Coconut Half Tube with Live Plant

The Coconut Half Tube with Live Plant is a natural hide and a planted accent in one piece. A half round section of coconut shell makes an open tunnel that sits on the substrate, and a hardy live plant is already attached on top, so it looks settled and natural the day you drop it in. Shrimp graze it, bettas nap under it, small catfish and loaches shelter inside it, and it adds a little green to a tank without any planting. Browse the rest of our freshwater aquarium plants and aquarium caves and hides.

Care Guide

• Before adding it: Rinse the piece in dechlorinated water to wash off loose fibers and debris. Keep the plant wet the whole time.
• Placement: Set it directly on the substrate with the open tunnel facing out. Do not bury the plant's rhizome, the thick stem the leaves grow from, or it will rot. The roots can reach down into the sand on their own.
• Lighting: Low to moderate. Anubias and java fern both do well in shade, which makes this a good fit under taller plants or in a low tech tank.
• CO2 and fertilizer: CO2 is not needed. An occasional dose of a liquid fertilizer such as Seachem Flourish keeps leaves dark and healthy.
• Tannins: Natural coconut can release a light tea color for the first days or weeks. It is harmless, and fish like bettas and shrimp enjoy it. Regular water changes clear it.
• If it floats: Some pieces take a few days to become fully waterlogged. Soak it in a bucket of dechlorinated water, or wedge it under a rock until it stays down.
• Upkeep: Trim any yellow or damaged leaves at the base. If the plant loosens from the shell, reattach it with a dab of aquarium safe glue or cotton thread.

Specifications

Placement and Companions

Put the tube where you can see into the opening. Shrimp colonies gather on the shell and plant to graze biofilm, and small fish use the tunnel as a home base. In a nano tank one piece can be the whole centerpiece, and in a larger scape two or three placed along the front create a natural, overgrown look.

• Cherry Shrimp and Amano Shrimp that graze the shell and leaves
• Female Bettas and Sparkling Gouramis that rest in sheltered spots
• Pygmy Corys and Black Kuhli Loaches that like a tunnel to hide in
• Java Moss tucked around the shell for an even more natural look

Recommended Supplies

• Seachem Flourish for the attached plant
• Seachem Flourish Glue to reattach the plant or add moss
• Seachem Prime for rinsing and water changes
• Fritz Catappa Leaves to pair with the coconut for a botanical style tank

FAQ

Which plant will I get?
It varies by batch. Most pieces carry a small anubias or java fern, both easy low light plants. If you have a preference, come in and choose one from the tank.

Is the coconut safe for shrimp?
Yes. Natural coconut shell is a classic shrimp and betta hide. Rinse it before adding it, and expect a little harmless tea colored tint at first.

Does the plant need to be planted?
No. It is already attached to the shell and grows there. Just keep the rhizome above the sand.

Will the coconut break down?
Very slowly. Coconut shell lasts for years underwater. Over a long time the fibrous outer layer may soften, which shrimp actually enjoy picking at.

Can goldfish or cichlids eat the plant?
Anubias and java fern are tough and bitter, so most fish ignore them. Large diggers may push the piece around, though, so it is best suited to small fish and shrimp.