It is often said that aquarium plants are difficult to grow, but this is only partially true. Many species are quite straightforward to cultivate, although some can be a bit temperamental at times. In his classic Nature Aquarium books.
It is often impossible to get rid of it once planted in an aquarium, but this is not true. It can be easily removed from the tank by hand if necessary, although the roots will have grown very long and thick by that time, so it should take care of.
Propagation
Once removed from the aquarium, keep well watered in a clean tub full of freshwater until enough new roots have grown to start it growing again in a new aquarium. In the meantime, trim off any old leaves that have turned yellow and are damaged by substrate microorganisms.
The most important thing about growing cherry hedge aquarium plants is preparing a layout plan before planting the seeds in the tank. The seeds will often sit there for weeks on end without sprouting, so you have to be patient, or they will die in the substrate.
You also need to know exactly where you will place them when they do eventually sprout because once this plant moves into its growth phase after being planted, it will grow very fast indeed.
Most people buy larger specimens from aquarium shops when setting up their tanks, of course. However, if you set up a tank first and then plant seeds, you can enjoy the same fast growth as these larger specimens.
Trimming
It is much shorter and easier to trim the roots than most other aquarium plants. The trick is to pull it out gently by hand as soon as you notice it has grown too big for the tank and then trim off all the old roots.
It is unnecessary to trim the cherry hedge aquarium plant frequently because it does not grow tangled as many aquatic plants do. The long drooping fronds droop very gracefully over the surface of the water, and although they may branch as they grow older, you can always trim them back as necessary using a pair of sharp scissors.
Temperature
It is very important to monitor the aquarium temperature carefully to ensure that this plant will not be killed by overheating. Temperatures of up to 30�C (86�F) are recommended for increasing its growth rate, while 22�C (72.4�F) is considered optimum for keeping it healthy in the long term.
Light
The Cherry hedge aquarium plant does not like bright lights but will grow well under normal lighting conditions if provided with a regular fertilizer supply suitable for aquatic plants.
Care
Please note that the cherry hedge aquarium plant has been known to cause allergic reactions in some people and may contain toxic compounds like calcium oxalate. Be very careful when handling it, and wash your hands after touching the plant to avoid skin irritation.
You mustn’t let the cherry hedge aquarium plant dry out completely during its growth phase, especially if you plan to replant it in a new tank. Over-watering is not a problem at this stage, but water levels should be allowed to drop significantly once the plant reaches maturity.
Be sure to keep it in a well-lit tank with a strong current and feed regularly with a special aquatic plant food containing plenty of proteins and minerals. It will only grow as fast as the nutrients available in the water, so you must maintain high water quality to ensure the healthiest growth.
The Cherry hedge aquarium plant is not normally eaten by herbivorous fish, although some larger varieties may be mowed down by goldfish and other omnivores. Cherry hedge aquarium plant is best suited to tanks containing small or medium-sized tropical fish which are unlikely to eat it.
It is also suitable for tanks containing fully aquatic turtles, although these may attempt to pull off any branches that grow too low into the water.