Product description
About the species
Ceratophyllum demersum, or hornwort, is a rootless plant found in fresh water across almost the whole world. The shoots grow up to 80 centimetres long and consist of whorls of stiff, forked needles that give the plant its bottlebrush look. The 'Foxtail' form has denser whorls and more side shoots than ordinary hornwort, which makes it more compact and far less brittle.
Facts
• Latin name: Ceratophyllum demersum
• Plant type: Stem plant
• Origin: Widespread worldwide
• Height: 5–30 cm
• Growth rate: Fast
• Position: Background
Light requirement
Low light requirement. It manages with the lighting that comes with most aquariums and is happy in partial shade behind or beneath taller plants. Strong lighting does not harm it, but raises the risk of algae on the leaves because the plant cannot use all the available light.
CO₂ & nutrition
Manages entirely without added CO₂, which makes it as suitable for a simple aquarium as for an aquascape. Liquid carbon or injected CO₂ speeds up growth but is never a requirement. Dose an all-round fertiliser with iron and micronutrients every week.
Planting
Split the bunch and set the stems one by one, about two centimetres into the substrate and two to three centimetres apart. Removing the lowest leaves first stops them rotting in the substrate. A group of five to ten stems looks far better straight away than single plants.
Rinse the portion gently in aquarium water and divide it between several spots — it then covers a considerably larger area than if everything is tied down in one place.
Care & propagation
Top the plant when it reaches the height you want and replant the cuttings — that propagates it and gives a denser group at the same time. Trim regularly so light reaches the lower leaves, and discard the old lower sections once they start thinning out.
Position in the aquarium
Given its mature height it belongs at the back or along the sides, where it forms a dense wall of greenery and hides equipment. In a smaller aquarium it can also be used as a solitaire in one corner.
Difficulty level
🟢 Easy — grows in most aquariums without CO₂ and under ordinary lighting.
Delivery format
Delivered as a portion of roughly one decilitre from our own cultivation. Because it is grown in our own aquariums it is used to the same conditions it is going to, and it has never been in contact with pesticides.
Recommendation
A classic rescue plant in newly started aquariums and fry tanks — it soaks up surplus nutrients quickly and gives shrimp and newly hatched fry a dense hiding place. Let it float freely if you want maximum growth.
