Besides helping water quality, these plants provide cover and protection for adult fish and baby fish. Goldfish will spawn in May and June on these plants, attaching their eggs to the foliage where they soon hatch. Fish fry (babies) will be protected by hiding in the submerged plants from adult fish until they can grow larger. Stock early to be able to get all benefits of these important plants.

Anacharis is sold as a bunch of bare root cuttings, 6-8 stems held together by a rubber band. Hornwort is more like a single large stem or sometimes 2 or 3 stems to make the proper quantity. Either plant should be placed in a pot of gravel to weight them down. In the depths of the pond they'll take nutrients from the water through their foliage.