# red mangroves in a community aquarium



## chillicharlie (Apr 18, 2010)

hi, i was wondering if anyone had had any experience with growing red mangroves in a tropical freshwater aquarium. if i grow them can i snip them out before they reach the surface? any info would be greatly appreciated, many thank....


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Mangroves are big trees and need at least brackish if not full on salt water... you'd need a pretty big aquarium if you want to grow them, and they'd need to grow emersed. The leaves won't grow underwater.


----------



## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

How would you get them? They are a protected plant species and cutting them can result in large fines and even jail time... so if u do collect them in nature i would be VERY careful no1 sees you. I had a neighbor once who cut some in his back yard and i guess some1 saw him and he had some HUGE fines. im talking 1,000's of dollars.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

There are places that sell the seedlings and I'm pretty sure it's not illegal to pick up seed pods that haven't rooted... that's different from messing with plants that have established themselves.


----------



## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

Ya im aware, i was just giving him a heads up.


----------



## patrock (Feb 21, 2008)

> There are places that sell the seedlings and I'm pretty sure it's not illegal to pick up seed pods that haven't rooted... that's different from messing with plants that have established themselves.


I agree with this. as far as i know pods are not protected, as long as they have no roots, and they have fallen off the tree (you cannot pick them off the tree). The penalties for causing damage to a mangrove are so stiff I wouldn't even look at them with an evil eye. 

The pods can be rather abundant; I have seen them washed up on to the shore by the ton. Not kidding here, piled up taller then me (Ok I’m short, but that was still a 6 foot tall pile )

I have about 10 or so in a 55G SW tank, all grown from a pod. I have also managed to start 2 in fresh water, in a pot, without salt. They did not survive more then 3 years, but seemed healthy the majority of there time. I was on vacation for 2 weeks and neglected to tell the tank/house sitter to water them, so my bad on that one. I am not sure if they require any salt, Mother Nature can be adaptable to an impressive extent, but totally salt free is not there natural environment AFAIK.

I say go for it, go pod hunting and look for the biggest, firmest pods you can find. A few words of caution
1- check with your local authorities before pod collecting just in case, I will not claim any responsibility on this one  

2- NEVER underestimate the power of there roots, they can put some enormous amounts of pressure on a glass tank, enough to bust the glass or blow a seam and not even break a sweat.

3- I know that they do not handle a change in salinity well (long term, not short term). if you buy some on line, get pods, not seedlings with leaves. 

4- They look awesome and may be habit forming




> if i grow them can i snip them out before they reach the surface?


 


I started mine by floating them in Styrofoam, with about 2 inches of the pod in the water at the beginning. over time I would lift them up further a little at a time. That forced the roots to grow down to the substrate and giving it that “walking tree” look. 
Here is an old pic, I should update this as the one on the left is free standing and has 5 branches now












an inspiring article
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/ac/feature/index.php
you may consider a black mangrove, but this may be in uncharted territory.

good luck


----------



## Jomamma (Aug 7, 2013)

*Water absorbant/repellant*

The Red Mangrove seed is actually water absorbant on its root end and water repellant on its leaf end. This is so that the root end will come in contact with soil at low tide or low water conditions. In my research I have found that Mangroves do not like salt water and will actually expell salt through their bark/ leaves/ branches. Th s is a super slow grower so growing right on the edge of salt water it has no competition from other plants. As a full time fishing guide here in fla (mosquito lagoon) I have seen seedlings, with leaves , fully submerged during extreme high water for months at a time.....tough little plant huh?


----------

