{"product_id":"hornwort-ceratophyllum-demersum-aquarium-plant","title":"Hornwort | Ceratophyllum demersum","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c!-- obsidian --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-heading=\"Hornwort on the Surface:\"\u003eHornwort on the Surface:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHornwort (\u003cem\u003eCeratophyllum demersum\u003c\/em\u003e) is a rootless, branching aquatic plant with one of the widest natural ranges of any freshwater species, found on every continent except Antarctica, including native populations across North America. Instead of roots, thin thread-like rhizoids occasionally anchor it loosely to the substrate, but it grows just as readily as a free-floating mass of fine, needle-like leaves. In the Botanical Method Aquarium, its dense branching structure builds an enormous surface area for biofilm and cover in very little space, whether it's left floating or gently anchored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-heading=\"Essential Details\"\u003eEssential Details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCare Level:\u003c\/strong\u003e Easy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fast, branches extensively, no true roots\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Low to High\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCO2:\u003c\/strong\u003e Not Necessary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePropagation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Stem fragmentation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTint Tolerance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Low to High\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHabitat Location:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cosmopolitan, every continent except Antarctica, including native North American populations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOptimal For:\u003c\/strong\u003e Betta fish, shrimp, and fry, especially in setups where dense cover and a large biofilm-grazing surface matter more than substrate planting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse with Caution:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rinse before introducing; may carry beneficial hitchhiking snails, snail eggs, or duckweed from the grow-out ponds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Stems can grow 12\"+ in length\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQuantities:\u003c\/strong\u003e One bunch, 4 to 6 stems\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-heading=\"Hornwort for Planted Aquariums \u0026amp; Blackwater Biotopes\"\u003eHornwort for Planted Aquariums \u0026amp; Blackwater Biotopes\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHornwort's whorled, needle-fine leaves branch densely along a main stem, building a mass of surface area and refuge that a broad-leaved plant of the same size couldn't do. Shrimp, fry, and small fishes use that structure as both cover and a grazing ground, grazing on biofilm and microfauna the same way they would through a fine root tangle, even though Hornwort has no true roots at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs it grows, Hornwort releases compounds into the water that have been shown to suppress algae and cyanobacteria, the same passive effect documented in the lakes and rivers where it grows wild. The effect builds slowly, so we still keep up with regular maintenance rather than counting on Hornwort to clear an algae problem by itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause it has no substrate dependency, Hornwort grows the same whether it's left loose on the surface or gently tucked into the substrate, and it fragments readily: any broken piece can grow into a new plant on its own. We trim and redistribute cuttings as it fills in rather than letting a single mass take over the aquarium, since it branches quickly under most lighting conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-heading=\"Beneath the Leaves: *Ceratophyllum demersum* in the Wild\"\u003eBeneath the Leaves: \u003cem\u003eCeratophyllum demersum\u003c\/em\u003e in the Wild\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFew aquatic plants have a native range as wide as \u003cem\u003eCeratophyllum demersum\u003c\/em\u003e, found in still and slow-moving freshwater on every continent except Antarctica. In lakes and rivers, it forms dense underwater swathes that shelter young fish and invertebrates and give epiphytic organisms surface area to colonize, the same structural role it plays at aquarium scale. Its allelopathic effect on algae and cyanobacteria is a documented part of that role in the wild, where dense Hornwort beds are associated with clearer water and fewer algal blooms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere a botanical contributes as it breaks down, an aquatic plant is living and contributes as it grows. So let them grow. Mother Nature leads the way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-heading=\"Sustainability Note:\"\u003eSustainability Note:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease select a heat\/cold pack if necessary. Check your local weather before ordering to avoid any shipment holds or cancellations. All Plants may contain snails or snail eggs. We keep them in all of our aquariums for the benefits they provide. Our blackwater aquarium plants are provided in cooperation with PNW Bettas in adherence to their Shipping and DOA Policies. Your curated selection will arrive in their packaging separate from your botanical, wood \u0026amp; merch orders.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PNW Bettas","offers":[{"title":"Bunch","offer_id":45440815431856,"sku":"sku-44762302841011","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0598\/7948\/9712\/files\/35_ed93f0aa-38a6-4388-ae58-caa9359bf012.png?v=1783443030","url":"https:\/\/bettabotanicals.com\/products\/hornwort-ceratophyllum-demersum-aquarium-plant","provider":"Betta Botanicals | Natural Aquarium Products","version":"1.0","type":"link"}