# Store bought plants rant



## rwong2k10 (Dec 27, 2010)

Just a rant,

I bought some blyxa japonica from a LFS, it was in pretty bad condition but hopefully I could save it. Then found someone locally with it and got a few also.

My tank can grow plants, everything in there is super healthy. But unfortunately it wasn't enough to save the store bought blyxa japonica, but the ones I received from a local hobbist tripled in size.

Sometimes, some stores, it's best to buy the plants before it hits their tanks if they don't have the proper conditions for growing plants. Sometimes, it might be better off to buy plants off bca members who has them healthy growing and thriving in their tanks.

I guess the other advantage of buying plants off local members is they are already in the submerged forms, where as some of the lfs ones and aquaflora ones are emersed forms. 

Although I've had a lot of success with aquaflora plants transistioning from emersed to submerged growth.

Ray


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## Transposon (Sep 19, 2012)

I need to rent about plants and LFS too.
Today I almost got deceived by a non-aquatic plant packaged in a bag filled with water (unlabeled) and displayed among other (unlabeled) aquatic plants. It looks like large sheets of moss, composed of moss like scales into a feathery frond, with fresh white roots starting to protrude from the underside of the fronds.
It turns out to be Selaginella willdenowii, which is not an aquatic plant.
So just be careful and don't let impulse take over when an unfamiliar yet stunning plant comes into sight.

Here are some plants that are commonly sold as aquarium plants but will actually survive better as houseplants. 

Acorus gramineus var. Ogon
Acorus gramineus var. pusillus
Acorus gramineus var. variegatus.
Acorus pusillus
Aglaonema sp., Aglaonema simplex
Alternanthera sessilis
Caladium spp. (Elephant Ear)
Calamus spp. (Coconut Plant)
Chlorophytum bichetti
Cordyline 'Red edge special'
Cordyline species 'Compacta'
Cordyline species 'Red Edge'
Cordyline terminalis
Dieffenbachia spp.
Dracaena borinquensis
Dracaena deremensis
Dracaena godseffiana
Dracaena sanderiana
Hemigraphis colorata
Hemigraphis exotica
Hemigraphis repanda
Lycopodium obscurum
Lycopodium phyllanthum
Lycopodium squarrosum
Maranta leucoreura
Ophiopogon japonica
Ophiopogon jubaran
Philodendron spp.
Pilea cadierei
Spathiphyllum tasson
Spathiphyllum wallisii
Syngonium podophyllum
Syngonium podophyllum 'Red Knight'
Trichomanes javanicum


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

A couple great articles about plants unsuitable for use in Aquariums: 
Plants Unsuitable for Use in Aquaria by Frank M. Greco
21 plants to avoid in the aquarium | Features | Practical Fishkeeping

Notice to avoid all Dracaena and all Cordyline species.
However, if you are considering a paludarium, terranium, or riparium then feel free to enjoy some great looking plants.


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

Btw does the Selaginella willdenowii actually reflect blue?


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## Transposon (Sep 19, 2012)

Not the ones I saw though...
The green was more solid than Java moss, but it was not that blue as shown in some pictures. 
It was more similar to this:








By the way, the second link got nice pictures associated to the names, which is very useful.


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