Brackish plants?

[luvmygobies]

Hi everyone. Newbie here.

I've had a brackish water tank for the last five months of so. It's only a 5gal but I decided to move up to a 30 since I want to get some scats and some four-eyed fish (currently I have Knight and neon bridled gobies).

I was wondering, however, if there were any plants that are compatible with a brackish water environment (I don't know how long they would last with the scats, but this has really been bugging me).

I've read that some people can keep Amazon swords, java ferns, or wisteria in brackish water environments, but when I did some research on them, I found that their pH tolerance is only up to 7.5. I have a buffer that keeps my tank at/around an 8.3. My tank salinity stays between 1.01 and 1.012. Are there any live plants that I can put in directly or adapt to this salinity?

Thanks *laughingc

 

[SoulFish]

wouldnt suggest scats for a 30gal, scats can get quite big and would easily outgrow a 30, about hte plants thats a pretty big range, most the plants youll find at fish stores dont tolerate much salt at all, you may have luck at online sellers selling actual brackish plants instead of freshwater plants that can live in freshwater

 

[madhippoz]

From what I've read, the only real way to have freshwater plants in brackish (Amazon Swords for example) is to start your tank out freshwater, let the plant establish itself and start new growth, and then slowly move the tank to Brackish. If you put the plant in brackish to begin with, it will be ok for a while, but will just slowly die. Adamj had a large Java fern or Amazon sword in his tank, perhaps he can let us know how its doing.

Otherwise I'd go with Soulfish's idea. Try at the very least to find a plant to order online that has at least been acclimated to brackish already. Me personally I just have a wack load of plastic plants, driftwood and rock in my 77gal Brackish.

 

[freeqgOd]

I have red mangroves, Java fern, anubias and onion plant in mine. They grow ok but it is slowed by the salt also my fish like to eat them but I have had them for about 8 months

 

[luvmygobies]

freeqg0d-

Are you able to submerge your mangroves? I've been trying to research them, but I've only seen them being used in mud sumps.

 

[freeqgOd]

I just have the bottom half in the water. The roots Will eventually hit the bottom they are starting to make a pretty cool looking back ground and the fish like to swim between them. I just lined the back part of my tank with them where the filter cut out in the hood is. If you are going to get some I suggest check ebay.