Anacharis – The Complete Care Guide for the Aquatic Plant

Plants are not only part of the decoration in a fish tank, but they also play several roles like providing oxygen to the water species, making a hiding place for the fish, and providing shelter with an eco-friendly ambiance. Therefore, fish-enthusiasts keep a minimum of two or three plants in an aquarium, and among them, Anacharis is one of the best slender-leafed plants to be placed in a fish tank.

You will never find it difficult to keep this beginner-friendly Brazilian plant in your fish tank because it is easy-to-care and hardy with moderate maintenance. Let’s discuss the things we need to know about this plant before choosing it for your fish tank.

Quick Details about Anacharis

Have a look at the quick information about this aquatic plant which will give a petite idea about its background:

Scientific name	Elodea
Family	Hydrocharitaceae
Plant Size	2″ (5 cm)
Tank size	5 gallons
Growth Rate	High
Care Level	Easy
Lighting	Moderate
Water Conditions	60-80°F (15-20 °C), KH 3-8, pH 6.5-7.5

Overview

You may also call Anacharis by other names such as Brazilian Waterweed, Brazilian Elodea and Egeria. This dark-green plant is perennial and found in lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. During the summer season, this plant floats on the surface to soak up the sun and at night Anacharis sink and rest. Moreover, in warm weather, it grows above the water.

After breeding these plants, aquarists have found that these herbs are deep-rooted and adaptable to different ranges of water conditions. So, it is easy to keep this aquatic plant in your aquarium. While placing it in an aquarium of your home and office, try to buy a healthy-looking plant with long stems to place it in your aquarium. You will find this plant just in $3, but the range varies in different places.

Origin of Anacharis

Native to Uruguay, Argentina, and Southeast Brazil, Anacharis is also a famous freshwater plant found in the streams of South and North America. After the name of an old scientist, Anacharis was kept by the Brazilians. It was also called ‘Waterweeds’ after the term was coined by the people of Native America during 1803.

Anacharis Appearance

This attractive tropical water plant has a long green stem and small dark-green leaves covering the entire length of the plant. The color of the plant depends on the water condition from light green to dark green. The stem of this plant can grow 3mm thick in wild, but while captivated in a fish tank, it grows up to 2-5 mm thick in width.

You will find whorl of 3-6 leaves in each node of the plant, and the leaves are either circular or oval in shape. Also, a dense cluster of leaves is found at the end of each branch. The stem-base grows delicately with white stringy roots. Moreover, in the summer season, you will find a beautiful white flower with three petals that float or rises above the water level.

How to Plant Anacharis in Fish Tank

This Brazilian Waterweed is the best plant to be propagated by the beginners because as a novice you may have petite ideas on planting Anacharis in an aquarium, and to breed this plant, you just need to follow a few simple steps:

Find good soil and spread it with the help of a PVC pipe. If the soil has good minerals then there will be no problem in the growth of the plant, whether you bury seeds of Anacharis or place a plant-stem directly on the substrate. But avoid using nutrient-rich soil to plant Anacharis because it has a tendency to grow and spread widely. Too much of herbs in the tank will make the fish home over-crowded.

You may find these plants from the river or you can also purchase a bundle of Anacharis from the market. After cutting the rubber band, separate the bundles and plant it in your aquarium.

Never plant Anacharis at the side or middle of the aquarium because it will make the appearance of the tank clumsy and crowdy. Placing the plant at the background will give a beauty to the home of your pet fish, and moreover, the water species will really feel satisfied if all the objects in the aquarium are in the right place.

A good amount of light is needed for Brazilian Waterweed, otherwise, the plant may get damaged or die. But too much of light is also not good because it will result in algae problem. So, try to provide 2-4 watts of light per gallon (3.8 liters) of water for five hours a day.

How to Take Care of Anacharis

Yes, it is an easy-to-care plant, still, you need to follow some basics to look after the upkeeping and nourishment of the plant for its proper growth and healthy roots. Whether the plant is floating or planted, you must follow some important care guides to maintain the growth and wellbeing of the plant.

You need to fulfill the tank requirements for the comfort of this Brazilian plant but you also need to upkeep the plant after burying it to the soil of the aquarium. Take a short look at some care tips:

• Keep the plant under the sunlight for five hours a day for good growth.
• Always trim down the dead leaves and dead flowers of Anacharis for proper growth and cleanliness of the fish tank.
• Prevent discoloration of the leaves by changing the water twice a week, and maintaining cleanliness in the tank.
• Clean the dirt and wipe down the algae from the leaves of Anacharis with a clean cloth.
• You can put sand and gravel along with the soil substrate at the bottom of the aquarium.
• Cleaning the tank will prevent the Anacharis from getting infected and ill.
• Check the temperature, hardness, and pH level of the water before you keep the plant.
• Fix a good filtration to refine the dirt from the aquarium.
• You can also use two liquids as the foods and plant remedies for the different diseases of the plants. Buy Trust Basket Concentrated All-Purpose Organic Plant Nutrient and Aquatic Remedies Plant for both purposes.  
  

Tank Requirements for Anacharis

This hardy and resistant plant are capable to thrive at different temperatures in freshwater. They are comfortable in tropical tanks and a few requirements can help them grow steadily, which are as follows:

Tank Size

Minimum a 5-gallon aquarium is required for Java Fern plant because it does not need much space to grow.

Lighting

As a freshwater plant, Anacharis just needs moderate lighting, which will help it in growing longer, and this will also help in getting light energy.

Filter

No special type of filter is required for the tank of Anacharis. Just arrange a normal filtration system that will help in refining the water of the tank.

Water Type for Anacharis

It is also necessary to maintain the water temperature of the tank for the growth of the herbs. So, follow the necessary requirements for Anacharis.

Temperature

The water temperature of Anacharis tank should be 72°F (22 °C). They can also survive in a low temperature of 60°F (15 °C).

Hardness

The hardness of the water should be 3-8 dKH.

pH Level

The pH level should be 6.5-7.5.

Replacement

While changing the water in the tank, remember that you should not change entire water. Try to change 15% water in a week and 25% water in a month to maintain the hygiene.

Anacharis Reproduction and Propagation

For propagating Anacharis, make cuttings from the mother plant’s stem and then insert it into the substrate. Try to make the cutting of the stem 8-inch long and make the cutting smaller because it will help the plants get buried easily. After placing the stem, just in a few days, the newly planted cuttings will develop roots that will be self-reliant to the new leaflets.

Anacharis also have the ability to reproduce sexually with flowers that float above the surface of the water, and with the help of the pollination process through flowers.

Benefits of Planting Anacharis in Aquarium

All plants have some benefits while planting in a fish tank, and there are some advantages of keeping Anacharis as follows:

• It grows densely, so it provides shelter and an ideal hiding place for shy, peaceful, newborn, and isolation-loving fish.
• Anacharis provide some fish like Plecos to lay their eggs on the leaves.
• This plant is the best diet for Apple Snails, Goldfish, and Cichlids.
• It is an algae-preventer, and also absorbs lots of dirt from water by secreting a substance that helps in averting blue-green algae.
• This plant also acts as a filter to hold and catch debris that floats around the fish tank.
  

Suitable Tankmates and Compatibility for Anacharis

While planting a tree in a fish tank, you need to know about the compatible companions or tankmates of the aquatic plant. Let’s know the same about Anacharis.

Compatibility

Some plants similar to Anacharis that are suitable to keep with Anacharis are:

• Coontail
• Vallisneria

Tankmates

Some fish and other water creatures in the aquarium are comfortable to stay with Anacharis because they love to live in such an ecosystem such as:

• Betta Fish
• Goldfish
• Small Turtles

Know about More Plants You Can Place in Your Fish Tank

Along with Anacharis, there are several plants you can include in your aquarium. So, if you want to know about those plants then study on these topics: