Featured Questions below.

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M M Natures Landscapes Plants for the Home Aquarium Waterscapes Plants. Freshwater Plants Any serious aquarist and any competent book will tell you that the best way to ensure a proper balance in the aquarium is through the use of live plants. A well selected, properly planted and cared for, selection of plants will both beautify the aquarium and increase the aquarist's enjoyment of the hobby. The various shapes are textures of the plants add interest to the aquarium. There are limitations, of course, for instance, you would not want to plant an African Cichlid aquarium, but for the average aquarist with a community aquarium, there is no better way. After all, the aquarist won't be happy until his fish are happy and the fish won't be happy until they feel at home. Question..........First off... thanks for all the great advice. Your a real asset to the fish loving community! I'm having a problem identifying an organism living in my 10 gal. tropical freshwater tank. It is a fairly new tank, heavily planted with four apple snails (I love the way they 'cruise' along), several random snails (hitchhikers from plants that I allowed to remain), and four baby guppies (rescued from mom and dad in a larger tank). Tonight I found something strange "inching" along the bottom of the tank. It's about an inch and a half in length, thin, brownish in color, and moves by stretching out, attaching that end, bringing itself into an arch, attaching and then moves its front forward again. My boyfriend said it looked leach-like, I think it's wormy in nature... do you have any idea what might be lurching itself around my aquarium? I'm still fairly new and identifying things is definitely still beyond me. Thanks for any insight you may be able to provide... Sandi Answer..........Sandi....I think what you are seeing is a leach. They are not commonly found in aquariums over the winter and more common in the summer. They also can come in with plants especially if the plants in your tank were grown outdoors. Sometimes leaches will attach to fish, so make sure to check your fish over well. If you see this creature again you may be best to remove him as he may try to attach to fish. "The Aquarium Doctor" Java Fern If you' ve had trouble growing aquatic plants, you can grow Java Fern. This a beautiful medium to dark green color,with forms ranging from bushy to leafy spikes. You can have what experts call a "beautiful" and "decorative" aquarium plant.

MM Question.......Hi, I am setting up a 75 gallon aquarium this weekend for some Tanganyika cichlids. Do you know if there are any types of live plants I can put in with them, what the approx. cost might be, best way to take care of them (I have had terrible luck with live plants in the past), and where I might be able to find them in a hurry??? (We have terrible shops in Grand Rapids). Your quick help would be greatly appreciated..... Thanks,   Don Gemb Answer........ Don....I know of two varieties of plants that would do well with Tanganikan Cichlids. I would recommend either any Anubias species or Crinum Bulbs. Both plants are made up of a very rigid cellulose structure. Anubias plants are fairly expensive and can be well over ten dollars for a nice plant. Crinum bulbs however are not very expensive. They are long slender grass like leaves that grow from a bulb that looks much like an onion bulb. Hopefully you will also be able to find such plants . "The Aquarium Doctor" Question......I have been trying to grow plants in my tank, but they rot away. I had them in a ten gallon tank for a while, but now I  have a 20 gallon tank which is fresh water. I don't have much choice on the water I use and I have been using my tap water which has a ph of 9.  I have used 3oz.s of ph down and there has been no affect. I think there is a chemical in my water preventing the change of the ph. If you suggest removing the ammonia, how do I remove it chemically. I don't want any ammonia in my tank Thank You Answer: It sounds like you have well water. I would have it analyzed. You probably need and a reverse osmosis filter. "The Aquarium Doctor" Question............Dear Aquarium Doctor, what exactly does the plecostomus(?) eat? Are they algae eaters, or bottom feeders, or both? Scott Rinehart Answer.........Scott....Plecostomus are primarily an algae eating fish. Although they will eat other things besides algae alone. They will suck flakes off the bottom at times or work a piece of larger food like krill. Also plecostomus can make quick work of certain plants like swordplants and many other finer plants. I have however kept plecostomus in planted tanks and they never even took interest in anything but algae. "The Aquarium Doctor" M Andre's Aquarium Club Opinions expressed are based on personal 55 years of experiences and knowledge that gained through books and practical application.

Received from the diver himself

Dale Barger, member

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