Why is my tiger lotus plant growing so slow

I got the bulb and planted it in November and it has been about 4 months and this has barely even grown….does anyone know why?

I use flourish and flourish excel and run the lights for 8-10 hours in my 37g tank.

Did you partially bury the bulb (or totally bury it)?

Mine grow like Triffids, they were literally thrown into the aquariums, the fish batted them about a while before they sprouted and literally took off in a couple of weeks. I never partially bury mine, they sit on the surface of the sand.

wasmewasntit said:

Did you partially bury the bulb (or totally bury it)?

Mine grow like Triffids, they were literally thrown into the aquariums, the fish batted them about a while before they sprouted and literally took off in a couple of weeks. I never partially bury mine, they sit on the surface of the sand.

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It is totally buried…should I take it out and let it sit on the surface?

If its growing id leave it and maybe add some root tabs to give it some nutrients. I plant mine in the substrate but leave the crown of the blub sticking out.

I would give excel a miss tho, it contains glutaraldehyde which is toxic for fish

I completely agree with AquaBarb. I had this plant some years back and used Flourish Tabs, replaced every three months, one next to the tuber. Made a hugee difference.

Also agree on the toxicity of Excel.

Excell is not a fertilizer. It is a chemical that some plants can use as a source of carbon. Normally plants get carbon from cO2 and other gasses from the air and water(Oxygen, Hydrogen). And then they get nitrogen from fish waist. Excell just provides carbon. After those plants need another 13 mineralto grow (Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, phosphor, sulfur, Chlorine, Iron, Manganese, Boron, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum, and Nickel). If just one is missing plant growth will stop. Fertilizers such as root tabs provide these minerals. Your plants look healthy so it is likely getting everything ate a very slow rate causing it to grow very slowly.

Instead of Excel increase water surface agitation and movement or an air stone to increase gas exchange with the air. That will mix in more oxygen and GO2 into the water

I agree on not using Excel! Get it out of the substrate at least partially as being totally buried can cause rot.

I have a Red Tiger Lotus that does real well. I use root tabs and Flourish Iron.

Navfish said:

I got the bulb and planted it in November and it has been about 4 months and this has barely even grown….does anyone know why?

I use flourish and flourish excel and run the lights for 8-10 hours in my 37g tank.

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Hello Nav. This plant requires very strong light. And, if you have a tank that's taller than it is wide, then standard tank lighting isn't going to be strong enough to reach the plant. SolarMax has lighting that's strong enough for most planted tanks. The brand isn't cheap, but it provides strong light and the bulbs last several months. Remember, when you provide strong light, you're asking the plant to grow faster. You'll need fertilizer that's equal to the level of light.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

I concur on the subject of light. However, it takes this plant a while to get going, so be patient. It will produce floating lease and/or lower leaves, depending upon the light and nutrients and how you "prune" it. If you want floating leaves--and these are very lovely in an aquarium with the purple-red colour--leave any leaf stalks that appear growing up to the surface. Lower leaves will probably be fewer if there are more floaters, that is up to you. A Flourish Tab works wonders with this plant. But go easy on iron, I nearly killed my two plants by dosing Flourish Iron as well as Flourish Comprehensive (which also contains iron) and the tab (more iron). Iron also causes plants to stop assimilating some other nutrients.

Byron said:

I concur on the subject of light. However, it takes this plant a while to get going, so be patient. It will produce floating lease and/or lower leaves, depending upon the light and nutrients and how you "prune" it. If you want floating leaves--and these are very lovely in an aquarium with the purple-red colour--leave any leaf stalks that appear growing up to the surface. Lower leaves will probably be fewer if there are more floaters, that is up to you. A Flourish Tab works wonders with this plant. But go easy on iron, I nearly killed my two plants by dosing Flourish Iron as well as Flourish Comprehensive (which also contains iron) and the tab (more iron). Iron also causes plants to stop assimilating some other nutrients.

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Ya, mine took 2-3 months to really get going.

Good point on not over doing the iron. I use Flourish Iron but only about 1/2 dose about every two weeks.

Sometimes plants take time to develope their root systems first. They're growing, we just can't see it. But then after the roots are developed, then you see the growth in the stems and leaves.

sharkweek178 said:

Sometimes plants take time to develope their root systems first. They're growing, we just can't see it. But then after the roots are developed, then you see the growth in the stems and leaves.

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This is also true. Part of the reason that my lotus took so long to get going was that my rope fish liked to 'play' with it. He would knock it around the tank like a soccer ball.

This Triffid Tiger Lotus is a shade over 2 months old....along with the Apongeton's doing a brilliant impersonation of a Kelp forest...and zero fertiliser use....ever.

None of my bulbs get planted...they get thrown, scattered and fish flipped...the fish only leave them alone once they get bored.