Would an all ludwigia tank be weird?

[Lady Hobbs]

This stuff grows like a bad weed, which I think it is anyway. I started with 6 stems of this stuff and it's now in 2-55 gallons, been cut off numerous times, given away, sold ...... My last cutting was July 2 and today I had to hack another 8 inches off already.

I was sitting here thinking of getting a 29 gallon, planting the whole thing with this stuff and just putting some neons (or cardinals) in for stocking. It's too bushy for larger fish but the little guys might be OK with it.
I was just wondering if this would not look rather weird having a tank full of only one kind of plant.

[Brhino]

I think it would be neat. It'd be very natural looking - in a natural body of water you get large fields of single plant species, not nice little 4'x2' aquascaped garden sections.

[taralm13]

I like the idea of having one kind of plant in a tank...originally that is what I wanted to do (well almost...I wanted different plants that all looked the same but in different sizes...like grass...it didn't work out for me). What kind of ludwigia do you have? I have some of it and if yours looks like mine then I think it would be beautiful to have just that and nothing else. If you do it can you post a pic?

[DrNic]

Sounds like a great idea. Just make sure you have enough light. In the past my ludwigs have always required a lot of light to do well. It might also be a good idea to put a sponge over your filter intake as they tend to shed leaves as they grow.

[Lady Hobbs]

Then I will try it! Thanks. All I have to do is rip them back out if I don't like it, huh? I never planned to have so many different species of plants to start with and never planned to have "jungles" that barely gave the fish room to swim.

I have the repens.

[Lady Hobbs]

Sounds like a great idea. Just make sure you have enough light. In the past my ludwigs have always required a lot of light to do well. It might also be a good idea to put a sponge over your filter intake as they tend to shed leaves as they grow.

Strangely, mine shed very few leaves and are full clear to the bottom. I only use a shop light. I did try the peruensis which I really liked but that one did not fair so well under my lights. That one really shed the bottom leaves due to lack of light. I may try that one again just for the kick.

[taralm13]

Oh you have the same as me. I really think it will look nice. And now that I have read your post I know how to make more of them (just so easy as cutting off the top and replanting...who knew!). I hope mine grow as much as yours do someday (I have only had them for a short time). Good luck and I hope you post a pic or two when you are done :)

[SkipW]

(just so easy as cutting off the top and replanting...who knew!)
You can do that with most if not all stem plants. I cut mine around half way and just stick the clipping back in the substrate. I had a small jungle of Anacharis from an original 8 stems. I swear it was growing 4-6 inches a week. Until I nuked all of it with Flourish Excel. Oops! I was looking for something new anyways. (blush)

[Lady Hobbs]

Cutting them back makes for much happier plants and thicker stems, too. Each time you do a cut, that stem then branches out into two stems. I band mine together sometimes and just toss in the tank until I have roots to keep bottom feeders from pulling them up.....(or if I can't find a place for them.)

[Plant Man]

Cutting them back makes for much happier plants and thicker stems, too. Each time you do a cut, that stem then branches out into two stems. I band mine together sometimes and just toss in the tank until I have roots to keep bottom feeders from pulling them up.....(or if I can't find a place for them.)

How about a picture? I'd like to try some differnet Ludwigias myself. Which one do you have. Glandulosa, repens or something else? Glandulosa is very sensitive. I'd like to try Repens or some other, I've heard it is a bit easier?

[Lady Hobbs]

Repens.......very easily and grow like bad boys.

No working camera right now but this is what was cut off in June. Same amount today.

[Rue]

I agree...nothing wrong with only having one species of plant!

[rich311k]

I think it would be a pretty neat tank. I have the plant from LH and it is doing well.

[SunSchein89]

Plenty of ludwigia sp. to try out too. I think it could make for a very interesting "genus tank." Repens seem to be pretty easy to grow, being that the top of the leaves are green and much better at photosynthesizing in lower light than its full red counterparts. Throw in a few nicely picked out piece of wood and you can fill up the front middle and back no problem without any awkward gaps I would think. I'd aim for some blue fish to contrast the colors; I think that would look nice.