# Kyoto grass (Mondo grass)



## subvert (Jun 12, 2006)

Hello,
I am pretty new to this hobby but I think I have done enough research in the last month or so that I thought I would give it a go. I purchased a 46 gallon bow -front, added my substrate after assuring that the water parameters are correct and bought a small selection of common plants including Ophiopogon japonica. Which by-the-way was highly recommended by the puberty stricken fellow at one of the local fish and pet stores. I get it home and planted it immediately into my tank, sat down in front of my computer to find more on this plants care and read that this is not an aquarium plant and should not be sold as such as it will die in short form in 2-6 months at best. Hmm a bog plant eh? Okay so this is my first newbie mistake. More to come im sure. Okay so....I am looking for a tall grass plant similar to Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonica) that will serve as a background in my tank but will prosper in a submersed environment. I have posted a photo below. Can anyone identify the grass in the back left of this tank? Or maybe suggest a tall grass similar to this to achieve the same effect? 
Thanx in advance.


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## turbowagon (Dec 30, 2005)

How about plants in the _Vallisneria_ genus?


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## subvert (Jun 12, 2006)

*hmm*

One of the plants I have purchased is of the Vallisneria family. However, the leaves are too broad for my vision of the completed tank and the color is not deep green enough either. Mondo grass is perfect visually if it would only survive submerged....Thanx for your advice. I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to my hobbies (which are limited due to the nature of my work) Thus I cannnot bring myself to compromise much....


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## Daniel*Swords (May 8, 2006)

Hi Subvert, and welcome to the forum! 

The tall plant in the left back corner seems like _Vallisneria_ species to me. Really fast growing and spreading plant that prefers usually not too soft water. Another similar is Narrow Leaf Sag (_Sagittaria subulata_) which in my experience is not so invasive as Vallisneria... but almost... A _Cyperus helferi_ might actually be just what you want... looks rather a lot like _Ophiopogon_...

A really grassy looking grass is Eleocharis genus, for example Japanese Hair Grass, _Eleocharis sp._ (4''-8''). Then there is _Eleocharis vivipara_... a bigger plant than the Japanese one.

Hope this helped!


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