Baby tears: tearing my hair out

[Lynnzer]

Dwarf sag, maybe? Whatever they are, they look great! Fast-growing carpet plants are kind of like the holy grail in this hobby!

I think you're right with Dwarf Sag, but,,,,,,,Dwarf.
I got these as seeds from fleabay. I placed some on wet substrate soil in a dish but couldn't get them sprouting. I then placed some kitchen roll over them that helped keep them wet and in place and away they went, but only slowly.
When they were around 6mm high I tried to take them out of the kitchen roll but as the roots were underneath and the leaves were on top all I could do was tear bits of the roll off with the plants attached and then put them in the tank like that with a bit more substrate over them.
I love them but I think I'll move them.

 

[itiwhetu]

The growth on those plants is like a house on fire. They are growing a couple of inches a week right now.
Can you identify them better now?. Here they are again, at least until I turn the livestream off.

Hard to tell but I think it maybe one of the chain swords.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I think you're right with Dwarf Sag, but,,,,,,,Dwarf.

Well, dwarf is relative...compared to most regular sagittaria (or swords, if Itiwhetu is right), these things are tiny!

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I plant them one small stem at a time in fine gravel. I used a tweezers to plant them. Every few minths they had gorwn so much I had to pull them all up and replant about 10%.

At the start- see lower front left and then the upper terrace.

And then it went nuts. Top terrace.

 

[Lynnzer]

What I read was that it's a good front of tank and carpet plant.
I'd say it's more a background plant.
I think I'll be moving some to tanks where fish need plants to browse through, lay eggs in or just be able to chill out among the leaves.

 

[Lynnzer]

The longer this takes, the larger the plants grow, and in fact they are already above water level now in some places. In fact I can see a couple of small ones floating free on top as well. These may just be offshoots that have been disturbed by the Panda Corys.
Anyway, I now doubt that the previous identification is correct. Those that were pointed to, seem to grow all the leaves from the base, ie at root level, and these have multiple leaves forming higher up from the stem. There are no roots forming from the stem either.
The leaf itself isn't tough. It's quite soft to feel and it appears to have a wavy edge to it.
They are now getting to be more of a curtain across the front of the tank so I do intend to do something with them. Can they be cut back and if so could the cuttings grow independantly?
Failing that I'll dig them out and put them in another tank.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I know they aren't what you want, but I think they look great! They just need a haircut. Get yourself a set of aquascaping tools ($10-15 on amazon). Those long tweezers and curved scissors can make plant trimming a lot less frustrating.

And yes, cuttings should grow if you plant them.

 

[Lynnzer]

I know they aren't what you want, but I think they look great! They just need a haircut. Get yourself a set of aquascaping tools ($10-15 on amazon). Those long tweezers and curved scissors can make plant trimming a lot less frustrating.

And yes, cuttings should grow if you plant them.

I have the tools already but I just didn't know if trimming them was the right thing to do.
I guess I'll give it a go anyway.
Oh.....Amazon? I wouldn't put another penny into the pocket of the richest man on earth if I can help it. Or is that Elon Musk?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I have the tools already but I just didn't know if trimming them was the right thing to do.
I guess I'll give it a go anyway.
Oh.....Amazon? I wouldn't put another penny into the pocket of the richest man on earth if I can help it. Or is that Elon Musk?

@Fishmanic is actually the richest man on earth, but don't tell anybody. It's our little secret.

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

Any updates on the tank? How are the fish doing?

 

[Lynnzer]

The fish are doing great. The Green Neons are amazingly active and flash past in a tight shoal from one side to the other. As soon as I turn the light off late afternoon, I open the curtains in the room so they get the full evening sun shining onto the tank front and they glisten like sparkers at bonfire night. When the sun starts to go down they all hide among the roots and plants with only their bright eyes on show.
The Badis are mostly only seen for short periods after I drop a dozen or so whiteworm in. They just don't have the speed of the Green Tetras though so mostly have to forage for those that have fallen down into the roots of the plants. The male is still shimmying in front of the female so I guess and hope it'll end up with a batch of fry in due course.
I cut the plants today and dropped the cuttings into an endler tank to see if they sprout roots. If so, as someone has already said, they look amazing plants so I have some other tanks I'll be happy to use them in.
I still get bladder snails but not in any great numbers and they mostly get squashed when I find them. Saying that I caught one eating algae on a plant so left it alone. Favouritism?
It'll no doubt get caught by the assasin snails sooner or later anyway.

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

Wow your tank must be amazing! I'm so jealous

 

[Lynnzer]

Wow your tank must be amazing! I'm so jealous

I can sit and watch it for hours with Love in Portofino playing by Andre Bocceli on my surround sound. Relaxevous,
It's one of my two properly aquascaped tanks, the other one being even better and is in this months tank of the Month contest.
To get a flavour just hit the link on my signature and it's usually livestreaming.
I have another newly purchased tank to set up now as well so that'll be getting a mention sometime soon.

 

[Lynnzer]

I've been sitting in front of the tank for an hour or so just watching the fish while listening to the Jubilee Concert.
The Golden Tetra threw a surprise on me.
For some reason the room has had a small number of very small flies over the tanks, less than a mm in size, perhaps laying eggs or whatever in the water.
Anyway I saw one of the flies go across the water about a cm above it and a Golden Tetra went speeding to the surface and grabbed it out of the air.
Fan-bloody-tastic. Watch live when it's streaming and you may experience the same thing.