Wisteria leaves changing...good or bad?

[binnesman]

I've had the tank running for about three weeks. The Wisteria is putting out
alot of new growth, but it looks completely different from the old. The older growth is finer and looks like water sprite. The newer growth has oblongish serrated leaves. I was under the impression the leaves changed after reaching the air, not while still in the water. I also read that that type of leaf can be poisonous to fish.

Anyone have more info?

 

[beviking]

Never heard of the leaf being poisonous. The leaf shape does differ under different conditions (nutrients, lighting, CO2). Once it grows in under your tank conditions, it should remain that way. I don't recall if the leaves grow in wider due to less light (though that makes sense, more surface area to collect light). I once thought I had an entirely different plant, a shoot ran along the gravel where I couldn't see it and up popped these weird leaves. After a few weeks I finally realized it was the wisteria (the leaves were broad almost like an oak leaf).

HTH

 

[Leopardess]

They aren't poisonous...it's just a different growth pattern. What is happening is that your wisteria is not getting enough light to grow the long, whispy leaves. If the plant is shaded, or the wpg isn't enough, the plant grows with more ovular shaped leaves, with the serrations like you mentioned.

Here's a picture of mine where you can see both forms:

 

[binnesman]

Thanks for the replies. I think I have enough wpg...190 in a 75g. That should be enough, shouldn't it?

Could it be my water chemistry?

 

[Timmain42]

I have also heard that lower water temperature will cause a more oblate leaf. <shrug> Hey, at least it's growing.

 

[Leopardess]

Then it could be shaded. I've only ever seen or heard of it doing that when there isn't "enough" light. By enough I simply mean that the spot where the plant is is shaded enough to grow that leaf form - the plant is still healthy.

Maybe someone else has seen something different. I've also posted a pic in my last post...thats what you mean, right?

 

[binnesman]

Leopardess,

For some reason, your picture isn't showing in my browser...sorry. It is in a corner of the tank, so it could be shaded some.

Timmain: That could be it. The tank is unheated (for goldies) and temp stays around 72. And, yeah, I'm just happy to be getting any growth!

 

[Timmain42]

I thought that could be it. I dropped the temp about 4 degrees on my big plant tank several months ago, and watched all the Wisteria go from pointy to clubbish in just a couple of weeks.