Live Tissue Culture Aquatic Plants (In-Vitro)

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Tissue Culture Aquatic Plants

Algae-free, snail-free, and pest-free

Tissue Culture Aquarium Planting Guide

Not long ago, hobbyists had fewer options and would typically buy aquatic plants that were grown in nursies. There are some disadvantages to this, which can include limited availability and the presence of pests or algae. The introduction of tissue culture aquatic plants directly addresses some of these concerns and has made a variety of species more accessible. Rarer plants like Anubias Nana ‘Pinto’, ‘Snow White’, Bacopa Salzmannii ‘Purple’, Hygrophila Lancea Araguaia ‘Chai’ and others are now more readily available for all hobbyists to enjoy. Tissue culture aquarium plants offer a pest-free start or peace of mind if adding to an established planted tank.

Step 1: Rinse and Clean

Remove the plant from its container and gently remove the agar gel. It helps to do this in a container of clean water. Once you’ve removed as much as you can, lightly rinse the plants using cold water. Do not use hot water to prevent damages to your plant. The gel is harmless to aquarium livestock if accidentally left in an aquarium, but too much can cause algae issues!

Step 2: Separate

We recommend splitting the plant into half inch portions. This makes planting easier. Don’t worry too much if you need to apply some pressure when separating. It may be necessary because the roots of the plants often become entangled within the cup. This is a common occurrence for plants like Eleocharis Belem (dwarf hairgrass) or Utricularia Graminifolia.

Step 3: Plant and Grow

Plant deep into your soil just like a normal plant! Give them some time to adjust and enjoy.
Aquascaper's Note: Tissue cultures are young plants and will naturally be smaller than a more mature potted or bunched variation. Monitor & provide a little TLC as they will be more sensitive to sudden changes in your aquarium.

Lab-grown aquatic plants that give your planted aquarium a clean, algae-free and snail-free start. Tissue culture aquatic plants are 100% pest-free! Grown in sterile, controlled environments, they’re the best option to avoid unwanted hitchhikers. Perfect for everything under the sun, they’re ideal for nano setups, shrimp tanks, established nature aquariums, and more. With many popular species like Monte Carlo and Dwarf Hairgrass, to midground rosettes and background stems, tissue culture plants offer a clean and sustainable start to aquascaping and planted aquariums.

What Are Tissue Culture Aquarium Plants?

Tissue culture plants, sometimes referred to as in vitro plants or simply TC plants, are young aquatic plants grown from tissue samples in sterile labs that specialize in aquatic plant propagation. These juvenile specimen develop in nutrient-dense gels inside sealed containers, ensuring they’re free from common fish tank pests when you introduce them to your setup.

This growing method makes a wide variety of plant species more accessible and also indirectly reduces wild harvesting, letting more aquascapers enjoy both common and rare plants in their aquariums.

Why Choose Tissue Culture Plants for your Aquarium?

Tissue culture aquatic plants offer several benefits compared to tradition nursery potted plants. Both are great, but it depends on your setup and goals you have for your aquascape:

Sterile & pest-free start: planting tissue culture ensures an algae-free start and prevents the introduction of common pests like pond snails.
Species availability: cultivation and variety has expanded drastically compared to a few years ago, making many popular common and rarer aquatic plants more accessible to the aquascaping community.
Sustainable aquascaping: tissue culture cultivation can help reduce wild collection on species like Bucephalalndra, helping conserve natural habitats!