Is this how Amazon Swords reproduce?

[crimsonmoon]

I just pruned (is that what its called with aquatic plants?) the sword's old leaves that were in the non aquatic form from when i bought it in the tube from petsmart a while back. these leaves are all completely new growth no more than 2 weeks old, i guess it really likes the eco-complete!
but i noticed this thing shooting out from the plant, and was wondering if this was how they reproduced?








please overlook the dirtiness all over everything, i had just stirred up everything on the bottom to help out the filter and then it hit me that i should have done that *after* i took pics lol

 

[Turbosaurus]

Yup. That's a runner. Baby plants will grow off nodes on the runner. If it gets to the surface you'll get flowers at the nodes above water instead of planlets. The flowers look similar to a butter cup except they're white. Let the planlets grow until they have good roots, then they should snap off relatively easy from the main stem and you can plant them.

 

[crimsonmoon]

so each little knob on the node will be a baby plant, or just the end?

 

[Turbosaurus]

on each little knob you will get baby plantS- likely plural.

 

[crimsonmoon]

awesome thanks
is it pretty typical for it to do this this soon?

 

[Turbosaurus]

Not really.

I have no idea when or why they throw runners. Obviously the plant is very happy and healthy if its put up that many submersed leaves in a short time frame. I've had swords for years that never put out a single runner, others that I couldn't stop. I have no idea why they do or don't but apparently your plant is quite happy.

 

[J Lindy]

my local petsmart has been getting some great plants lately. i think you have a melon sword there; i got one recently and it did exactly what yours is doing. i now have 4 new swords from it.

great plant.

 

[crimsonmoon]

nah its an amazon. i have melons, they are a lot different. my red melon's new leaves start out red and then lighten up a bit, and their leaves are more round too
but thanks

 

[Mgamer20o0]

Not really.

I have no idea when or why they throw runners. Obviously the plant is very happy and healthy if its put up that many submersed leaves in a short time frame. I've had swords for years that never put out a single runner, others that I couldn't stop. I have no idea why they do or don't but apparently your plant is quite happy.

they do it to reproduce. making sure they have everything they need to survive really helps. try some root tabs under yours.

 

[jake gillespie]

if the plant decides to grow out of the water let it its what they do in the wild (extra co2)