Dead or alive? ( Plants )

[Nights85]

From what I had understood Hornwort was like cabomba
( Fanwort ) as far as growth and I cannot tell if my cabomba
is dead or what but its been like it is now from quite some time
also my Giant Val's seem to grow and repair very slowly..

Cannot find much info on the two but as soon as I put hornwort in it
has thrived at first I thought it was going to die because it was falling
apart in my tank and now it is growing amazingly but the other 2 plants
haven't done the greatest but the val much better than the cabomba
my anachris is doing quite nicely as well so I need to know what is
wrong with the Val growing as slow as it is and the cabomba not
doing anything what does it look like if and when its dead?

Am I needing anything special for the val to grow as fast as I've heard
and to send its little runners out? And I have assumed the cabomba
is dead or dying and if not dead what can I do to save it?

 

[Nights85]

Hmm also I was just vacuuming the gravel and was about to dump some water and found s little squiggly has anyone been graced with something that looked like this before?



Haha at first I thought it was something to worry about but it's
a harmless little damselfly nymph.

Anyways I had moved my bigger Val and I think I see a runner finally!
but I still think the plant to be somewhat of poorer health not growing
fast enough to repair any damages caused by fish and what not..

And to clarify the hornwort was falling apart straight from the bag and
perked right up a day or 2 after putting it in my water.