I'm a big fan of the Banana Plant (or Brain plant some call it). When I 1st got my 26g it was the 1st thing I put in it followed by 6 fancy guppies. That Banana plant later got beat around by my Red Oscar (as a baby). I've also moved it about 14 times. Its had the roots torn off, leaves cut and removed, and today (which is about 5 months later) its in my 150g flourishing. I don't use CO2 on any of my plants, and none of my fish have ever tried eating it.
I love this plant so much I now have 3 and I'm working on propagating more. Its care free and can be placed in the front mid or back depending on how deep you plant the banana portion of the plant. The deeper you plant it, the taller it gets (when grown all the way to the surface it creates a lily pad and blooms a white flower). Don't plant it at all and it gets wide with broad leafs.
I recommend using plant food with any plant, but as long as you have fish in the tank, you don't need it. Just having fish waste, some water movement, and light is all thats required (and 68-84F temp). Grows really fast with Mid-High light, 74 degree F water, good plant food, 1/2 the bananas in the substrate, and a medium strength current.
Heres a shot of it from last month in my 26g. Its the big one up front.
Heres from 5 mins ago in my 150g. Notice the shoot heading to the surface... thats because I took it from not being buried at all, to burying the bananas. To the left of it is also another small banana plant I buried completely a month ago when it had not even 1 leaf at all.
I love this plant so much I now have 3 and I'm working on propagating more. Its care free and can be placed in the front mid or back depending on how deep you plant the banana portion of the plant. The deeper you plant it, the taller it gets (when grown all the way to the surface it creates a lily pad and blooms a white flower). Don't plant it at all and it gets wide with broad leafs.
I recommend using plant food with any plant, but as long as you have fish in the tank, you don't need it. Just having fish waste, some water movement, and light is all thats required (and 68-84F temp). Grows really fast with Mid-High light, 74 degree F water, good plant food, 1/2 the bananas in the substrate, and a medium strength current.
Heres a shot of it from last month in my 26g. Its the big one up front.
Heres from 5 mins ago in my 150g. Notice the shoot heading to the surface... thats because I took it from not being buried at all, to burying the bananas. To the left of it is also another small banana plant I buried completely a month ago when it had not even 1 leaf at all.