Biotope accurate plants for C. orientalis

[Igneous]

In my preperation for my C. orientalis biotope I searched the internet for information regarding it's habitat. But I didn't get much further than ponds, forest ditches and wetlands. But how those looked like or, even better, which plants grow there remained a mystery.
So after that I started looking into research papers regarding flora in the lower Yhangtze river and checked every plant that came up and wether it's geographic spread matched with that of C. orientalis and are also available to hobbyists.

Here are the results for those interested:

Submersed
Apognogeton natans
Average light requirement, grows up to 10-45cm. Position submers.

Bacopa monnieri
Low light requirement, grows up to 20-30cm. Position submers or emers.

Cardamine lyrata
Low light requirement, grows up to 20-50cm. Position submers.

Ceratophyllum demersum
Low light requirement, grows up to 50cm. Position submers.

Hydrilla verticillata
Low light requirement, grows up to 200cm. Position submers.

Myiophyllum spicatum
Low light requirement, grows up to 200cm. Position submers.

Murdannia keisak
Low light requirement, grows up to 5-30cm. Position submers.

Vallisneria natans
Low light requirement, grows up to 20-30cm. Position submers.

Potamogeton gramineus
Grows up to 30-60 cm. Position submers.

Rotala indica
Low light requirement, grows up to 10-30cm. Position submers.

Rotala rotundifolia
Low light requirement, grows up to 10-30cm. Position submers.
Limnophila sessiliflora
Average light requirement, grows 15-40cm. Position submers.

Potamogeton crispus
Low light requirement, grows up to 100cm. Position submers.

Ceratopteris thalictroides
Low light requirement, grows up to 15-30cm. Position submers.

Ottelia alismoides
Average light requirement, grows up to 20-50cm. Position submers.

Blyxa japonica
Average light requirement, grows up to 5-15cm. Position submers.

Blyxa aubertii
Average light requirement, grows up to 40-60cm. Position submers.

Lillies or floating:
Nymphaea tetragona
Average light requirement, grows up to 15-30cm, 10-15 in width. Position submers.

Nymphoides peltata
Average light requirement, grows up to 20-50cm, 3-15 in width. Position submers.

Lemna trisulca
Low light requirement. Position floating plant.

Pistia stratiotes
Low light requirement. Position floating plant.

Emersed
Blyxa echinosperma
Low light requirement, grows up to 10-40cm. Position emers.

Acorus gramineus
Low light requirement, grows up to 20-30cm. Position emers.

Astilbe chinensis
Low light requirement, grows up to 25-45cm. Position emers.

Cyperus haspan
Low light requirement, grows up to 50-70cm. Position emers.

Caltha palustris
Average light requirement, grows up to 25-50cm. Position emers.

Hypericum japonicum
Average light requirement, grows up to 25-50cm. Position emers.

Sphaerocarym malaccense
Average light requirement, grows up to 10-30cm. Position emers.

Oenanthe javanica
Average light requirement, grows up to 15-150cm. Position emers.

Erigeron anuus
Average light requirement, grows up to 50-100cm. Position emers.

Eragrostis ferruginea
Grows up to 45-60cm. Position emers.

Juncus effusus
Average light requirement, grows up to 30-70cm. Position emers.

Cynodon dactylon
Average light requirement, grows up to 4-15cm. Position emers.

Ophiopogon japonicus
Low light requirement, grows up to 15-20cm. Position emers.

Sagittaria sagittifolia
Average light requirement, grows up to 30-60cm. Position emers.

Mazus pumilus
Average light requirement, grows up to 15cm. Position emers.

Mazus miquelii
Average light requirement, grows up to 15cm. Position emers.

Ficus pumila
Average light requirement, grows up to 300-450cm (climbing plant). Position emers.

Mosses:
Fissidens nobilis
Average light requirement, grows up to 5cm. Position submers or emers.

Selaginella uncinata
Low light requirement, grows up to 10-15cm. Position emers.
Yes I know, it's not actually a moss

Selaginella moellendorffii
Low light requirement, grows up to 20-55cm. Position emers.
Yes I know, it's not actually a moss

Ferns:
Adiantum pedatum
Low light requirement, grows up to 25cm. Position emers.

Arachniodes simplicior
Low light requirement, grows up to 30-60cm. Position emers.

Asplenium trichomanes
Low light requirement, grows up to 10-15cm. Position emers.

Athyrium niponicum
Low light requirement, grows up to 30-70cm. Position emers.

Cyrtomium falcatum
Low light requirement, grows up to 40-60cm. Position emers.

Dryopteris erythosora
Low light requirement, grows up to 40-50cm. Position emers.

Polystichum tsus-simense
Low light requirement, grows up to 15-35cm. Position emers.

Thelypteris decursive
Low light requirement, grows up to 30-60cm. Position emers.

Woodsia polystichoides
Low light requirement, grows up to 15-30cm. Position emers.

Orchids:
Most of these are hard to come by.
Anoectochilus zhejiangensis

Amitostigma gracile or Ponerorchis gracilis

Liparis odorata
Grows up to 15-40cm.

Liparis petiolata
Grows up to 15-20cm.

Pholidota cantonensis or Pholidota uraiensis Hayata

Dendrobium catenatum
Grows up to 25-40cm.

Bletilla striata
Grows up to 20-35cm.

 

[Chinadog]

Thanks for posting, very interesting! I'm planning a biotope type tank for my C. ensicauda popei, but there's plenty known about their habitat so it should be a bit easier than orientalis.

 

[E. Sylvanus]

Thanks for posting! I’m trying to create a biotope for a paddletail newt, and have had a very hard time determining what plants I should be using. (Similar to your experience—I can find general habitat information, but no specifics on plant species found there.) With a little luck, maybe some of these will coincide with the paddletail’s range as well, or at least give me a starting point for finding some appropriate plants. Many thanks!