Water Sprite

[Jamie]

This is a question. I want a bushy plant that grows fast that fry can hide in. I’ve researched water sprite and nit’s supposed to be fast growing and easy to keep alive. But every time I buy it, mine just dies. I have lots of other plants growing fine.  What could I be doing wrong and could snails be eating it?

[gardenman]

Snails won't eat it, but water sprite is just quirky. I have four seemingly identical tanks and it grows like a weed in two, survives in one, and pretty much dies in the third. Why?Who knows? If you try it again, try breaking off one stem and just let that stem float in the tank. Breaking off the stem seems to trigger that floating portion to make plantlets and they may survive better in your tank. If they do, you'll have more water sprite than you know what to do with. 

[Yet Another Aquarist]

1 hour ago, gardenman said:

Snails won't eat it, but water sprite is just quirky. I have four seemingly identical tanks and it grows like a weed in two, survives in one, and pretty much dies in the third. Why?Who knows? If you try it again, try breaking off one stem and just let that stem float in the tank. Breaking off the stem seems to trigger that floating portion to make plantlets and they may survive better in your tank. If they do, you'll have more water sprite than you know what to do with. 

My experience is similar to yours in terms of it's quirkinesses.  More light and more nutrients seem to increase it's chances.  I've never quite gotten it to grow floating in a tank where I want it.  In the tank where it is well established, it forms mini-plants that eventually break off and float.  But, I don't leave them there long enough to establish.  It seems to want to cycle through grow/form mini-plants/mini-plants float somewhere else/mini-plants establish/repeat.  

[Sharon- fishandfloral]

I’ve had no luck with water sprite either. Have you looked at pogostemon stellatus octopus? It’s a stem plant that grows quickly. Each time you trim it, just stick the cut stems into the substrate and tada, new plants.