Lake Tanganyikan plants

[jimjim]

She who grants all things says that I can have the new 120 gal tank I've been looking at and would really like to make it a Lake Tanganyikan biotope with lots of plants. So (being very excited) have brought it home threw in some sand and rocks, jumped on the net and found out theres almost NO knowledge of Tang plants. Bummer. The only sources were Casselman"s book, Brichard's book and an excerpt from some book done by George Coulter. These list Hornwort(C. demersum), Foxtail(M. spicatum), Hydrilla verticillata, tiger lotus,Potamogeton pectinatus and schwinfurhii, Najas horrida and marina,Azolla, Water lettus,valisneria spiralis,Ceratopteris and various types of Alge. Coulter in his book says there are 27 families, 48 genera, and 81 species of plants in the lake. I know this site is more scientific in view but I'd really like to know if anyone has any better info on what other plant species are in the lake...Thanks, Jim

 

[Paul]

Re: Lake Tanganyikan plants

I have a little 13G (uk) tank with some tangs in it, from what I have read, the only 'normal' plant is vallis and a few others and thats only in the estuaries, if you get any extra info, I will be glad to see it

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Lake Tanganyikan plants

The lake has no endemic plants at all.
Which is odd. It's very very old.
All the plants come from other locals.

Vals, Pondweeds, Lotus are fine, see the gallery on my side for the 240 gal tangy tank.

Stay away from Hydrilla, noxious weed, yea, I know, the place is infested, but you still are not allowed to mess with it.
Many of the others seem to be invasive weeds.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[jimjim]

Re: Lake Tanganyikan plants

Tom; Thanks for the answer, I found a french website that did a survey of the plants in and around the lake itself. I'ts www.destin-tanganyika.com . Now I don't read french hardly at all so you'll just have to translate your way thru like I did. You're absolutly right about no endemic plants and thats really strange considering all the diversification of the fauna of the lake. One great thing tho, If you remember me I'm a freak for USA native plants and it seems I've got about 60% of the plants already....Jimjim, PS I posted a picture of the start of the tank (just rocks , sand and water, in the gallery section.) I'll update it as soon as I gather up most of the plants.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Lake Tanganyikan plants

Well, then, Ca has a native sword plant, E berteroi, it lives in harsher conditions than Lake Tangy, GH's are 800+ppm, pH are 9-10, crust and marl all over the rocks, native to one location in Santa Barbara county, Santa Ynez river basin, near Mike Jackson's , perhaps 20-30 miles away.

Beautiful location, fish even look like escaped Lamp's there.
Extremely rocky substrates.

Underwater leaves are wild.
USA Natives are often very tough to get.
Micro tennellus, Elatine tri, and perhaps a dozen others have been grown in Asia, then shipped here back again for sale.

There are perahps 50-150 species in the USA that are suitable.
I grow Callitriches and several other native plants.

There are many rare species of veneral pool plants here which I specilize in outside of the weeds. You can take seeds, but not plants.
Seeds work very well and are easy to ship.

Regards,
Tom Barr