This is the way Anacharis is normally sold.

Many plants are not sold with roots because they are cuttings, anacharis, cabomba, elodea are always sold that way, they grow roots with time but they don´t need them. plants like amazon swordplants always come with roots, others are sold as tubers.

Just shove the ends in the gravel bed where you want them. They will root. As Raul said this is the way stem plants are sold. If extra weight is needed until they root, a rock or ornament will do. I dont know what fish you keep but some will munch on them and can destroy them almost overnight or not. After the anacharis establishes they will grow fast enough for nibbleing. By the way you will soon notice snails apearing, tiny ones its part of keeping live plants. They are of no harm and eat algae. they are actually beneficial but they multiply quickly. Clown loaches will eat them and keep them at bay. If your tank is to small for the loaches place a pice of wilted lettuce in the tank at night. hold it dowm=n at the bottom with a rock. n the morning discard the lettuce with the attached snails and repeat to control infestation.

Something is eating my anacharis now. When I got the plant I also got some snails from the petstore, by accident. When I describe the snails I'm describing the snail shell type, not the actual snail names since I don't know what they are.

First, my tank:
10g freshwater, 1 ghost shrimp, aboug 120 tadpoles, 2 bullfrog tadpoles, 1 ramshorn snail, 2 1/2" apple snails, 3 1/16" apple snails. Bio filter, air stone.

I have 2 larger (1/2") snails which might be eating the anacharis. It's looking pretty shredded now. Could it be the apple type snails, or ramshorn snail that's eating it? The tadpoles only eat algae from what I know. Some of the leaf tips are actually ripped off, and some leaves have holes. Terrestrial plants also have hole damage from slugs and snails, so there's a similarity there.

Forgot to mention, I will be removing all snails to a cup of water until I can figure out what is going on. Actually, algae is not a problem since I just started the tank and the tadpoles will eat any algae that happens to grow.

The little snails (pond snails) come with the plants even if not visible at first the plants usually have tons of eggs on them and are almost impossible to remove completely without killing the plant. I would assume the tadpoles are the culprits. A java fern or any aquatic fern or anubia are a good choice most fish even herbivores wont bother them. Anaacharis is a treat to an herbivore. I dont know much about tadpoles I have never kept them. It seems like an awful big fishload (or amphibian load) for such a small tank. What are you going to do with them when they turn to frogs?

I know some snails eat plants, but I determined it probably is not the snails eating the anacharis, as I saw the tadpoles really chewing on the plants. So I took the plant out of that tank.

Yes, there are quite a few tadpoles in this tank so I'm doing a 50% water change daily. And I have started my filter as of June 1.

When they turn into toads (they are probably toads) I will release them into the wild. Their wild pond is currently drying up. But this was more of a science experiment for my son and I to see them develop. It has been only 7 days (since we caught them) and 4 of them have front legs already.

Cool. You may only want to do a 20%-25% water change until you have cycled. The anacharis wont harm them it is a good alternate food source for them. You could even go to the local pond/lake and see if you can get more plants that come from their natural habbitat. Toads are good freinds to have around the yard. Perhaps a toadhouse or 2 around your deck will help rid the yard of biting pests. Pond snails will eat any algae that grows in small quanities.

What is the difference between anacharis and elodea? I was looking at pictures on the internet and they look alike to me.

I think it's anacharis they sell me at the pet store. It has no roots and would grow them if the fish didn't eat the plants up first.

Anacharis is brazilian elodea. I remember seeing that in a book or store one time. the plant was labeled Brazilian Elodea/ Anacharis. Elodea prety much looks the same and is called by different names deppending on country of origin.

Although anyone in the tank is a likely culprit responsible for your plant loss,let me just say that i've watched an apple snail go through anacharis like popcorn.