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Re: Stem Plants and Pruning (& territorial fish)
I think the basic question here, is which plants can just be *mowed*? To my
knowledge the hygrophila plants can all be cut down this way. Cabomba has to
be pulled up and tops replanted. What about the Eusteralis stellata?
BTW, if Cabomba does do well, it will grow like a weed. I was forced into a
pruning today as I've let it grow, and everything was in shade. It was
running along the surface of the tank (and it's a shallow tank,
unfortunately). For a 12-inch tank, some had grown almost 2 feet. I noticed a
significant growth spurt when I changed a light bulb about a week ago.
Anyway, the annoying thing I encountered whilst trimming was a new pair of
blue rams, which I added to the tank about a week ago, decided to wage an
attack on me. I didn't mind the barbs, which will come and nip here and
there. I didn't mind the otocinclus, while I had my hand in far too much
removing gravel and leaves with hair algae, who used to come and try to suck
onto my hand. But it was a bit disarming to find the rams (both) attacking
repeatedly while I was trying to dig out those little holes and place a cut
stem and cover it back up. They'd be at it repeatedly during the entire
process. Of course, it's not really paintful, but I guess I saw Jaws too many
times.
I wonder if anyone has piranhas in a planted tank?
Sylvia
<< Well, Hygro is about the most basic stem plant. But it's a quick
grower.
My new favorite stem plant is Eusteralis stellata. It gets a nice
red/purple color on the undersides of the leaves and on the stems,
it grows well, gets nice and bushy with trimming.
A good slow growing stem plant I've got is Nomaphila stricta (Giant Hygro).
Cabomba is a nice looking stem plant, but if it doesn't do well, it
makes a big mess all over the tank.
>>