No its not riccia. I have some of that and there are no leaves to speak of. Riccia almost looks like a whole bunch of little snow flakes that cling together. And you couldn't plant it in the substrate. Theres no stem!
Why does "grass float"
- Thread starter SuperCar
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Oh ho!
Ah I see what you mean, I didn't see the second pic till just now. WOW thats radically different than the first.
Ah I see what you mean, I didn't see the second pic till just now. WOW thats radically different than the first.
SuperCar - Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (microswords) is what the second picture certainly looks like. However, the first picture tends to remind me of L. mauritiana with the longer shoots. I'm curious if the shoots in the first pciture are round or flat? 
The best thing I've come up with for keeping either of them planted, is a shredded peat or coarse sand substrate, as they don't stay planted well in any sort of gravel. Higher light intensity will also help as the plant will grow shorter and thicker, staying more like "grass".
IME, in picture #2, you can prevent a lot of that algae from growing on the microswords by separating it into clusters of 3-5 shoots when planting. It tends to still the water movement when densely planted and creates an algae happy spot.
The best thing I've come up with for keeping either of them planted, is a shredded peat or coarse sand substrate, as they don't stay planted well in any sort of gravel. Higher light intensity will also help as the plant will grow shorter and thicker, staying more like "grass".
IME, in picture #2, you can prevent a lot of that algae from growing on the microswords by separating it into clusters of 3-5 shoots when planting. It tends to still the water movement when densely planted and creates an algae happy spot.
Looks like hairgrass to me. Java moss does not usually float. Mosses sink. Riccia is not a moss, it's a floating plant
The second pic is lilaeopsis, but the first pic doesn't look much like it.
The second pic is lilaeopsis, but the first pic doesn't look much like it.
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I've found liliopsis rather slowgrowing and shallowrooted.
It's easier to grow in a finer sandy substrate however the problem is often that algae grows on it.
Once it gets rooted and established it sends out plenty of runners but when it gets algaegrowth on it it's impossible to clean off without uprooting.
I have to agree that the first picture looks like a different plant.
It's easier to grow in a finer sandy substrate however the problem is often that algae grows on it.
Once it gets rooted and established it sends out plenty of runners but when it gets algaegrowth on it it's impossible to clean off without uprooting.
I have to agree that the first picture looks like a different plant.
