I know Lizard Tail is a bog plant, and shouldn't be fully submerged all the time. Does anyone know the actual limits? The tank it's in usually has about 14 inches of water, and an open top with a light and airation in the water. It's a soft water tropical tank, and the plant is planted in a special small plant gravel in its own glass bowl inside the tank. Some of the roots are currently exposed. How often do I need to raise the plant out of the water, and by how much? The plant is about 7 inches tall, and only the tip of one leaf comes out of the water atm. I don't know how long it was submerged in the pet shop but it was completely out of the water on the way home. There are cherry shrimp in the tank to deal with algae.

Edit: The pot is only 1/4 filled atm, as adding too much soil at once is bad for the filter and I got a new fish with it. The top of the pot would actually be 6-8 inches below the water surface, but another question is does this plant grow straight up or does it hang? And how does it take pruning and how often? I can fertilise using something called 'root tabs' a kind of little disc you bury with the roots.

 

[InsanityShard]

Can't edit it. Filled the rest of the pot with a nice fine gravel, roots no longer exposed, and every second night I'm leaving the plant out of the tank until the leaves grow large enough to fully leave the water.

 

[Gail_68]

Hi @InsanityShard what kind of lizard do you have and a pic would also be useful to gain more help

 

[InsanityShard]

Hi, thanks for replying! I'm waiting on the pics I just took to be sent to me, I don't know what species this plant is aside from just being sold as a lizards tail. I found just leaving it in the water but letting the water level drop is okay, and it's doing well in the small glass bowl I'm using for a pot. It's been in for all these months only losing the bigger leaves occasionally. It's got some algae growing on some of the leaves but I don't know how to clean that off, my shrimp died so they aren't there to clean it anymore. =[
For the most part the leaves just sit at the top of the water, and don't try to grow out of it. It has plenty of new growth around the base now. My Elodea grew in a circle around it, I had to move it to get the pics. Often the undersides of the leaves have bubbles resting there from the air stone.

 

[InsanityShard]

This is an old pic from when I planted it, can you tell what kind it is here? It's the one on the right. The one on the left is an Anubias.

 

[InsanityShard]

These are it currently- the leaves from above, the pot, and the roots that are sticking out on the top still. Sorry for the low quality, the camera is a bit old. The tank does get water changes every 2-3 weeks, with pretreated water. I haven't given it any root tabs yet. The plant is currently about 9 inches tall, without the leaves actually sticking up but sitting flat on top of the water.

 

[Gail_68]

Hi @InsanityShard I don't have live plants in my aquarium but there is a member on here who does and is aquariums are lovely and he as two... @johnny canoe can you please help this member being you have live plants pls

Cheers also for adding the photo's which are lovely and clear.

I did find this info for you in case it helps.

Lizard’s Tail Care This plant requires extremely little attention once planted. It spreads by rhizomes and can be divided by root propagation. No special care is needed to over winter this plant, and it is not susceptible to bugs or disease. As long as it receives plenty of water and partial sun, it will thrive. Warning: Lizard’s tail can be toxic if eaten in large quantities by humans or animals. Avoid planting where animals forage.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Lizard’s Tail Care – Learn About Growing Lizard’s Tail Plants https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/or.../lizards-tail/growing-lizards-tail-plants.htm

 

[Gail_68]

It's got some algae growing on some of the leaves but I don't know how to clean that off, my shrimp died so they aren't there to clean it anymore.

Algae comes from to much light besides the hours you have it going and the amount of food going in daily and half emptying your tank on a monthly basis with the pump turned off so you can vacuum in their besides an extension sponge for cleaning your glass does help in a large way.

I found this link regarding your plant and also a video which might help also on cleaning lives plants, as I can't find one just on the lizard plant.

Lizard tail

Plant info, gardener journals and planting observations & care instructions for Lizard tail.

myfolia.com

 

[johnny canoe]

Hello, I have never come across the Lizard Tail being sold as an aquarium plant here where I live. But horticulture is my line of work so I'll just suggest you do find a way to lift the foliage out of the water. Water levels rise and fall in bogs with the seasons. Now there are some land plants that will survive under water permanently but they usually don't thrive, they will be stunted with much smaller leaves and desperate for intense light.
The bowl your plant is potted in is very attractive, you could just leave it and see if it survives or find a plastic mesh pot that you could put it in and have it hang halfway up the side of the tank.

Tank plants are a constant learning experience, I have lost many plants over the years but I keep experimenting from time to time. I definitely do have ones that are tried and true but I still like to try others.

 

[Gail_68]

Cheers @johnny canoe for coming on...much appreciated

 

[Perki]

I've never never seen it before not in a aquatic shop anyway, after googling it is a bog / marginal plant .

Bog plants live on the edge of water or in wet/damp soil

Marginal plants live on the edge of water or their feet / crown in the water they will tolerate water covering the whole plant temperately but not in defiantly ( I think they will drown not being able to extract CO2 ).

Aquatic plants live in water.

So from what I can gather the bowl top or slightly higher should be around the height you want. I am no expert on pond / marginal plants but that is where I believe it should be.

 

[InsanityShard]

Alright, thanks, that explains the slow growth. I'll find it a new pot and stick something else in where it is now. Unfortunately all the pet shops around here get plants from the same supplier who keeps giving them non aquatic plants, including ones like Aluminium which can't be submerged at all. It's very hard to find a good plant for my tank that's actually meant to go into a tank. Here in Australia we get ripped off for tank plants all the time, sadly.
I'll have to shade my nice lizards tail from the tank light or I'll fry it if I just plant it up on the side of the tank. I might get a hanging basket and stick it on the side of my other tank and keep it in very moist non draning soil. Thankfully I do let the water level drop in the 10g so it's not constantly covered.
That 10g tank is a beautiful water garden so far. 3 foot long Elodea stalks and a huge Anubias. <3 I'll put my Lilaeopsis grass on the pot.

 

[Gail_68]

Thankfully I do let the water level drop in the 10g so it's not constantly covered.

Oh so your ok then but that sounds a good idea having a plant hang over the side...it's a shame you can't get plants otherwise for your tank

 

[Perki]

It quite common for aquatic / fish shops to sell non aquatic plants , they live for 3-4weeks and die. I have quite a few plants in my fish tank, what sort of substrate is in your fish tank ? just gravel ? Some very easy plants which feed from the water column ( attached to wood rocks etc not planted in gravel ) are Anubias - java fern - Moss - Bucephalandra ( bit pricey ) are all easy don't require good lighting. other plants like valis and other stem cutting plants ( feed through water column / roots ) which I can't spell are relatively easy say away from red plants they normally need good lighting. Some plant like amazon sword which can get huge and many other are mainly root feeders and I can't forget one of my favourite aquatic plants Cryptcoryes ( mainly root feeder ) dead easy but very slow to grow.

Online best place if you can't get them locally, Don't know why you get ripped off for plants most shipment which go to the local fish shop are from Asia Philippines etc. Not all plant originate there lots from south america , not sure about Africa

 

[InsanityShard]

No, all the ones around here get them from some big chain called Pisces that just hands out seemingly random plants. My 10g tank is just large gravel, with some floating Elodea and a huge Anubias I might have to remove since it's actually outgrowing the tank. The Lilaeopsis grass I got never took off despite me putting in some much finer pellet like gravel underneath for it to root in on account of my apple snails continously pulling it out. It'll be moved to the pot with really fine gravel the Lizard's Tail is in now.
My big tank I was planning on getting plants online for but by stepdad is really worried about how much gravel I can stick in there since the tank has just foam and a couple of support beams under it, not a table. I'll probably just use pots and driftwood plants for that one. It has an amazon sword and an unknown plant on some driftwood, but it also has lots of energetic digging fish.