Experience with Hydrocotyle (Marsh Penny/Water Pennywort)

Wycco

Wycco

Eat more pine trees
Apr 19, 2009
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Kim Jong Il
Species: Unknown but it's a Hydrocotyle- possibly Hydrocotyle Umbellata.

I'm considering using this plant in my aquarium and curious what people's experience with this are. Most places online seem to suggest high-light requirements- I'm only 2.2wpg. However, I know other plants such as Bacopa and Star grass are frequently recommend for high-ligh but will grow in low or moderate light nicely too.

I take it since this plant can be terrestial as well as aquatic that it is primarily a root feeder?

My main concern is that it will get too big- but since I am doing well propegating it outdoors I'm not opposed to constantly replacing it with smaller samples from my deck periodically.





Background:

A recent lake exploring expedition found this plant when I was looking to see exactly what aquatic plants were growing nearby. I found this plant growing at the waters edge- on shore, partially emmersed, and some completely submerged.

After going through the motions of taking two small samples- bringing it home QTing it and then bleach-treating it I initially decided against putting it in my aquarium at that time due to the fact it looked like it could get quite big.

Instead- I put it in the failed "herb garden" pot on our deck. "Failed" because we forgot to put drainage holes on the bottom and used water-retention beads in the soil... and... ahem... even after many weeks of no rain it stays a perpetual swamp... herbs didn't stand a chance! LOL.

Anyhow- in this swamp on our deck it is thriving... and I mean really thriving. From two tiny samples with just a couple of leaves each I see at least 9 or 10 stems growing from the soil now. This, in maybe 3 weeks. All these new stems are very small still.

I doubt growth in the aquarium will be so great- but I'm tempting to try it and want opinions on best way to grow it.
 
My only experience is with Hydrocotyle leucocephala, brazilian pennywort. Grew well in low light without much additional care, however I have no idea how its cousin would fare in the aquarium.

If it is anything like the brazilian pennywort, it is not a large root feeder. However, I do not think it is terrestrial so that probably would make a difference.

Any chance you can get it to grow emersed? That might increase your success.

Sorry I'm no help...




 
Actually, that is a help. The fact that you grew it successfully in low light means there is increased odds of mine growing in moderate light despite being a different species.

In the lake it WAS growing emersed... Most of it was either growing submerssed just below the surface- or emersed. Right on the banks of the lake it was growing on land... Although- this plant seems to send out long runners- so I can't say with any certainty that the land plants wern't connected to plants in the water. (it's going in a sunken pot if it is going in my aquarium otherwise those runners could become a major pain).

I can certainly try flooding my "swamp" so that they are emersed- it floods every time there is a major rainfall as it is.
 
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umbellata is a pretty common native. ranunculoides is common also, but can be distinguished but a slit in the leaf making it an incomplete circle.

Stuff grows in super thick heavy mats, usually at the margins and the mat will float on the waters edge.
 
247Plants said:
umbellata is a pretty common native. ranunculoides is common also, but can be distinguished but a slit in the leaf making it an incomplete circle.

Stuff grows in super thick heavy mats, usually at the margins and the mat will float on the waters edge.
Click to expand...

Mine does not have the slit... so I think it is the umbellata. By itself it isn't the prettiest plant out there- but I like it for a "curiosity" sake and it will contrast my other plants. The leaves are a very unique shape.

I think I'll need to keep them potted and periodically swap the pot out with a smaller one from my "marsh" as it looks like it has the tendancy to get a little larger than I would perhaps like.
 
Here are a couple of Hydro species. Is it one of them?
 
Wycco said:
Actually, that is a help. The fact that you grew it successfully in low light means there is increased odds of mine growing in moderate light despite being a different species.

In the lake it WAS growing emersed... Most of it was either growing submerssed just below the surface- or emersed. Right on the banks of the lake it was growing on land... Although- this plant seems to send out long runners- so I can't say with any certainty that the land plants wern't connected to plants in the water. (it's going in a sunken pot if it is going in my aquarium otherwise those runners could become a major pain).

I can certainly try flooding my "swamp" so that they are emersed- it floods every time there is a major rainfall as it is.
Click to expand...
Glad I could be of some assistance.

In my case, it's grown well both floating and in the substrate.
 
I planted three small plantlets of about 2 or 3 leaves each in the aquarium this weekend as a test. It actually looks a lot nicer in there than I had even hoped... not sure what it will look like as it gets bigger though.

(still think it is umbellata by the way)



I really like it- completely different to anything else in the tank.

Growing like a weed in my deck-swamp. I'll have to see how well it survives the aquarium- and see how it looks as it grows.

If it does well and continues to look nice as it grows I'll have to share what I'm growing on the deck with other hobbyists on here- Just shipping + tiny extra for the pain involved in packaging, etc.
 
Sure, I can post pics... will have to wait until tonight though.
 
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