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Re: Pygmy Chain Swords Not so Pygmy



Neil Frank says:
> 
> It is a very variable plant. One way to distinguish tenellus from the other
> species, is the width of its leaves. Tenellus are narrow. The narrowest one
> has leaves 1-2mm. The other is more like 4mm.  
> 

snip
 > Tenellus and the other chaining swords were discussed and illustrated in
 > the first issue of Planted Aquaria Magazine, back issues of which 
will soon
 > be sold by the AGA.

Yes, I went back and read *your* excellent article in PAM Spring 2000. 
(Isn't he modest, folks?)  ;-)  Mine look like the crowded ones at the 
top of pg 27, in the 70-gallon tank. The longest ones are at least 6mm 
wide at their widest point, in the middle. The more well-behaved plants 
are 4 mm wide or sometimes smaller. Working from the chart on PAM Sprin 
2000 page 33 I have both c-1 and c-2. According to your article, I 
should have the longer leaves in the corners where there is less light. 
But the longer leaved plans are in the middle, where there is the most 
light, but more crowding. Perhaps crowding is a stronger variable than 
light?

Thanks, Neil.


And Robert H <robertph3 at attbi_com> says:

 > This has come up before, and I think I have said this here before, but
 > tenellus, bolivianus, and latifolious, are all pigmy chain swords most
 > always grown commercially emersed, where they are 6 to 8" tall. When 
you buy
 > these plants mail order or even from a store, most likely they will 
always
 > be grown this way. After you plant them, the new growth has adapted 
to being
 > submersed and will be much shorter.

Yes, thanks for that comment, Robert, because not everyone knows this. 
These particular plants, however, have been fully submersed and growing 
strong for three years in the same aquarium. The leaves are definately 
demonstrating submersed growth.

 > These commonly available pigmy
 > chain sword species all look very simular and typically have leaves 
shaped
 > like blades of grass and about the same thickness.

Mine are like Johnson grass and not like bermuda grass.

 >
 > quadricostatus is also called Cuban chain sword, and has a 
distinctive spoon
 > shaped leaf that comes to a point at the end.

Nope. That's not it. No spoons.


Thanks, Robert.



I have to go back to work now before Erik finds out I've been goofing 
off instead of working on the new TAG.

Cheryl

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Cheryl Rogers
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