Growing Elodea (Egeria Densa) In The Aquarium

This species comes from tropical and subtropical parts in Central and South Americas. Its natural habitats are standing and slow-moving reservoirs where it grows at their bottom. It also freely floats on the water surface.

This plant has long, rooted stem with fine, sessile, gently bended leaves. This species has more leaves and it is more dense compared to Elodea canadensis. Its root system are only used for attached of the plant to the substrate/bottom. They aren't used for gathered nutrients.

This is undemanding plant and it is very beneficial species in aquarium. It secretes lot of oxygen and compounds that can inhibit the growth of some algae (e.g. cyanobacteria). It also takes lot of minerals, nutrients and nitrogen compounds from water what protect our tank before algae attack. The plant loses its colour and bottom leaves, its stem is less resilient when it doesn't have enough light or water is too acidic. This species is gnawing by herbivorous fish.

We should plant it at the back of the aquarium in groups of several pieces at distance of 5 centimeters between seedlings.

This is spermatophyte plant but in aquarium we reproduce it vegetatively – by seedlings from cut stems.