Neptun
Elodea canadensis bushy-leaved is native to South America. It grows in standing and slow-flowing waters. The plant is unpretentious. Withstands a wide range of temperatures. undemanding to hardness and light. Can be kept in both cold-water and tropical aquariums.
Latin: Elodea densa
Elodea canadensis description
The plant is a long thin stem with four to seven leaf whorls spaced equidistantly from each other. Her leaves of E. canadensis have a lanceolate shape, slightly bent downward. The length of the leaves is about two centimeters. The width is from three to five millimeters. In the center, the leaves have a single vein. The roots are thread-like. The plant is dicotyledonous, the flowers are small on a long pedicel. Flowers bloom only after reaching the surface of the water. In aquarium conditions, it rarely blooms.
Elodea canadensis water plague
The ability to reproduce and rapid growth in representatives of the watercress family is colossal. It is enough the smallest piece of stem that after some time in the reservoir one of the main plants was elodea dense-leaved. So elodea Canadian, a native of North America, is able to fill any body of water in the shortest possible time. At the same time, it grows so much that it interferes with fishing, navigation and displaces other plants natural to the region from the biotopes.
This is why Elodea canadensis got its other ominous name – “water plague”. Being accidentally brought to Europe at the end of the nineteenth century, it took root in our water bodies and spread very quickly. Some works show the possibility of using E. canadensis as a fodder for commercial fish and some animals. There were also attempts to use it as a sideral fertilizer. But in most parts of our planet it is considered and is a weed. This is such an example of “biological danger” with thoughtless attitude to nature.
Aquarium keeping
In aquariums, however, it is more common to find E. big-leaved and E. curcas. These plants can withstand higher temperatures (15-25 ° C) and are more suitable for keeping in indoor ponds. Elodea canadensis is not demanding for lighting. Water reaction pH 6.0-8.0. Hardness 8-20 °. Due to its unpretentiousness Elodea thick-leaved can be used to decorate both tropical and cold-water aquariums.
Very quickly form an emerald network in the aquarium. You will have to thin the thickets often. Still, this plant can be recommended to both beginners and experienced aquarists. With good lighting Elodea densa is able to saturate the water well with oxygen. And its original appearance gives the aquarium even a certain extravagance.
This plant is also remarkable for the fact that the cells of Elodea bushy-leaved can be seen in an ordinary microscope. But the most interesting thing is that in the same ordinary microscope you can see the movement of protoplasm in the cell.
This is the kind of amazing plant – elodea canadensis inhabits almost any aquarium.
