Help identifying (and caring for) this plant [photo attached]

[Browner]

Hi All,

I need help identifying a plant in my aquarium, plus any tips for taking care of it. I started a new aquarium for my daughter a couple months ago (hence the florescent gravel and purple plant, which I hope to eventually replace once my daughter loses interest 🙂 ). 
This plant was suggested by my local shop as a fairly low maintenance variety, but I didn't know enough then to ask how to take care of it. I've done some googling - seems like it could potentially be Java fern? Not sure.

Main questions:
1. What plant is it?

2. I've ordered some Easy Green all in one fertilizer. Will this be sufficient to let the plant thrive?

3. As you can see, the current gravel is course. The bottom stems of the plant are still wrapped together in a foam tube - I was told that this was preferable for a coarse gravel tank such as this. Would you guys agree that I should keep it wrapped in this tube? Indefinitely (or at least until I get some finer substrate)?

4. If it is indeed Java fern, from what I've read they prefer low light. I currently have a 10.8 W bulb in a 15 gal tank, plus I've tried to somewhat "hide" this plant under the fake purple plant. Will this do the trick?

Thanks all!

[Kirsten]

Hi! So glad you've helped set up a tank for your daughter and are encouraging her interests. If her favorite colors are pink and purple, you've gone a long way to helping her see this as a hobby that fits her tastes. This hobby tends to be a little male-dominated, which makes no sense, so I think it's especially important to encourage girls to explore it.

This plant looks like Scarlet Temple to me, a stem plant. Stem plants get their nutrients in equal parts from the water column and from the substrate. They'll often put out roots along their stems. Don't be alarmed if you see the lower stem start to rot away and the top parts float free. That's how they propagate and move around in nature to find the best situation.

Easy Green should be fine, and they like medium to high lighting, so I think you'll also be fine there. Be prepared for them to grow tall, towards the light. When they get too tall for your liking, you can cut their stems and replant their tops (though some meticulous nano tank enthusiasts will remove the lower, less lovely stem and replant just the top).

Mine are wrapped in foam as well, and I had the same question about whether I should remove it or not. The place I bought it from said I could keep it on, so I'm trying it, and it's been a month or two now with no ill effects (other than some not getting enough light, getting spindly, and floating free).

[Yanni]

The plant is probably a hygrophila compacta. Very easy plant to care for. As long as it gets good lighting, it will grow just fine. The fertilizer will definitely help the plant. 

[Browner]

Awesome thanks for the help guys and girls. After doing some comparisons, I'm not convinced it's Scarlet Temple, because it is entirely green - I think some of the reflections in the water make it appear to have light red tones, but in reality it's totally light green throughout. Hygrophila Compacta seems like a very good possibility; I've also sent the photo to my LFS to find out for certain. Thanks again!

[Kirsten]

Sure thing! Pretty sure it's a stem plant in any case, which all have more or less similar requirements. Good luck and happy tending! 🙂

[Eric R]

Definitely not java fern though, java fern leaves grow out from a rhizome that grows along the surface it is attached to, instead of up and away from the substrate.

[kammaroon]

Possibly hygrophila corymbosa