Shrimp tank plants

[Cinnebuns]

I'm trying to think of plants for my shrimp tank. It already has tons of flame moss and marimo moss balls but I'm wanting to add some stem plants and floating as well. I'm tempted however to stay away from normal floating plants. I had water lettuce in there at one point but the sponge filter splashes too much in the small 10 gallon space to make water lettuce a great option. I know there are similar issues with other floaters. I'm thinking maybe pogostemon stellatus octopus?  I was considering planting water sprite. Maybe I float some too?  Any idea for floaters or even other plants good for shrimp I would love!

[Minanora]

My shrimp love all plants.... How much trimming are you wanting to do, water parameters you have, textures you're interested in? What size is that tank again? My shrimp love all plants that are growing across the surface, so I get lazy with my trimming. I also like to have light getting all the way to the substrate though, so I can enjoy the color of the shrimp at the bottom.

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 12/4/2022 at 7:55 AM, Cinnebuns said:

I'm trying to think of plants for my shrimp tank. It already has tons of flame moss and marimo moss balls but I'm wanting to add some stem plants and floating as well. I'm tempted however to stay away from normal floating plants. I had water lettuce in there at one point but the sponge filter splashes too much in the small 10 gallon space to make water lettuce a great option. I know there are similar issues with other floaters. I'm thinking maybe pogostemon stellatus octopus?  I was considering planting water sprite. Maybe I float some too?  Any idea for floaters or even other plants good for shrimp I would love!

Frogbit, java moss, hornwort is a good floater, and shrimp look amazing on a lotus leaf!

[DaveO]

My shrimp used to climb to the surface on the dwarf sag. It got too long so I have since removed it. They would stay up there waiting for the  fish food I think. Now that the sag is gone their favorite plant is the java fern wendlov. Of the 5 million shrimp in that tank 4 million are on that Java fern.

[Expectorating_Aubergine]

It has been my experience that shrimp will eat Utricularia gramminifolia. So I would avoid it.

[Cinnebuns]

On 12/4/2022 at 1:18 AM, Minanora said:

My shrimp love all plants.... How much trimming are you wanting to do, water parameters you have, textures you're interested in? What size is that tank again? My shrimp love all plants that are growing across the surface, so I get lazy with my trimming. I also like to have light getting all the way to the substrate though, so I can enjoy the color of the shrimp at the bottom.

I can do a moderate amount of trimming. I'm not against it. But I do know I sometimes have my lazy streaks as we all do. 

Textures I'm not too worried about for this tank tbh as I am my main tank. Mostly just functional over looks. 

10 gallon tank. Black sand substrate. The shrimp population is small but growing.  

On 12/4/2022 at 3:04 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Frogbit, java moss, hornwort is a good floater, and shrimp look amazing on a lotus leaf!

I was considering frogbit. Does it not die off when the leave get wet like water lettuce?  Hornwort is a great suggestion! I do have some cabomba in my main tank which is similar but not a ton. 

On 12/4/2022 at 5:39 AM, DaveO said:

Now that the sag is gone their favorite plant is the java fern wendlov.

Oh!  Idk why I hadn't thought of Java fern. I had a ton at one point. I still have some around that has just been floating in a breeder box. I can make some use of it!

[Patrick_G]

How big is the tank? Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus can get pretty big and quickly. Floating water can look really cool, almost like a snowflake. 
Ludwigia and Bacopa Carolinia are options that are slower growers and look great next to each other. In a smaller tank they’re favorites of mine. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 12/4/2022 at 2:24 PM, Patrick_G said:

How big is the tank? Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus can get pretty big and quickly. Floating water can look really cool, almost like a snowflake. 
Ludwigia and Bacopa Carolinia are options that are slower growers and look great next to each other. In a smaller tank they’re favorites of mine. 

It's a 10 gallon. Bacopa Carolina is absolutely one plant that's on my mind for this. I also have some ludwigia arcuata in my main tank. 

Would the bacopa work both planted and floating?

[Jennifer V]

Let me know when you decide and how it goes. I have a shrimp tank with black sand and thought I couldn't do stems because of the substrate so I'm interested to see what works well for you. 

[Patrick_G]

On 12/4/2022 at 12:27 PM, Cinnebuns said:

Would the bacopa work both planted and floating?

I’ve definitely grown Bacopa floating, and it thrived. 

[Minanora]

My little 5.5 has the rotalas and they love cleaning and hiding in them. Pearl weed is great floating. Hard to get shrimp out of it when you need to though. I like rotala because I can pick a strand and shake it out easily. Same with PSO.

[Cinnebuns]

On 12/4/2022 at 3:27 PM, Minanora said:

. Pearl weed is great floating.

OH!!  THATS A SUGGESTION I LIKE!  

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 12/4/2022 at 8:47 PM, Cinnebuns said:

cabomba in my main tank which is similar but not a ton.

Cabomba doesn’t work as well as hornwort as  a floater. It’s a better substrate plant for spawning purposes.

[Jennifer V]

On 12/4/2022 at 2:27 PM, Minanora said:

My little 5.5 has the rotalas and they love cleaning and hiding in them. Pearl weed is great floating. Hard to get shrimp out of it when you need to though. I like rotala because I can pick a strand and shake it out easily. Same with PSO.

Pearl Weed has been on my list for quite awhile. Is it as easy and removing it from the pot and plopping it in? Does it tend to melt a lot? 

[Minanora]

I think it melts less if it's floating. I've had it totally melt and die, then I've had it do really well. I know it likes softer water than what I used to run when I had it totally melt away. I say just give it a try and see how it goes.

[Jungle Fan]

My shrimp love the Christmas and Phoenix moss but spend just as much time among the Anubias, Bucephalandra, Java fern, Amazon swords, and Ludwigia.. The crypts and Lobelia cardinalis they seem to be a bit indifferent to but they hang out around wherever they might suspect food can be found.