Plant ID Help

[Brianna121426]

Im not really new to the hobby but I'm new to aquarium plants. In my ten gallon tank I bought a package of three bulbs only labeled as "betta bulbs". Can anyone help me ID this plant? Any advice would also be helpful. It grows really tall stems that just lay across the water and I'm wondering if they'll eventually need cut (or if they can be) and if I can cut or seperate the plant and how to once it is well grown. Thanks!

 

[Byron]

That is an Aponogeton plant. I'm not sure of the exact species; A. crispus and A. undulatus are very similar, with long undulated-edge leaves. I have the latter, which will reproduce vegetatively with new daughter plants. You cannot cut the leaves, that will kill them (the leaf). I find these plants do better with substrate fertilizer, like Seachem's Flourish Tabs. The leaves grow from a tuber (the "bulb") that cannot be divided. Many species in this genus will require a rest period of a few months each year, when the leaves basically die off; do not disturb the tuber, it will sprout new leaves (unless it dies).

Byron.

 

[Demeter32]

I also just added 3 of the "betta bulbs" and two have tiny leaves beginning to sprout. I've grown them before but they slowly died off. For one reason or another the peg at my Petco that used to hold the packets that have around 5+ bulbs was replaced with these slightly more expensive 3 pack betta bulbs. I can't seem to find the original packets anywhere now.