The Wonders of Water Sprite

[hollyfish2000]

Water sprite is such an interesting plant that I wanted to share with you the varieties of what it can look like. It's usually a floating plant, which is how I've been using it since Sam (Avatar) gifted me some a while back. But it got pretty out of control and recently I decided to pull the best rooted specimens from the top and plant them. Sometimes this doesn't work very well. But this time, it's been fabulous. The large leafy plant to the right and the smaller leafy plant in the foreground are both water sprite. In addition, the more definitely fern-like plant in the middle ground toward the left, is also water sprite, in a different leaf pattern that occurs sometimes, for reasons I don't understand. Isn't it cool? (I might add there is no Co2 in this tank either!)

 

[Greengirl]

That is a beautiful picture. You should enter it in the POTM. Sam gave me some water sprite as well, but it needs more time to look as beautiful as yours.

 

[chriscoli]

I also love the aerial leaf form that it produces when you get a big happy bunch floating at the surface.

the only thing I don't like....is when it's unhappy....it breaks apart and fills the tank with messy little baby plants that get stuck everywhere. Good survival strategy for the plant, though.

 

[chriscoli]

Lovely picture Holly!

 

[mchambers]

Sam has told me about growing it in the substrate, but it never grows well in mine. It either becomes uprooted or the plant dies. But I agree that it is a cool plant.

 

[skanda]

Nice setup holly. Are they the same species? They can be really cooler once they start to root. Woould you consider selling a few plantlets?

 

[hollyfish2000]

Aquaboy -- not sure what you mean by same species . . . yes, all three presentations are water sprite. I don't have any to sell right now. I basically pulled out handfuls and threw it away and kept only the plants you see in the soil. I think the key this time was the roots were very long and it was easy to keep the plants down. I, too, have had trouble keeping it growing well in the substrate previously.

Matt -- did you spy one of your Bolivian rams off to the left?

Thank you for the compliments on the photo. next time I'll wait for a fish to swim through and remove the zuccini!!

 

[chriscoli]

I think that although there are some different variants of water sprite, there aren't as many as some people claim (or try to sell). Depending on how it's grown (emersed, floating, rooted, high light, low light, CO2...) it displays different leaf habits. Usually it's all the same plant, just showing off different sides of its personality.

Someone who knows their aquarium plants well may correct me on this, of course...

 

[hollyfish2000]

Yes, Chris. Exactly. That was what I was trying to illustrate with the photo. All came from the same batch of plants from Sam and each can look different. This happens also when floating, not just when planted. Super interesting . . . But, yeah, can be messy with little plantlets floating all over the place!

 

[mchambers]

Yes, Holly, I loved seeing the Bolivian ram!

 

[Andrewtfw]

The tank looks great! When I first got into planted tanks, I had a 55 with DIY CO2 (3 bottles), and was growing water sprite. I found the sprite that was planted into the substrate (flourite), grew stalky with very narrow leaves, whereas that which I floated on the surface grew thick and dense. I have since tried to grow it again and (as Chris noted), it was unhappy and broke apart.

 

[Avatar]

No honest person sells water sprite

Woould you consider selling a few plantlets?

Will gladly give you some at the next meeting - it's prolific enough that I'm required to throw away handfuls nearly every week.

 

[skanda]

Thanks Sam! I will find you on Saturday at the meeting.

Take Care
S

 

[Jeff721]

There are two "types" of water sprite, the general type - more delicate looking lacey leaves; and the "oak leaf" type which as its name implies has a oak leaf shape. A lot of people get water sprite and water wisteria (h. difformis) confused and use the name interchangeably which adds to the confusion.

IME when planted it grows best in a spot with a lot of light penetration (not necessarily high light, just not shaded) and nutrient rich soil. Otherwise, you'll have to grow it floating or you'll notice the stems rotting. Wisteria grows better in low-light than water sprite. It's a funny plant though, when you do nothing and pay no attention it grows fine, when you start dosing, co2, and messing with lights it gets finicky.

 

[Avatar]

Verdant is good

There are two "types" of water sprite, the general type - more delicate looking lacey leaves; and the "oak leaf" type which as its name implies has a oak leaf shape. A lot of people get water sprite and water wisteria (h. difformis) confused and use the name interchangeably which adds to the confusion.

IME when planted it grows best in a spot with a lot of light penetration (not necessarily high light, just not shaded) and nutrient rich soil. Otherwise, you'll have to grow it floating or you'll notice the stems rotting. Wisteria grows better in low-light than water sprite. It's a funny plant though, when you do nothing and pay no attention it grows fine, when you start dosing, co2, and messing with lights it gets finicky.

I find Wisteria to be more attractive but far less forgiving as well as only really useful/prosperous when rooted. IME water sprite thrives when floating under low to moderate light, and only does well when rooted under strong light, but then I use zip in the way of nutrients/mineral supplements. In shallow tanks like 20Ls and 33s it does very well rooted without any help because the light is intense but tends to struggle (or perish) in deeper tanks like 55s unless and often even if they are very strongly illuminated. What I find to be really cool is when a single floating plant achieves a spread of 12"-18"+ with 1/4" stems and a truly massive (junior basketball) sized filamentous root wad dangling underneath. Have/had a couple such plants that were/are 2+ years old and by pinching off the old leaves as they yellow or begin producing plantlets have found that they just keep going. If anyone else wants a few starter plants sing out and you can catch me at the meeting.

 

[HermsTheWord]

Plantlets for me, please!

Sam, I'll take you up on your offer for a few plantlets. I'll find you at Saturday's meeting. Thanks!

 

[Avatar]

You're covered

And I can do you far better than "a few plantlets".

 

[golsama]

Sam, I would love a few plants if you would be so generous.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Avatar]

Come on

Do I ever say no? And you have such a divine first name as well.