Looking for plants

[jimmydrsv]

I live in los gatos near san jose.

I am looking for a ludwigia repens, crystalwort, glossostigma, dwarf hairgrass and Giant Red Rotala for my planted fish tank. I can trade with java moss, anacharis, rubra water lily, micro sword, chain swords, pieces of driftwood or a cherry red shrimp. These are all established plants in my aquarium and are growing.

Also info about stores that sell these would help me as well.

[toby]

dolphin pet village (san thomas aquino and campbell) had come l. repens the last time I checked (two weeks ago).

[jimmydrsv]

I was going to go there since a guy at petco told me they had a good selection. The only problem is that when i called the place their stuff is pretty expensive.

[bharada]

My first suggestion to any planted tank hobbiest that lives in the Bay Area is to visit the SFBAAPS Web site and join. You will not find a better source of plants (both common and exotic) in Northern California than at one of the monthly open houses/meetings. Basically, if it's available and can be propagated, someone in the group is growing it. Every meet ends with a plant swap were members bring in their trimmings to pass amongst the group.

For newbies it's a great way to seed a start up tank as most always there's an ample supply of fast growers being offered. So even if you have nothing to offer initially, there's a pretty good chance that you will become a contributing donor in short order.

That being said, the #1 retailer for aquatic plants in the Bay Area is Albany Aquarium. The owner is dedicated to bringing in all the latest and hottest plants in the hobby. Other places that stock a good selection of plants are Ocean Aquarium in San Francisco (on Cedar St, between Van Ness and Polk) and Octopus's Garden in Berkeley (near the corner of Ashby and Shattuck)

[sarahbobarah]

Definately try Dolphin Pet Village. Corner of San Thomas Aquino and Campbell next to a Hobby Shop.

They have riccia (crystalwort) in little tubs or plastic baggies but it's $20 bucks! The glosso is great - I believe it's $3.50 for a pot, but it's a very, VERY full pot.

They also carry other not so common plants. Be prepared to pay a little bit more, but then again, they have awesome sale prices on different plants each week. Their supplier is Florida Plants, I believe, and all the plants are labeled so you're sure you're getting true aquatics.

Another place to try: Petco in Sunnyvale. Plants come in usually Wednesday afternoon, but I'd go right before they close cuz the girl that works there gets kind of snippy if it's really busy. Tons of great potted plants and all for the same price so you'd get anubias nana, amazons, and dwarf hairgrass for about 4 bucks each. Their supplier is Horizon growers in Ramona, who, unfortunately, never labels their plants. If you know what you're looking for, it's all good. Or if it's not too busy, talk to one of the fish people.

The other places I've been to around the South Bay either don't carry anything other than some overpriced anubias or try to sucker you if you seem like a newbie.

Oh yeah, almost forgot - PetClub, next to Costco, on Rengstorff right off of 101. Go Saturday mornings when the guy with the glasses is there. He doesn't know much about plants, and they only carry potted,but it's a good place to start if you want cheap (but good) stuff.

Hope that helps!

[bavarian3]

Originally Posted by bharada

. Other places that stock a good selection of plants are Ocean Aquarium in San Francisco (on Cedar St, between Van Ness and Polk)

I drove around for a half hour trying to find this place. Me and my gf ended up leaving we couldnt find cedar.

[bharada]

Originally Posted by bavarian3

I drove around for a half hour trying to find this place. Me and my gf ended up leaving we couldnt find cedar.

If you're going west on Geary, you make a right onto Van Ness. Once on Van Ness your first right is Cedar. It looks more like an alley than a street which is why you probably missed it.