Spider Plant?

[ryknier]

Hey folks, I ran into the wierdest thing that I have not found yet on this thread.... I was at the neighbors and saw they had a spider plant otherwise Chlorophytum comosum and wanted to grab the hanging guy and grow one for myself. I did not have a pot and soil at the time but I just hung it over my cichlid tank for the meantime, and forgot about it, and of course it fell into the tank where it was submerged, and noticed about a week later this thing had huge roots on it. I was in aw, and then was curious and then lanted it into the substrate. Sure enough, the thing is growning great and a nice addition! Cichlids aren't eating it up, and growing great.

I guess my question is does anyone else know this or have done this?

 

[Blinky]

Actually, yes! I planted the entire bottom of a 35g with spider plantlets once, years ago. They seemed fine submerged and the fish didn't bother them. Eventually I removed them and planted them in pots, so I'm not sure if they'll live submerged for long periods of time. I imagine they grow along the ground like grass in the wild (not in hanging pots, lol), and that the areas where they grow experience periodic flooding, which would make them adaptable to living emerse or submerged.

 

[angrytodd]

i used a cocoa nut husk trim at the top of my diy background and zip tyed pathos and spider plants to it.This allows the roots to enter the water but keeps the plants on top and sides of my tank.I did'nt know they would grow well fully submerged.very interesting.

 

[ryknier]

wow, that sounds like a really good idea, any pictures of that setup?

 

[angrytodd]

yea it is very cool,i'll add some pics when my cam gets back from a friend.Gives the tank a real cut away of a river bank look.