Plants?

[scrage]

About 2-3 weeks ago I bought some discount (cant pass up 50% off) plants at petsmart and stuck them down in the gravel. Now, I'm not so delusional as to think they would burst into this healthy giant plant that my fish can enjoy... but they don't exactly seem to be growing much. The leaves aren't dying, and they aren't being pecked at by my fish, I just don't see any new ... anythings. BUT, they are reproducing like CRAZY. These little root bulbs start to fuzz up on the leaves, then they start sprouting little green stems. It's really neat.

Anyways, just wondering.. is that normal? I can try to take a picture if you guys need to see the plants types. I really don't remember what they are...

 

[techen]

Photo is great help, just remeber if you want large, bright bushy green plants you need a lot of light IE watts and ferts/co2 on the go.

 

[RRaquariums]

It sounds like your plant is putting all it's energy into growing new bulbs rather then growing bigger or it's reached it's mix size and now it's just reproducing either way if it's giving you new plants that's good in my book I'd just keep replanting the new plants it's giving you and see how they grow

 

[scrage]

Ah, forgive me. I am finding it very difficult to figure out how to get the images from my computer to this post.
 
 
Oh butts, I can't seem to figure this out.

 

[scrage]

Okay, heres the one with a ton of fuzzy babies growing on its leaves, but its sightly blurry and they are mostly on the other side so you can't see them well at all.

That one had tons of dead/dying leaves on it when I first got it but hasn't lost a leaf since. It had a baby growing right on that talest leaf so I stuck it in the gravel (I havent seen it grow much though).

I am 100% unsure about this lil fella. Hasn't popped off any babies or grown at all... it just kind of exists. Never changing... But I love him anyways.(Leaves were fairly bent when I got em, hence the slight crease on the stems)

Here is the first baby I pulled (gently) off a leaf and stuck in the ground. That tiny twisty stem is, I am almost certain, an unraveling leaf... but you can't really see it well at that angle. My plecos pulled it out of the gravel once though, so i stuck it BACK in the gravel... not quite so neatly (Hence its roots poking out a bit)

Blurry bonus image of my betta being a COMPLETE HAM while momma is trying to take serious pictures.

 

[attibones]

The first image is a java fern. It needs its rhizome above the substrate. I've got a bunch of my ferns stuck in the crannies of my driftwood but you can tie them to wood or stones, too. The rhizome is the part where all the stems meet and the where the roots go off. These don't get too bushy, but they do reproduce quickly from the leaves as you are seeing.

Not sure about the second.

The third is an amazon sword, I believe. It is a fairly hardy plant but it likes root tabs. If you can pick up some liquid fertilizer too, it will really respond well. It's an easy plant to care for because of its lacksadaisical light needs. These guys can get big. Just give it some time and it should fill out.

 

[scrage]

Thanks for the advice on the bushy fella. I pulled him up above the gravel a bit I just hope he stays put.

UPDATE: I -just- noticed that my two leafed-bendy dude (Amazon sword?), infact, has a third leaf trying to poke through the gravel.

About the fern, I'm a little unsure about how well it will manage not tight in the gravel. it isn't rooting well and... I'm not quite sure how to tie a plant down. I kinda have to rocks lightly squeezing its sides so it stays in place. Is that okay? I don't want my plecos to tear it up.

Also where can I get this liquid fertilizer you are talking about and will it harm the fish I have in the tank?

 

[daizeUK]

Hi Scrage, you can tie a java fern with fishing line.  The best thing is to tie it to some natural wood or rocks in your aquarium.  It will take several weeks until its roots secure a grip and it can hold on by itself.
 
If you can't get hold of fishing line, superglue will work too!  Superglue is safe for your aquarium as long as it only contains cyanoacrylate.
 
Try to let the baby plants grow a little on the parent first before pulling them off, they will establish better this way.
 
As for liquid fertiliser, something like Flourish Comprehensive or Easylife Profito is a good choice.  They are fish safe, just follow the dosage instructions!

 

[fluttermoth]

I think part of your problem is (and I know it's difficult if you have plecs, catfish or loaches!) that you've planted them too deep. Plants don't like to have their 'crown' (that's the bit the leaves grow from) covered, so you really need to lift them up a bit. As daize says, the Java fern would do better being tied to something.

 

[attibones]

Can you get a clearer picture of the second one? It looks like a fern, too. Maybe a tropica fern. Same rules apply for this guy as with the java fern.

You can pick up liquid fertilizer at PetsMart in the plants section. it's not too expensive and it goes a long way if you're only dosing one tank.

 

[scrage]

I think we have some fishing line somewhere, would it be okay tied to a rock? I don't exactly have access to any logs atm. Also, pics of the second plant (I think) My camera on my phone isnt picking up anything in the tank very well so sorry for the blurry, but I tried a different angle so you could see the leaves better.. and this stuff I picked up from petsmart. Is this the right stuff for plants? Also thank you for informing me that I need to pull them up. =] I'll get to that after my new neons settle in better. I just plopped them in today so i don't want to freak them out right off.

Thank you again for helping me out, guys! I am really appreciating the help.

 

[attibones]

That plant does look like a tropica fern to me.
 
The CO2 booster is handy, but if you could also get something like Seachem Flourish or API plant food or leaf zone or something, you'll be able to add trace elements and other plant food stuff into the tank for greater growth. 

 

[scrage]

Okay, so... I pulled up the ferns (and three babies) and tied them all to objects ABOVE the gravel. I pulled up the other plants a bit and HOLY cow one of them has 5 leaves that were desperately trying to get to the light (Dang plecos). I would like to thank you all again! I'll pick up some fertalizer next time i find myself in petsmart. You guys have been EXTREMELY helpful.