Bought and threw away floating plant

[KINGMED]

I bought this floating plant from the nearby pet store which I've had many years ago in a guppy tank when I was a kid, the plant was tied together at the bottom and was aprox. 10 to 12 inches in length some was green and some was a little light brown color in spots, there were probably 4-6 long plants in the bundle. Each plant has buds or growths about every half inch or so that kind of remind me of small evergreen needles and when I put the plant in my 55 needles went everywhere. However I was able to pick on out and put in my 29 gallon which is still in there floating around. The only thing on line I could figure out what it could be was a floating hornswort, did I do the wrong thing throwing it out and how could I have kept it from sheeding all over the tank. Also will the piece I kept regrow or can I cut it to produce more?

[xoolooxunny]

hornwort is pretty easy to take care of, but it can fall apart if it doesnt have enough light. Whats your lighting? do you have any other plants?

Once in awhile a variety will get into stores that doesnt do well in warm water either, but this is unlikely, since this is a very adaptable plant.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

low light has nothing to do with Hornwort losing it's leaves. Hornwort will practically grow in the dark. Hornwort loses it's leaves when it is in very soft water. It is native to Lake Malawi and thus is well adapted to hard water. If you don't have enough calcium carbonate it will shed it's leaves.

[KINGMED]

The needles were already coming off at the store and in the bag when I brought it home. The one piece in my 29 hasn't sheeded at all and looks great so I'm thinking my water quality is O.K. Now here is a stupid question?, I through the rest of the plant in the grass last night, it's been raining alot and very wet, do you think my any chance that it'd servive? And if it did how would I get it to shed the rest of the needles and grow it good. Also will this last piece grow larger, or can I cut it to make more?

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Hornwort will grow from any clipping you make of it. You c an cut it into 50 pieces and you will get 50 plants growing. If you already have Hornwort you shouldn't really need to buy more.

[KINGMED]

Awesome, thanks I think I'll do that to the piece in my 29 that's nice and green and doesn't shed. THANKS.