# Live plant for axolotl tank



## Nade8285 (Jul 10, 2011)

Hi guys, I'm currently researching and reading up on keeping an axolotl, I'm exploring the requirements for housing, and I've read that having a live plant in the tank can help with filtering nitrate's etc, can anyone advice what would be the best plant to get as I don't have any knowledge of aquarium plants thanks


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Nade8285 said:


> Hi guys, I'm currently researching and reading up on keeping an axolotl, I'm exploring the requirements for housing, and I've read that having a live plant in the tank can help with filtering nitrate's etc, can anyone advice what would be the best plant to get as I don't have any knowledge of aquarium plants thanks


Bearing in mind that axolotls aren't keen on intense light, this might help: http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/862648-hardy-very-low-light-live.html


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Marimo balls. Low light, consume nitrates etc nicely AND they don't root so wont object to been used as footballs by fun loving axies. lol

Ade


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## Nade8285 (Jul 10, 2011)

Thanks guys, i like the sound of the marimo balls, gonna sound really thick here lol but do i just buy them, pop them in my tank and job done?, plus Java moss?, is that rooted then?, as i said before not very knowledgable on plants etc, the simpler the better really, thanks :2thumb:


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Java moss roots itself to rocks or bogwood- you can help it along by tying it with cotton :2thumb:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Yup, you literally just drop the balls in. It's a special type of algae that grows in the form of balls, you do need to keep turning them though else they lose shape, but I'd bet your axie will happily roll them around for you.

If you want moss on wood or stones, I'd recommend buying it ready attached. It's cheaper to buy it and just tie it on yourself, but I can't picture an axie leaving it alone long enough for it to attach itself. 

Ade


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Wolfenrook said:


> Yup, you literally just drop the balls in. It's a special type of algae that grows in the form of balls, you do need to keep turning them though else they lose shape, but I'd bet your axie will happily roll them around for you.
> 
> *If you want moss on wood or stones, I'd recommend buying it ready attached. It's cheaper to buy it and just tie it on yourself, but I can't picture an axie leaving it alone long enough for it to attach itself. *
> 
> Ade


A good point.

EDIT: Or, you could start it off in a separate container of water till it gets going.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Or even a bowl with a tight fitting lid Ron. It actually grows faster grown out of water like this, and just kept wet. The one down side with that is that it goes brown when you first put it under water, before growing back. However given as a lot of the moss sold commercially has been grown terrestrially anyway, I find it often dies back anyway.

If you do want to use this method, the moss goes a lot further. Pop a stone or piece of wood in a transparent bowl with a tiny bit of water in the bottom. Chop your moss up into little bits and springle this over the stone or wood. Give it a good spray and place a transparent and tight fitting lid on top. Pop the bowl somewhere like a window, keep the moss moist by spraying it regularly.

You can use the same method to cover coconut huts.

Ade


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