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Moneywort, which is sometimes sold under its scientific name, Bacopa monnieri is a fairly easy-to-grow stem plant that is considered to be hardy, making it ideal for both beginners and those with a little more experience.
Moneywort grows best when kept in aquarium that has medium to high light. It can struggle to grow in low light setups.
Moneywort grows fairly tall, making it ideal for growing in the midground (with regular trimming) or as a background plant. Tall plants like Moneywort provide excellent hiding places and line of sight blocks for the more timid fish in your aquarium.
Overview of Moneywort
Moneywort, which is sometimes sold under its scientific name Bacopa monnieri, is a popular plant to grow in freshwater aquariums, but it is also often grown as a marginal plant in ponds, where it will grow out of the water. Left untrimmed Moneywort will grow out the top of an aquarium too.
The small, bright green leaves of Moneywort provide a nice contrast against larger leaved plants like Amazon Sword or Java Fern.
Moneywort is usually sold either in small pots or loose stems bunched together. Either way, this plant does best when planted directly into the gravel. In my experience, it also does well when grown as a floating plant.
Moneywort Characteristics
| Common Name: | Moneywort |
| Scientific Name: | Bacopa monnieri |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Origins: | North and South America, Eastern India, Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia |
| Care Level: | Easy |
| Growth Rate: | Slow |
| Light Level: | Medium to High |
| C02 Level: | Low |
| Tank Location: | Midground or Background |
| Temperature: | 72°F – 82°F (22°C – 27.5°C) |
| Color: | Bright green |
| Propagation Method: | Stem cuttings |
| Maximum Height: | 24″ (60cm) |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 10-gallons (38 liters) |
- STEMS AQUARIUM PLANT : Moneywort from Greenpro come with sturdy stem system to ensure those roots will tank nutrients from your substrate as a root feeder.
- EASY BACKGROUND : Basic starter for you tank, creating well background cover. Great for any aquatic pets.
- PREMIUM QUALITY | With our experience, every plants from Greenpro will be professionally inspected, packed and organized with suitable boxes for all weather conditions to make sure that will retain the freshness and healthiness to our customer hands.
- PROVIDES AMAZING ENVIRONMENT : Aquatic plants will produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide to enhance water quality in your aquarium community. Adding live plants not only beneficial for the natural ecosystem but also giving shelter and security place for your aquarium pets.
- HIGH TECHNOLOGY : Our plants grown by using the latest technology and facility with digital controlled nursery to ensure that our plants are diseases pest snail and algae free.
Last update on 2024-10-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Moneywort General Description
Moneywort is an easy-to-grow stem plant that grows fairly slowly in the home aquarium. The long, straight stems have small, almost oval leaves growing out in pairs about every 1/2″ (12.5mm). The stems of Moneywort grow straight and true even when the flow in the aquarium is fairly strong.
Moneywort will keep growing until it hits the surface, at which point it will creep along the water surface.
Because Moneywort grows so slowly, it is an ideal plant for smaller aquariums. Although left unchecked it would take over a smaller tank, its slow-growing nature makes it easy to keep this plant under control.
Are Moneywort and Creeping Jenny The Same Plant?
No, Moneywort and Creeping Jenny are not the same plants. Moneywort is a name that is used for several species of plant. In the aquarium hobby, we call Bacopa monnieri by its common name, Moneywort.
However, there is a terrestrial plant called Lysimachia nummularia which is a member of the Primrose family that also goes under the common name Moneywort, although that plant is more often called Creeping Jenny.
In my experience, Bacopa monnieri never goes by the name Creeping Jenny. These two plants are not related.
Ideal Tank Conditions For Moneywort
Moneywort grows well in a wide range of water conditions. Whether planted directly into the substrate or left just floating in the water, Moneywort will no doubt thrive.
This plant is hardy and can grow in a wide range of water parameters. With that said, however, it does have its preferences, so below I look at Moneyworts’ ideal setup.
Temperature
Moneywort can grow in a fairly wide temperature range. Ideally, it wants the water temperature to be around 72°F to 82°F (22°C to 27.5°C), although I have had it growing in tanks that were slightly warmer than 82°F.
In my experience, this already slow-growing plant grows even slower, or actually stops growing when the water temperature is too cold. I once tried growing it in an unheated tank in my fish room, and it sat there looking miserable for several months and barely grew at all.
Eventually, I moved it to a regular Guppy tank Where it recovered and grew away well.
Lighting
I think it is fair to say Moneywort likes moderate to high light to grow well, especially in slightly taller tanks. The taller the tank, the more light that is required to get down to the plants.
I have had good success growing Moneywort under Fluval Aquasky lights. These lights are considered a medium-level light fitting. I also have a number of tanks lit by the Fluval Plant 3.0, which is generally regarded as a high light fitting, and Moneywort grows really lush and bright under that light.
If your tank has a low light fitting, try growing Moneywort as a floating plant. Naturally, any plant that is floating is usually up at the surface, and therefore closer to the light.
- 6500K white LEDs with tri-colored RGB LEDs offer an adjustable light spectrum
- Replicates various natural environments, as well as creating cloud cover, fading lunar, storm and lightning effects
- Skypad remote control: adjust your color & sky effects; choose from up to 11 preset sky effects and a wide array of color selections
- 120 degree light dispersion for full area coverage and uniform lighting
- Extendable mounting brackets allow easy installation on a variety of aquarium widths
Last update on 2024-10-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Substrate
As mentioned, Moneywort does not strictly need to be planted directly into the substrate to grow. However, I have had good success growing this plant in normal gravel as well as Fluval Stratum. Fluval Stratum is a substrate designed specifically to grow plants.
The photo below shows one of my 155-gallon (600 liters) tanks that uses Stratum, and the plants grow so well in there.
CO2 Injection
Moneywort does not require CO2 injection to grow well. I currently have Moneywort growing in a couple of tanks with CO2 injection, and several without, and the growth difference is almost nothing.
How To Grow Moneywort
As discussed, there are two ways we can grow Moneywort. Traditionally it has been grown planted in the substrate, but there are a growing number of hobbyists coming to appreciate the joy of growing Moneywort as a floating plant.
Growing Moneywort as a rooted plant
Traditionally, Moneywort was always grown as a rooted specimen. The great thing about stem plants and Moneywort is no exception, is wherever they are pushed into the substrate, they will typically root and form a strong plant.
When we buy Moneywort we usually either buy it in a pot full of Rockwool, or we buy a bunch of stems tied together.
If your Moneywort comes in a pot, remove the plant from the pot and carefully peel the Rockwool away from the plant, taking care not to damage the plant in the process. Once the bulk of the Rockwool is removed, take your time to tease all the remaining Rockwool from between the roots. Gently dipping the roots in a bowl of water can help free all the Rockwool.
Once all the Rockwool is off, separate the plant out into however many individual plants you have, and lay them out ready for planting.
Planting the Moneywort into the substrate is as easy as just pushing the stems in. In my experience, using a pair of aquascaping tweezers is the best way, as I found my fingers make a hole which is too large, and the Moneywort ends up floating back to the surface.
Carefully take an individual stem of Moneywort in the tweezers and slowly push it into the substrate. Take care to push it deeper than you actually want it to be, then pull it back up slightly before releasing the plant. I find using this technique the roots get a better hold and seem to spread out faster into the substrate.
When we buy Moneywort as bunched stems, the technique is essentially the same, except instead of removing the plant from the pot, you simply remove whatever has been used to bunch the plants up, usually either a small band or a strip of lead.
Take care not to damage the stems when removing the band or lead. If any of the Moneywort stems are damaged, which they frequently are when sold bunched, just cut above the damaged section with a sharp pair of scissors and plant into the substrate as above.
Often when Moneywort is sold as a bunch of stems there will be few to no roots. Make sure you plant the stems deep enough so they don’t just float to the surface. If they do, just keep replanting them until roots begin to form.
Growing Moneywort as a floating plant
I love growing Moneywort as a floating plant, and it could not be easier. Simply throw a bunch of Moneywort into the aquarium and leave it to grow.
As the Moneywort grows it will form a mass of stems, leaves, and roots. When the tips of the plant touch the surface they will frequently grow up, out of the water towards the light.
Fertilizing Moneywort
Although Moneywort is considered an easy-to-grow plant, it does grow best when given some good quality fertilizer. As with many other stem plants, Moneywort takes nutrients in through its leaves and through its roots.
Over the years I have tried many different liquid fertilizers, and the one I have found to be the best so far is Easy Green which is made by Aquarium Co-op. To fertilize your Moneywort with Easy Green you simply add a few squirts each week and leave the plant to it. There is no doubt that Moneywort grown with the addition of liquid fertilizer grows fast and stronger with liquid fertilizer, and the leaves will be greener.
If you prefer to fertilizer once, then forget about it for a few months, perhaps using root tabs is a better option.
Root tabs are small capsules packed with fertilizer. Over time, the capsules dissolve, delivering nutrients directly to the roots. Root tabs are ideal for those of us with busy lives that don’t have time for fertilizer every week.
There are many different root tabs available. Through testing, I have had the best results when using Flourish Root Tabs which are made by Seachem.
- GROWTH TREATMENT: Seachem Flourish Tabs are growth stimulating tablets for plant roots which contain essential trace elements, amino acids, and vitamins.
- VITAMINS: Seachem Flourish Tabs are rich in iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium, potassium, inositol, choline B12, biotin, and other factors that have been determined to be beneficial to aquatic plant roots.
- NUTRIENTS: When inserted into the gravel, Seachem Flourish Tabs provide direct, time-released fertilization to the plants’ root zone. Nutrients are slowly made available through enzymatic action of the plants’ roots on the tabs.
- TANK USE: Insert one Flourish Tab in the gravel for every 10–15 cm (4–6 in.) radius. A standard 10 gallon aquarium requires 6 tabs. Distribute the tablets evenly throughout the gravel bed, pushing each tablet midway into the gravel bed.
- COMPLETE MAINTENANCE: For optimal plant growth, add new Flourish Tabs to the aquarium once every three to four. Seachem Flourish Tabs will not alter pH, however, in very soft or unbuffered water, they have slightly acidic properties similar to peat moss.
Last update on 2024-10-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Moneywort Maintenance
Moneywort is a fairly self-sufficient plant that needs little in the way of attention. The main regular maintenance required by Moneywort is trimming. I find my own Moneywort only needs trimming about once every 6 to 8 weeks, but I don’t have it in any high-end aquascapes.
If you are growing Moneywort in a highly intricate display that has to look pristine all the time, it might need trimming every 3 to 4 weeks.
Occasionally a leaf or two may turn yellow, and these should probably be removed. Very rarely, a whole stem may begin to die back. If this happens, either remove that stem completely or cut it back to fresh growth just below the dead section. This should prevent the rot from spreading to other plants.
Propagating Moneywort
It is extremely simple to propagate Moneywort. Below I have listed what are essentially the three steps to successfully propagating Moneywort.
Steps to propagate Moneywort
1. Take a sharp pair of scissors and cut anywhere along the stem of the Moneywort plant. Ideally cutting just above a leaf.
2. Remove the lowest leaves from the bottom of the new cutting (this prevents the leaves from rotting if they are placed under the substrate) and gently push the new cutting into the substrate.
3. Leave the cutting to grow, making sure it doesn’t float up out of the substrate
What Other Plants Can Live With Moneywort?
Moneywort is a slow-growing plant that is capable of holding its own in any planted aquarium. I think it is fair to say that Moneywort can be grown with just about any other aquatic plant. In my own fish room right now, I have Moneywort growing with all of the following plants;
Mermaid Weed
Mermaid Weed, which is also known as Saw-Tooth Hygro thanks to the saw-like edges to its leaves, is one of the most dramatic plants in the aquascaping hobby. Not only do the leaves have a stunning natural shape, but they also change from green to deep pink when conditions are right.
Although not the easiest of plants to grow, the rewards for growing this plant are huge as a good specimen of Mermaid Weed makes any aquascape look amazing.
Amazon Sword Plant
Amazon Sword plants are probably one of the most recognizable plants, and certainly one of the most popular plants in the freshwater fishkeeping hobby. Amazon Sword plants have been in the hobby for 50 years or more, and their popularity has barely wained.
Amazon Sword plants are beautiful, architectural, and incredibly hardy, making them an ideal plant for those who are new to aquatic plants.
As I sit and look around my fish room, I think I have more Amazon Sword plants in my tanks than any other plant.
Hygrophila Corymbosa
Temple Plant, which is also known by its scientific name Hygrophila corymbosa, is one of the hardiest and easy to grow plants available to hobbyists today. This bright green plant makes an ideal background plant for any aquarium.
Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus
Fortunately, Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus is easier to grow than it is to say! In fact, Pogostemon Stellastus Octopus is one of the easiest stem plants to grow. It is practically bulletproof.
This beautiful plant quickly grows to fill any space it is planted in. Whilst not necessarily one for a highly aquascaped tank, it certainly has its uses. I especially like to use Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus in all my breeding fish for profit tanks.
Dwarf Hairgrass
Many of the plants that we can use to create these carpets require special lights and lots of dedication from the fish keeper. Dwarf Hairgrass is the exception. This low-growing, grass-like plant will create a lush carpet with very little help from us fishkeepers.
Water Sprite
Water Sprite is one of the easiest stem plants to grow in an aquarium. Whether grown traditionally as a rooted plant, or as a floating specimen, Water Sprite will quickly grow and fill your aquarium with lush green, fern-like foliage.
Water Sprite can be grown either as a background, mid-ground, or foreground plant, and just trimmed accordingly to be kept at the desired size.
What Fish Can Live With Moneywort?
In my experience, any fish that could be kept in a community-style aquarium will do well when kept with Moneywort. I have had especially good luck with lots of livebearing species, Tetras and Barbs as well as Angelfish. Some of the fish species I have in tanks with Moneywort right now are;
There are many species other than those listed above that would work well with Moneywort.
What Fish To Avoid With Moneywort?
Although Moneywort is a hardy plant, its stems can be damaged by large, boisterous fish. I would suggest not growing Moneywort in a tank where large South American Cichlids like Oscars, Green Terrors, or Dovii are kept as they will quickly snap the Moneywort stems.
Known plant-eaters like Common Goldfish, Fancy Goldfish, and Tinfoil Barbs should also be avoided.
African Cichlids are also best avoided. Many African Cichlids are herbivores and they will quickly devour plants kept in their aquarium. One plant that I often recommend for African Cichlid tanks is Java Fern as it is incredibly tough and rarely eaten by fish.
Benefits of Growing Moneywort
I am a massive advocate of growing live plants in aquariums. In my experience, there are three major benefits we gain when we grow live aquarium plants in with our fish.
Firstly, although there is nothing natural about the collection of fish we put together in the glass box we call an aquarium, somehow adding live plants just makes the whole thing look more natural.
I also find that having live aquarium plants, including Moneywort, in an aquarium, adds to the number of hiding places and line of sight blocks there are. Both hiding places and line of sight blocks help reduce bullying in the aquarium and increase the chances of baby fish surviving being eaten by the adults.
The third, and in my opinion the most important benefit to growing live aquarium plants, is the fact that it helps reduce fish waste in the tank. As aquarium plants grow they absorb excess nutrients, including ammonia and nitrate, both of which result from fish waste.
In fact, if you grow enough live plants, especially floating plants, you can get away without having a filter in your aquarium. The plants do all the filtering.
Common Moneywort Problems
Over the years I have found Moneywort to be a fairly problem-free plant that tends to just grow in the aquarium without giving the fishkeeper much grief. Occasionally some of the leaves will turn yellow, and this is typically due to a lack of nutrients in the water (see fertilizing Moneywort above).
If some of the leaves on your Moneywort start to turn yellow or brown, simply remove those leaves or even cut that particular stem back. Once the yellow leaves have been removed, consider increasing the amount of fertilizer you add each week.
Another relatively common problem is when an individual stem dies back, usually as a result of being damaged. This is also an easy fix, just cut that stem back to a healthy section and new growth should sprout from the cut end.
Where to Buy Moneywort
I spend a lot of time in local fish stores, and on the whole, any store that sells live aquatic plants will have Moneywort for sale. Typically it is sold either in pots or as loose stems bundled together.
Whichever way you are buying it, always ask to have a look at the actual plant to check the stems are undamaged and the leaves look healthy.
If you don’t have a local store, or your store does not have a good plant selection, try Amazon.com. I have had good success buying live aquarium plants from Amazon over the years.
- STEMS AQUARIUM PLANT : Moneywort from Greenpro come with sturdy stem system to ensure those roots will tank nutrients from your substrate as a root feeder.
- EASY BACKGROUND : Basic starter for you tank, creating well background cover. Great for any aquatic pets.
- PREMIUM QUALITY | With our experience, every plants from Greenpro will be professionally inspected, packed and organized with suitable boxes for all weather conditions to make sure that will retain the freshness and healthiness to our customer hands.
- PROVIDES AMAZING ENVIRONMENT : Aquatic plants will produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide to enhance water quality in your aquarium community. Adding live plants not only beneficial for the natural ecosystem but also giving shelter and security place for your aquarium pets.
- HIGH TECHNOLOGY : Our plants grown by using the latest technology and facility with digital controlled nursery to ensure that our plants are diseases pest snail and algae free.
Last update on 2024-10-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
In Conclusion
Moneywort is a hardy, easy-to-grow plant that will add instant color and texture to any aquarium. It is an easy to propagate plant that, although grows slowly, will surprisingly quickly fill parts of your tank.
Whether grown as a traditionally planted specimen, or as a floating plant, Moneywort will no doubt enhance your tank.
