Anacharis (Egeria densa)
The fastest nitrate sponge in freshwater — plant it, float it, forget it.
Anacharis grows in dense whorls of bright green along thick stems, adding several inches a week even in unheated, unfertilized tanks. It strips nitrate aggressively, shades out algae during cycling, and doubles as spawning cover and goldfish forage. Plant it, weight it, or leave it floating — it grows either way. Farm-raised bundle of long healthy stems.
What it needs to thrive
- Lighting
- Low to high — 25–80 PAR. Grows in almost any light.
- Flow
- Any flow. Tolerates cold water down to 60°F.
- Feeding
- Column and root feeder — dose a complete liquid fertilizer weekly; root tabs for heavy substrate rooters.
- Temperament
- Peaceful — shrimp-safe, fry-safe, and grown pesticide-free.
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Ideal Tank Size
- 10 gallons and up
- Water Parameters
- 70–80°F · pH 6.0–7.5 · GH 3–10 · KH 1–8 · nitrate 10–25 ppm with a complete liquid fertilizer
Background when planted, or floating as instant cover and nutrient export. Also thrives in ponds.
Peaceful and extremely fast. Trim regularly so it does not shade slower plants. Restricted in some US states — check local regulations before ordering.
Quarantine, dip, and acclimation
Quarantine
Hold all new fish in a bare-bottom 10–20 gallon QT for a minimum of 4 weeks. Observe for flashing, clamped fins, white spots, or breathing changes. Treat preventatively with copper (1.75–2.5 ppm chelated) or tank-transfer method for ich, plus a praziquantel course for flukes. Invertebrates and corals skip QT but go through dip and observation instead.
Recommended coral dip
For every new coral: a 5–10 minute bath in your reef-safe dip of choice (Bayer Complete, CoralRx, or Reef Primer) following label dosage, followed by two clean saltwater rinses. Inspect plugs and bases for flatworms, pyramid snails, and eggs — remove or refrag onto clean plugs before placing in display.
Acclimation
Float sealed bags in your QT or display for 15 minutes to match temperature. Then drip acclimate at 2–4 drops per second for 45–60 minutes until volume has tripled. Net livestock into the tank — never pour shipping water in. Dim the lights for the first 24 hours to reduce stress.
