Help with open top Biotope plant selection

[rbarn]

After much hunting surfing this weekend, I decided to take my
soon to be Discus tank down the "open top biotope" path.


What I'm trying to find are some plants, native to Discus, that
will grow up out of the tank about 1 foot and put on some nice flowers
from time to time.

I've searched bog and pond plants and found some possibilities but
want to see what you guys can show me.


So far found ........... any suggestions ????

Echinodorus grandiflorus

http://www.poecilidi.com/immagini/gio/echinomuricatus.jpg



ECHINODORUS CORDIFOLIUS

http://plants.usda.gov/gallery/large/ecco3_002_lhp.jpg

[ILLUSN]

Grandiflorus gets to well over a meter tall and across it is proably the most unsuitable of the entire sword family for any aquarium (GREAT for a pond though)

discus dont actually live with plants as such, the only native plants you'll find in a discus enviroment are maybe a bit of val and some lower brances of semi submerged trees.

if you want emeresed plants for a discus tank then go for hybrid swords that will tolerate discus temps, both E. cordifolius(spp marble queen) and E.devilseye have done well in my tanks, both will reach a height of over 75cm tall and only 40-60cm across makeing them much more suitable for a fish tank.

Personally if your going open top a little philodendrum in a pot near the top just trailing into the water would look much more like a "biotype" with some fantatic tangled mangrove roots underneath.

if your going open top keep the water atleast 6 inch below the top of the tank as discus jump!

[Heiko Bleher]

Hi,

this is Heiko Bleher and I am very happy to see "open" aquariums, as that is how it is in nature. And I am also happy to choose this Echinodorus sp., as it grows well out of the water and that is also nature. Yes, it is correct that discus do not live with underwater plants, only floating plants in some of their habitats (see my book), but for an decoration, specially background between the driftwood and in the rear, I used Echinodorus grandiforus, E. macrophyllus, etc. large mother plants, also and it is great.

Naturally, as suggested, to place Philodendron on the top of the aquarium, so its roots can grow into the aquarium, is very good (actually some friends I had suggested this years ago have done it to perfection).

So keep up the good work, and all thge best

from a collector

Heiko Bleher
www.aquapress-bleher.com