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I've just upgraded to an 80 Gallon tank and was hoping for some ideas how to decorate it! I'm wanting to know some plants that are eddable and just good to have in tanks for O2 and cleaning. Please only list those that our comman at Pet Stores since I can't order any online!


Thanks for your time!

I'll assume you don't have a gravel bed. You can get Anachris, but I haven't found any planted ones. I've only seen them sold in buddles that have already been cut from the root. I have an Anubias Nana which is pretty cool since you can attach it to a rock, instead of planting it, and it's really hardy.

You can use any that are found in the food list. Most any water plant found in a pet store is ok to put in the tank. Just be warned, they may eat them or just uproot them. After all to them they are on the food chain.

I buy bunches of anachris, separate the stalks, clean/rinse them well and keep them in clean water in a five-gallon tank to feed to the turts as part of their diet. Anachris is an oxygenator and will root fairly quickly in the water given the right conditions. I've been told it roots even more quickly if its "planted" in the tank. (I've never tried this, though--the turts would just pull it up.)

Try to get aquatic plants at a garden shop that caters to people who have ponds. Don't know about where you are, but here, with fall approaching , they often have sales to get rid of their aquatic plants (they just have to throw them out otherwise).

Marisa--does the anachris sprout regularly then if I keep it in a seperate tank? Like once a month?

Thanks for the advice everyone!

You can use gravel rocks to cover the bottom. Then I also have a fake wooden log too.

Well you don't want to put gravel on the bottom, the covering has to be larger than the turtles head..

My anacharis sprouts .. well the stuff in the fish tank, the turtles devour anything in theirs.

That's what I meant by gravel rocks, those garden rocks.

So I'm confused, I shouldn't plant it in the turtles tank? My guess is they will just rip it out b/c they did that with another plant. Or should I just try rooting it deeper?

Or do you think it is just better to keep the plants planted in a 5 gallon and pick the leaves for them to eat and drop them in the turt tank?

Well I bought a bunch of plants to put in the tank.. thought I'd be able to actually "plant" them. Well the turtles had other plans, they ripped out every stinking one.. or trimmed them to nubs and they ended up just floating on the top or getting stuck in the filter. I use to keep a container just for plants but that didn't quite work out either but I know it has for others. So it depends on what your purpose for the plants are.. to be eat or as decoration. My experience is.. anything in the tank, fish/plants they will EAT!!!

Now I have three good sized wood chunks, some large decrative rocks and some fake plants.

My purpose if for them to have nutrional value from the plants. But I do want the plants to stay grounded so they can resprout so I don't have to keep buying plants. I guess I will just grow some in a seperate tank then do a harvest!

Turtlelbot, the anachris will grow roots if you keep it in a separate tank. It will sprout faster if it's rooted down (this is what I'm doing). If you root it in the tank with the turtles, they'll just pull it up and make a mess. So, it's better to keep it in a separate tank and just feed it to them a little at a time (let it float). Keep the water clean, and try to have some water circulation in the tank you're growing the plants in.

Marisa--would a 5 gallong be alright with a small filter? It may be kinda packed. Or I could try putting it in my other fish tank (hopefully those fish won't harass it either, though!)

Depends on how many stalks you want to try to root. They need some room. I've got a ten gallon tank and am planning to add some sort of filter for circulation. Anachris likes light. I'm using pea gravel to hold the stalks down.