What plant to choose?!?

It's been awhile since I changed ferns on a big LOG in my tank. Started with the African Bolbitis heudelotii and switched it out when it became  huge for a smaller leafed fern Microsorum pteropus 'narrow' (Java fern 'needle leaf'). This fern is becomming established on my log looking pretty nice. The other day while thinning the fern out a bit I ran into another species of plant wanting to share space. Hygrophila pinnatifida has made its way off the substrate and onto my LOG. It looks really cool and pictures of this plant on woods are impressive.

So where the title comes in. Help me deside if I should should trim this hygrophila back allowing the fern to continue its course or should I allow the hygrophila to envelope the LOG?


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Note: In the picture I already pulled up a huge chunk of fern where the hygrophila has grown on the log leaving the empty space you see.
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No pic for me

Nevermind ... showed up. I like the hygro p.

I like both! Keep both on the log? Looks more natural.

cichlid-gal wrote:No pic for me

Nevermind ... showed up.  I like the hygro p.

Me too. Tough call though...

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:I like both! Keep both on the log? Looks more natural.

I was thinking it would be a chore to keep them from growing into each other. But I could work that. Perhaps I should have put a MIX in the poll.

Would growing into each other be bad? Might give it a more interesting and different look than other meticulously maintained tank scapes. I like the natural look of these two plants on the log together. If they were in a river bed or pond they wouldn't be kept from touching each other.

The needle leaf until I can get my next tank up and running, then switch.   

I think both too, it's a nice look. The java fern is a pretty typical look, but mixing in the unusual shape of that hygro makes it really nice and unique.

dwarfpike wrote:The needle leaf until I can get my next tank up and running, then switch.   

I would flood the market if all the fern was pulled...lol

LuminousAphid wrote:I think both too, it's a nice look. The java fern is a pretty typical look, but mixing in the unusual shape of that hygro makes it really nice and unique.

I appreciate the input. The fern may over shadow the hygrophila because it's much taller. Sometimes long stems develop but the two plants ryhzomes would compete. I think it would smother one or the other if mixed. I definitely don't mind trying it though. After looking closer at the log the same thing is beginning to develop on the other of the log. On the other side there is more of a sudden drop on the log where I've started Buse species.

I could alow the hygrophila to just grow on the sides and keep the fern on the very top where there is sort of a flat area.

  hmmmm, choices choices...

Yes I think that last one is a good idea, I like the way it looks right now with the fern hanging over at the top and the hygro growing over from the bottom with a little wood showing. It looks really nice and has a good sense of negative space... often people just fill up the whole piece of wood with plants and then people don't even realize it's wood

I agree, I enjoy seeing the dark color contrast of the wood between them.

LuminousAphid wrote:Yes I think that last one is a good idea, I like the way it looks right now with the fern hanging over at the top and the hygro growing over from the bottom with a little wood showing. It looks really nice and has a good sense of negative space... often people just fill up the whole piece of wood with plants and then people don't even realize it's wood