Invertebrate aquarium plants

Plants in shrimp aquarium

Beautifully planted green aquariums (possibly even with red accents) - who wouldn't like them? Often you can see shrimps in such tanks. However, if you compare these pictures with those of shrimp biotopes in nature, you will quickly notice that something does not match. In the biotope shrimps seem to prefer plantless sections. Especially in bee or tiger shr imp habitats, there are no things of plant origin at all except for a layer of foliage on the bottom, usually you won't even find algae or mosses there. Even in extremely sparsely planted breeding tanks shrimp do not seem to feel uncomfortable, on the contrary. Is it then at all species-appropriate to put them in planted aquariums?

To this end, it is important to know that shrimp do not care extremely much about their environment, provided it does not have a negative impact on water values. If there are enough surfaces to graze on and if juveniles and freshly skinned shrimp can possibly retreat a little, they are happy. An aquarium can only be compared to a stream biotope to a very limited extent. In the brook we have 100% water changes every minute, this cannot be imitated in the aquarium without a greater technical effort. In any case, plants have a positive influence on the water values, because they metabolize substances that are harmful for shrimps, such as ammonia and nitrate, and release oxygen into the water - something that flowing water does in nature. So there is nothing against keeping shrimps in planted aquariums, even if they do not know the green co-inhabitants from nature.

Plants grown in vitro, i.e. propagated in the laboratory(in-vitro aquarium plants), can be added to a shrimp aquarium without hesitation as soon as the nutrient gel on the roots has been washed off. Conventionally grown plants should be watered separately for two weeks to be on the safe side, so that any pesticides applied during export can be broken down. Aquarium plants you order from Garnelio have already been watered and can be used immediately.

Plants in the dwarf crayfish aquarium

Dwarf crayfish, on the other hand, often live in areas where aquatic plants grow, even in nature. They are avid climbers and also use the aquarium at height. A small crayfish can get all the way to the top on a relatively stiff stem plant - so you should take good care here that the plants do not form a bridge to the outside. It is in the nature of crayfish to leave the water every now and then and go wandering. Unfortunately, they do not survive this for long in our dry homes, so you should make sure that an aquarium with crayfish is 100% tightly covered.

Plants serve in the aquarium with dwarf crayfish not only as a climbing opportunity, but also as a privacy screen. It is important for the crayfish to be able to get out of each other's way. Visibility barriers can be created very easily with plants.
The same applies to dwarf crayfish: they do not tolerate pesticides, therefore plants from the trade should always be watered for two weeks, unless they have been grown in vitro. You can read more about keeping Cambarellus species in our blog about dwarf crayfish. Aquarium plants you order at Garnelio have already been watered and can be used immediately.

Plants in the aquarium with large crayfish

Crayfish are omnivores, and large crayfish - unlike shrimp and dwarf crayfish - are strong enough to nip off healthy plants with their claws and eat them. Even if hunger is not gnawing at the moment, plants may be cut off because they were simply in the way of the crayfish, for example. Even non-gardening large crayfish species (they exist too, please refer to the respective descriptions) can do some damage in planted aquariums because they dig and in the process dig up the carefully and decoratively placed plants again.

In aquariums with large crabs, therefore, fast-growing plants that do not need to be planted, such as waterweed, nixweed or hornwort, have proven successful. Floating plants such as shellflowers or frogbit are also a good alternative and offer a beautiful sight due to their decorative root beards.

Plants in the water part of a crab aquaterrarium

Like crabs, crabs are omnivores with powerful claws that rarely say "no" to a morsel of green food. Nevertheless, a few sturdy floating plants are also a good addition here, because their rapid growth removes nutrients from the water that might otherwise have negative effects on the inhabitants. Even in the water part of the crab aquaterrarium, however, as in an aquarium with large crabs, you must be prepared to add plants more often.

Plants in the aquarium with snails

Most snails of aquaristic interest, such as posthorn snails or the various trumpet snails, or racing snails and staghorn snails, are not herbivores. Their rasping tongue (or radula) is too soft for them to eat healthy plant tissue. However, if the plant is already severely weakened or even dying, many species of snails will quickly clean it up - which is indeed an advantage, as it prevents dead plant tissue from rotting and negatively affecting water values. A few exceptions are the so-called "lawnmowers": snails from which nothing green is safe, such as the paradise snail (Marisa cornuarietis). They actually go after healthy plants as well, even the perch-resistant Anubias is not safe from them. Aquariums with lawnmower snails are a great way to "dispose" of green waste from plant tanks.

Plants in aquariums with mussels

Aquarium mussels do not eat plants, but since they love to dig intensively, they can dig up smaller plants, which is annoying. In the mussel aquarium, a sufficiently large free, unplanted bottom area should be available for the same reason. Feeding the mussel is also much easier if you don't have to search for it in the plant thicket. Fast-growing floating plants are therefore also recommended for an aquarium with mussels.