Today, it is possible to beautifully decorate an aquarium with the inhabitants of the aquatic world with the help of many plants. Among the huge assortment, kabomba deserves special attention - an aquarium culture, presented in a large species diversity.
Description
Ferns, mosses, algae, as well as other aquarium plants are actively used to decorate reservoirs with and without aquatic inhabitants. However, kabomba - a plant with dense branches covered with thin, thread-like leaves, which make it similar to needles - is no less popular for such purposes. Such a culture can have a variety of colors ranging from the usual shades of green to bright red options.
The aquarium plant is attractive not only for its shoots and leaves, but also for its ability to bloom, so that the underwater "Christmas tree" becomes even more beautiful, acquiring a festive look.
Kabomba belongs to the Kabombov family of the same name. It is believed that the origins of the plant go to the countries of South America, Brazil and Guiana.
Culture, unlike mosses, has a creeping root system, creeping stems that first stretch straight up, but then fall to the bottom under their weight and begin to branch. The leaves grow opposite, they do not have stipules, the young foliage may have a pale pink or raspberry color, later it turns green. They usually gather in whorls of 3-4 pieces.
As for the form, the leaves can be solid or with a heart-shaped base, the surface is smooth and shiny. Flowers are formed on the sepals, grow individually, on a long stalk.They can bloom both in water and under water. The flowering phase falls in the first months of spring. When kept in aquariums, the culture grows and develops well without human intervention.
Kabomba is called a truly marsh grass, even when a crop reaches the surface of the water with its shoots, it will not leave it, since the stem must always be in the aquatic environment.
And on the surface floating leaves may form, separately resembling water lilies.
In addition to its main decorative function, a kombomb in tanks with aquatic inhabitants is capable of performing several more equally significant tasks.
- First of all, this concerns the ability of the plant to activate vital metabolic processes in the aquatic environment. Culture in the phase of its growth and development absorbs nitrates and other harmful compounds, acting as a natural filter in the aquarium.
- Kabomba becomes a full-fledged shelter for many small fish or crustaceans.
- In addition, spawning, an important process for the aquatic fauna, can occur in the plant itself. In light of which it performs a very important function for the aquarist and aquatic inhabitants.
In general, during aquarium breeding, kabomba does not stand out due to any incompatibility with other similar aquatic cultures, but in light of the fact that it grows rather quickly in tanks, it can simultaneously inhibit and absorb nearby plants.
It is this fact that warns against planting grass in the vicinity of especially sensitive varieties of aquarium flora.
In addition to vegetation, there are recommendations for the joint maintenance of aquatic life and flowering culture. So, too active decorative fish can harm the leaves of the culture, causing their movement to premature fall. Despite its unpretentiousness and endurance, kombomba is very sensitive to mechanical damage, so it should be bred in aquariums with calm and medium-sized inhabitants.
Varieties
Today there are a huge number of varieties of this aquarium culture. It is worth noting the particularly popular types of cabomba.
Karolinskaya
A culture with a long erect stem. Her leaves will be painted green, their width usually does not exceed 5 centimeters. The plant blooms with yellow airy flowers. This species is commonly used for rooting in the background in a group composition.
For the cabomba, the length of daylight is important, which should be at least 8 hours. Optimum lighting performance will be devices with a capacity of 50 Lm / l.
The plant should be protected from contact with direct sunlight. Kabombu is contained in water, the temperature of which will be + 22.27 ° C with an acidity of 6 pH. It will be possible to propagate the species by cuttings.
Water
From the creeping rhizome, the formation of culture stems occurs. The plant stands out among the other representatives of the family with a fan-shaped leaf shape. The color of vegetation can vary from light green to scarlet.
This version of the aquarium culture is suitable for rooting in the middle of the tank, and it is propagated by cuttings.
For proper development of water kabombe you will need liquid with a temperature not lower than + 24 ° C at a tank illumination level in the range of 50-70 Lm / l, as well as rigidity at 6 pH.
Forked
Among the available varieties, it is this species that is considered the most attractive. The leaf plate of the culture is usually colored red-yellow, with the petals at the corolla being purple with yellow spots at the base. The culture grows in aquariums up to 40 centimeters, suitable for placement in the tank in the background. Contained at a lighting level in the range from 0.7 to 1 W / l at a temperature of + 24 ° C. In order for the plant to develop properly, it will need fertilizing in the form of micronutrients.
Spiral leaf
The foliage of the culture has a characteristic silver tint, the similarity with the needles in the described species is special, since each leaf has a dissection.
Aquarium culture reaches a height of about 25-30 centimeters. It is usually rooted on the back of aquariums.
For the cabomba to please its attractiveness, it will need to provide a 12-hour light day, as well as a water temperature of at least + 24 ° C.
The most beautiful
The stems of the plant are not prone to strong branching, shoots have a reddish color. When the kombomba reaches the water surface in its height, floating foliage will form on it, located in the opposite form. Foliage of a culture develops with a petiole; its color can vary from reddish to green.
The shape of the leaves is whole, as a rule, their size does not exceed 4 centimeters.
This look looks very beautiful in group plantings, it is best to plant it near the back wall. To maintain the culture, it is not necessary to create any unique conditions - the only requirement is its protection against direct sunlight.
Growing conditions
The plant continues its growth and development throughout the year, as a whole, underwater conditions, the underwater “herringbone” will be undemanding. To ensure the comfortable coexistence of such a plant with aquatic inhabitants, it is worth maintaining the water temperature in the range from + 18 ° C to + 28 ° C.
As for acidity, the optimal indicator should be in the range of 6-8 pH. But if it is impossible to provide such an environment for cabomba due to certain conditions, it will be possible to accustom it to a harsher fluid, but then you should be prepared for the fact that the culture will grow much more slowly, in addition, the needle leaves will also be smaller in length .
Like other aquatic inhabitants, a variety of ailments can occur in a plant. If we neglect the purity of the water in the aquarium, various particles of garbage will settle in the muddy tank on the cabin, so the attractiveness of the decorative culture will suffer significantly.
Water change in the tank should be carried out regularly, and old leaves of the culture must be removed. In all its glory, a cabomba can appear in glass tanks only if it provides good lighting. To determine that she lacks light, it is possible by the elongated structure, as well as the faded color of the stems and leaves, they can even turn yellow. In order for the culture to grow well and correctly, the lighting must be combined, that is, natural and artificial light must enter the aquarium, but without direct ultraviolet rays, especially in the midday hours.
Typically, aquarists use fluorescent lamps in tanks with a cabomb, the power of which will vary from 0.4-0.5 W / l with continuous operation of at least 8-12 hours per day.
Since the decorative culture has a developed root system, it will need to provide nutritious soil in the aquarium. So that the tender roots are well strengthened, it is best to use pebbles or fine sand as a substrate for the bottom. If the raw materials are large, creeping roots will develop many times worse.
The culture will not need additional feeding, since it is able to obtain the missing substances from fresh water and feed, which will be fed by the inhabitants of home aquariums.
In winter, old shoots can rot at the cabin, which after separation usually floats to the surface.
However, there is no need to remove them from the tank, some should remain on the surface until spring arrives. In this period, leaf sinuses and young roots begin to develop on them, if you separate such a part from the shoot, and then root it at the bottom, you can easily get a new decorative culture.
How to plant?
In general, planting a plant will not cause any difficulties even for an inexperienced aquarist.To decorate your tank with a cabomb, you just need to place a bush in a substrate at the bottom, additionally ramming the soil.
In order to stimulate the new culture to growth, it is worth trimming the top of the algae, so the shoots of the new plant will be much bushier.
Excessive deepening in the soil should be avoided, since such planting options can lead to decay of the root system. To fix the kabomba in a new place, it can be pressed with a decorative stone or snag from the aquarium for a while.
Breeding
In closed reservoirs, an ornamental plant is usually propagated by cuttings of the main stem or rhizome. If only the stem is cut off, at least small roots should be present on it. If you root such a bush in a selected place, it will quickly begin to increase in size.
In addition, kabomba can be propagated using stems with several whorls of leaves. However, this option will not allow you to get a new decorative culture very quickly. For beginner aquarists who want to independently obtain a new ornamental plant, it is recommended to use the lower part with small roots or the apical cuttings as cuttings. As practice shows, the intermediate parts take root very slowly and not always successfully.
About the types of cabomba see below.
