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Hello! I am considering to buy a water plant to add more decoration to the tank and to give the turtle something to munch on. I'm considering to purchase the anarchis plant, and I was wondering if these plants require like gravel or rocks to stay put or do they come in pots or something? Can they be kept on a bare tank floor? Also, does the water need to be deep enough for the entire plant to be covered in water or can the plant stick our of the water? Thanks!

You'll most likely buy them in bunches, maybe 4-6 stalks tied together. I take them apart and keep them in a separate tank of water and give my turtles some as part of their overall diet. They'll float in the water, and you'll want the water deep enough to cover the plant. You can plant them (I was recently told they'd root faster that way), but chances are your turtle will dig them up. If your turtle takes a liking to them (most do) he'll probably rip them apart--they can be messy and can clog a filter fairly quickly.

You could also try plants like water lettuce and water hyacinth which float on top of the water, but they'll likely get torn up as well.

oh, so if i were to plant them, do i put the roots under gravel or something? and how long do the plants usually last?

yes put the roots in the gravel..

Plants in my tank??? 10 minutes... and probably not that long...

thanks, and finally, how long are the plants?

The size of the stalks can vary. The ones I buy are from a gardening center and the stalks are usually about 8-10 inches long. They're kept in a large trough of cold water; I always insist on picking the bunches myself so I can get the biggest, healthiest looking ones.

Try to get clean, fresh-looking ones (I once got some from a Petsmart and my turtle wouldn't touch them--the only time he's ever done that).