PlantStem

Anacharis (Elodea)

Egeria densa

South America, naturalised globallyBeginner

TL;DR, Anacharis (Elodea)

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.

LightMedium
CO₂None to Optional

Care at a glance

Updated 23 May 20261 min read

Part of our complete guide to the planted aquarium.

Leaves yellowing, pitting, or new growth coming in pale or twisted? Work out what it’s short of in our plant deficiency guide.

Tank fit

The parameters that decide whether anacharis (elodea) fits in your tank.

Parameters

Temperature10–26 °C

15 °C20 °C25 °C30 °C

pH6.5–7.8

4.05.06.07.08.0

Hardness4–20 dGH

0 dGH5 dGH10 dGH15 dGH20 dGH25 dGH

Height30–100 cm

020406080

LightMedium

Low

Medium

High

CO₂None to Optional

None

Optional

Recommended

Required

GrowthVery Fast

Slow

Medium

Fast

V. fast

FlowLow to Medium

Still

Low

Medium

High

V. high

Profile

Family

Hydrocharitaceae

Type

Stem

Position

Midground to Background (or floating)

Substrate

Any (or float, works equally well)

Propagation

Cuttings

Habitat

Slow temperate ponds and ditches of North America

South America, naturalised globally

Kit for this plant

Who it lives with

Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.

Weighing it against something similar? Compare Anacharis (Elodea) head to head:

Frequently asked questions

Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.

Does Anacharis (Elodea) need CO₂?

CO₂ requirement: none to optional. Light requirement: medium. Under low-tech conditions the plant grows at a very fast rate.

What light level does Anacharis (Elodea) need?

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.

Where should Anacharis (Elodea) be planted?

Position: midground to background (or floating). Substrate: Any (or float, works equally well) It typically reaches 30–100 cm.

How do you propagate Anacharis (Elodea)?

Propagation method: Cuttings. Anacharis (Elodea) is a stem plant.

What water parameters does Anacharis (Elodea) tolerate?

Target 10–26 °C, pH 6.5–7.8, and 4–20 dGH. Flow tolerance: low to medium.

Is Anacharis (Elodea) suitable for beginners?

Difficulty: 1/5. Almost unkillable, a solid first-tank choice.

Sources & further reading

More plants

Adjacent specimens in the catalogue.

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BeginnerWest Africa (Cameroon)