Egeria densa
The default 'green branches in a bag' from any SA pet shop. Tolerates cold water down to 10 °C, survives unheated tanks through winter. Allelopathic: actively suppresses algae growth, which is why it's still stocked everywhere despite being banned/invasive in many warmer states. Use as a quick nitrate sponge in new tanks.
Anacharis (Elodea) (Egeria densa) is a stem aquatic plant for the midground to background (or floating) of a planted tank. It reaches 30–100 cm under good conditions and grows at a very fast rate. Light: medium. CO₂: none to optional. Target 10–26 °C, pH 6.5–7.8, and 4–20 dGH. Substrate: Any (or float, works equally well). Propagate via cuttings.
Care at a glance
The default 'green branches in a bag' from any SA pet shop. Tolerates cold water down to 10 °C, survives unheated tanks through winter. Allelopathic: actively suppresses algae growth, which is why it's still stocked everywhere despite being banned/invasive in many warmer states. Use as a quick nitrate sponge in new tanks.
By Mike ElmiraUpdated 1 min read
Part of our complete guide to the planted aquarium.
The parameters that decide whether anacharis (elodea) fits in your tank.
Hydrocharitaceae
Stem
Midground to Background (or floating)
Any (or float, works equally well)
Cuttings
Slow temperate ponds and ditches of North America
South America, naturalised globally
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
CO₂ requirement: none to optional. Light requirement: medium. Under low-tech conditions the plant grows at a very fast rate.
Anacharis (Elodea) (Egeria densa) needs medium light. Run a photoperiod of 6–8 hours; longer photoperiods invite algae unless CO₂ and dosing are dialled in.
Position: midground to background (or floating). Substrate: Any (or float, works equally well) It typically reaches 30–100 cm.
Propagation method: Cuttings. Anacharis (Elodea) is a stem plant.
Target 10–26 °C, pH 6.5–7.8, and 4–20 dGH. Flow tolerance: low to medium.
Difficulty: 1/5. Almost unkillable, a solid first-tank choice.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this plant with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
