Tricks for Hairgrass

[beetle3211]

Well i really like the look of microsword as a foreground plant but it always seems to get up rooted by the fish and the snails and i have to replant the pieces that float to the top. I was wanting to know if anyone had a tricks to keep the microsword down.

[NoчnoyGostь]

What kind of fish and snails do you have? Mine never touch the hairgrass...

[beetle3211]

Mystery snails, swordtails, danios, siamese algae eaters and chinese algae eater, white gouramis

[beetle3211]

Actually i meant to say microsword not hairgrass my fault.

[NoчnoyGostь]

Microswords do get uprooted once in a while, but for the most part it stays in the substrate in my aquarium. In your case, I'm not sure about gouramis (never had them), but my guess would be that your algae eaters are snaking on the algae that grows on the plants and uproot the plants by accident, in which case there is not much you can do... maybe try a different foreground plant with stronger roots? A smaller algae eater, ottocinclus? Hope I helped.

[Patricia]

I read about this, and will be using it to grow some moss as a carpet plant, but I would think it might work for your grass.

Get a flat plastic grid from the crafts section of your local Walmart or equivalent. Cut out a shape that suits your aquarium set up. Use thin monofilament fishline and tie your grass to it (you might be able to thread the monofilament through a medium sized sewing needle to get it through the grid holes). Once all your grass pieces are in place, smooth the spot in the tank where you want it to go, lay the grid, and cover it with a thin layer of gravel. You might weigh down the edges with rocks or wedge them under other decorations. The grass propagates by runners, and the roots will easily go through the grid. And when you want to rearrange things, you won't need to replant all the grass clumps: just lift the grid and re-set it wherever you want it.

Patricia