live plant tanks

[boydanny]

If I have a 40 gallon aquarium set up with live plants and add a cory catfish will they disturb the plants

 

[dougall]

Depends on the plants, and if they have established decent roots too.

 

[boydanny]

Depends on the plants, and if they have established decent roots too.

What variety of aquatic plants are the best oxygenators

 

[FreshyFresh]

Typically fast growing stem plants would be the most active and produce the most oxygen.

It's not that easy though.. You need the proper equipment and setup for them.

We need to know what type of lighting and substrate you have, plus the level of care you wish to put into the plants/setup.

 

[boydanny]

Typically fast growing stem plants would be the most active and produce the most oxygen.

It's not that easy though.. You need the proper equipment and setup for them.

We need to know what type of lighting and substrate you have, plus the level of care you wish to put into the plants/setup.

I have fluorite substate using daylight florescent light

 

[dougall]

The best would be whatever grows quickly in your environment.

You normally want to be more worried about how much nitrogen they will use rather than oxygen they will produce.. unless you are having problems with gasping fish.

But you can likely add more plants than just ones that oxygenate well... And ones you like.

I have never worried about oxygenating a tank, with plants or with an airstone, or whatever. Your fish may need it.. I generally keep ones that don't.

 

[fishorama]

Only my hillstream loaches & gobies need extra oxygen or water movement. I can grow lots of plants without high light or co2...you can too!

Depending on your lighting, etc, you may well have trouble with many "ground cover" plants. Clovers (marislea sp.) or smaller cyptocorynes may work well. Hairgrass & dwarf baby tears will not IME. A few stems are fairly easy, maybe "too" easy, plan on lots of trimming.

Is you tank a 40g long (48" x 12 x 16" tall) or a "breeder" (36 x 15 x 16?)?