Questions about my sword

K

Ketso

Cityfied Redneck
Jan 26, 2007
347
0
16
Peebles, Ohio
I have a Marble Queen Radican sword that has a shoot/stalk growing upwards. This, from what I gather, is the way swords reproduce and a few new plants will form from this shoot.

1) Should I keep this shoot under the waters surface? Or let it grow out of the top of the tank?

2) Would this plant benefit from root tabs? I think it would, but unsure. It's growing in pool filter sand with no nutrients added to the substrate. I do dose GW Ferts.

Thanks!
 
I don't know what size tank you have it in, but i have a number of swords in my 180g tank (24" high). I've never had them grow out of the water although some leaves have touched the surface and the tips bent over to "float" on or just below the surface.

I usually leave the new plants on the shoots as long as possible. The small plants seem to grow much faster while they are still attached to the parent. I usually seperate mine from the parent after they are atleast 6" tall.

It also seems to me that if you leave as much of the cut runner attached to the parent as possible more plants will develop. If you cut the runner off near the parent no more plants develope on that runner. I'm still learning about this part myself, so I'm not entirely certain this is true, just early conclusions I've made based on limited observations.
 
My tank is a 55g which is about 20" tall. This runner/shoot/stalk/stem (whatever it's called. Someone let me know) is approx. 24-26" tall and still growing. Thus the question, do I let it grow outside the tank or under water?

swordte7.jpg


sword1za1.jpg


Thanks,
DeMonZ
 
I personally would lay the stalk back in the water. All my swords that do this grow well under water. I dont know if they will sprout new plants, or just flower out of the water. Just my opinion.:dance2:
 
I would also put it back into the water. I find when they are out of water they tend to dry up and sometimes die off, especially if under hight lighting. I just had one of my Echinodorus 'Ozelot' shoots die off that way. I didn't even see it till it was too late.
 
If the bud is submerged, you get a baby plant. It the bud is at the surface or slightly above, you get a flower.

I am one in the camp of using root ferts for swords. Some folks rely on water column ferts and don't use root tabs at all.
 
I also put root ferts on all swords. Always have and doesnt seem to hurt!
 
Thanks for the answers folks. I really appreciate it. I have already gently bent (more like bowed) the stalk so it is under water. I will also be picking up some fert tabs as well.

Any suggestions on a brand?
 
DeMonZ said:
Thanks for the answers folks. I really appreciate it. I have already gently bent (more like bowed) the stalk so it is under water. I will also be picking up some fert tabs as well.

Any suggestions on a brand?
Click to expand...
Well, the two i get are flourish root tabs, and aquariumplants.com root tabs.
The flourish is available at any pet store, so much easier but still good.
 
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