Amateur aquarist and mollusc enthusiast.
I’ve been keeping my current colony of Ramshorn snails since 2014, and in that time I have seen some variations in shell pattern, color, and body color pop up now and then. Mostly these were shells in shades of brown, some with spots and some without. The flesh color of the snails has shown either red, brown, or dark brown with a “cool” color cast.
The Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus fluitans) is a lovely addition to the surface of any planted aquarium. The common name “Red Root Floater” comes from this plant’s ability to develop bright red-colored roots. The leaves and roots of this plant grow from nodes along a central stalk in an alternating fashion. Each node produces a single leaf and some roots.
The roots will hang down into the water column, nut not as dramatically as Water Lettuce or Amazon Frogbit. Interestingly, it comes from a family of predominantly desert dwelling plants.
Care Level: Moderate
Preferred Water: 6.8 – 7.2 pH – Soft to Hard
Minimum Lighting: Moderate or Bright with available shade
Temperature: 65 to 85 °F (18-30 °C)
Leaf Size: up to 1 in (2.5 cm)
Continue reading “Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus fluitans) – Species Profile”
Also called “scuds” or “side-swimmers”, amphipods is a collective term for many species of aquatic crustaceans. Many amphipods you will find in the freshwater aquarium hobby are of the genus Gammarus or Hyallela. There are also numerous saltwater species.
Care Level: “Where did these come from?” Easy
Preferred Water: pH 6 to 8, soft to hard
Ideal Temperature: 65 to 75 °F (12.8 – 22.2 °C)
Maximum Size (depending on species) : 0.25″ to 0.5″ (6.35 mm to 12.7mm)
Average Lifespan: 1 to 1.5 years