Sword Plants

[Wills]

I know you often appreciate the explanation detail, so my response is lengthy, lol. This is from my profile published elsewhere.

The plant itself is a natural wild species, but misnamed. The accepted species is Helanthium bolivianum (Rusby, 1947). [There is no valid species E. xinguensis.] This species was originally described by Rusby in the genus Alisma; the species epithet is Latin and means originating from Bolivia. In 1979, Holm-Nielsen moved it into Echinodorus, the second-largest genus of aquatic plants in the Alismataceae family. The Alismataceae is a family of aquatic herbs containing 12 genera with about 80 species that are distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Three genera of interest to aquarists occur in the Neotropics [=tropical regions in the Americas]: Sagittaria, Echinodorus and Helanthium. The species in these genera are quite similar in appearance, making it difficult for aquarists to differentiate between them. To add to the confusion, even within each species the plants can take on quite different leaf lengths depending upon the conditions in the aquarium. With a few exceptions that grow fully submersed, the plants are amphibious bog plants in their habitat, spending roughly half the year emersed when they flower, and half submersed during the flooded period which lasts several months.

H. bolivianum is reported from areas in Mexico, Central America, West Indies, and South America down to northern Argentina. Nurseries frequently supply H. bolivianum as H. tenellum but the two species are easily distinguishable; H. bolivianum has three rows of chlorophyll-free pullucid "windows" adjacent to the leaf spine, while H. tenellum has normal (green) tissue throughout the leaf (Rataj, 2004). The subject plant is also larger in leaf length and width. I had both species, I'm not sure if my H. bolivianum survived but I have H. tenellum in my 40g cory tank now.

There are 11 "species" described by Rataj which are all now deemed to be the one species H. bolivianum, so the other names are synonyms (The Plant Index, 2021).

Aquarists who propagate aquarium plants have always recognized that while the various species in Echinodorus will readily hybridize, some even naturally--producing the many new red, spotted, and marble leaf forms--the chain swords have resisted hybridization with species in Echinodorus; this lends further credence to the view that the two genera are distinct.

[The taxonomic history, quite involved:]

The group Helanthium [the spelling Helianthium with the first "i" is incorrect] was described by Engelmann, Bentham and Hooker in 1883 as a section in the genus Alisma. In 1905, Engelmann and Britton erected Helanthium as a distinct genus and they assigned to it the dwarf chain sword species from Echinodorus. In 1955, Fassett reversed this and considered the species within Helanthium as Echinodorus; however, he divided the genus into two subgenera, Helanthium and Echinodorus. Helanthium held two sections, Nymphaeifolii (containing one species, Echinodorus nymphaeifolius) and Tenellii that contained the several closely-related species with E. tenellus as the type species. The subgenus Echinodorus held nine sections containing the remaining species within this genus. In his recent revision of the genus Echinodorus, Rataj (2004) followed Fassett (1955).

In phylogenetic analysis (Lehtonen 2006; Lehtonen & Myllys 2008) Echinodorus was found to be polyphyletic [=the last common ancestor is not included in the genus] and in order to obtain a monophyletic [=a clade (here genus) consisting of the last common ancestor and all descendant species] circumscription of the genus, the classification proposed by Pichon (1946) was followed by Lehtonen. E. nymphaeifolius was transferred into the genus Albidella, and E. bolivianus, E. tenellus and E. zombiensis were transferred into Helanthium.

The species now in Helanthium are those former Echinodorus species that have traditionally been considered within the generic common designation of chain sword plants (because they reproduce in aquaria via "runners") and are smaller than the true Echinodorus species, though leaf length can vary greatly depending upon conditions in the aquarium.

Thanks so much for this Byron, so interesting! Really clears it up I have heard of H.Bolivianum before and I think it could be the kind of thing I am after. But I could have a good spot for a big sword too.

Ended up removing e.impai from my 200l (3' ish) as it took over. Size 8 foot for reference:
View attachment 147455

This is awesome It does make me worry it would be wasted in a 2 foot tank though.... I'm thinking of some of the bigger Crypts like Crispulata and I want to try some Vallisnera.

Wills

 

[anewbie]

As to number of sword plants it depends on species; a couple of swords that I really like are kleiner prinz (not bar); this is a very deep red but not purple like purple aflame it is also a bit more bushy but not tall - 8ish inch - but not sure it would do well in a low tech tank; E. parviflorus "tropica" I really like this plant and keep thinking one day i will carpet an aquarium with it though it might take a decade (it is around 2 inches high and a very pleasing dark green - but it is far more busy than pygmy swords or similar); well that is two smaller swords there are so many how does one pick.

Some of the crimum and apongeton are very nice; i have a special liking for boivinainus; it has taken about 3 years in my 29 to finally gotten a bit on large size filling most of the aquarium but it is extremely nice looking plant (imho) and worth it. It also has a large root system.

 

[FishHobby99]

As to number of sword plants it depends on species; a couple of swords that I really like are kleiner prinz (not bar); this is a very deep red but not purple like purple aflame it is also a bit more bushy but not tall - 8ish inch - but not sure it would do well in a low tech tank; E. parviflorus "tropica" I really like this plant and keep thinking one day i will carpet an aquarium with it though it might take a decade (it is around 2 inches high and a very pleasing dark green - but it is far more busy than pygmy swords or similar); well that is two smaller swords there are so many how does one pick.

Some of the crimum and apongeton are very nice; i have a special liking for boivinainus; it has taken about 3 years in my 29 to finally gotten a bit on large size filling most of the aquarium but it is extremely nice looking plant (imho) and worth it. It also has a large root system.

I did see some very small ones were available, but I wanted something big and tall. Another was $40 and I don’t know enough to tackle an expensive & possibly fragile plant.

 

[anewbie]

I did see some very small ones were available, but I wanted something big and tall. Another was $40 and I don’t know enough to tackle an expensive & possibly fragile plant.

What was the species of the $40 sword plant? the only one that comes to mind that is super expensive is Echinodorus Iguazu

 

[FishHobby99]

What was the species of the $40 sword plant? the only one that comes to mind that is super expensive is Echinodorus Iguazu

I will attempt to retrace my steps and find it. I’m so all over the map looking for plants that I can‘t recall the shop, much less the variety.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Thanks so much for this Byron, so interesting! Really clears it up I have heard of H.Bolivianum before and I think it could be the kind of thing I am after. But I could have a good spot for a big sword too.

This is awesome It does make me worry it would be wasted in a 2 foot tank though.... I'm thinking of some of the bigger Crypts like Crispulata and I want to try some Vallisnera.

Wills

My aim was to have each side of the tank with tall background plants that would form a canopy and then have some low light plants beneath them, some epiphytics on wood; anubias, fern and also some planted (small) crypts.

The e.bleheri on the left was perfect with valis on the right. The bleheri took a little while to get going. I eventually transferred the entire scape to another tank and started again with the 3'. Thats when i put the impai in. I was using co2 at the time, and it became a monster, its leaves covered the full suface of the 3' tank and no other plants stood a chance!

The valis became to much hassle for me, with its relentless shoots popping up wherever it felt like. So i swapped it out for c.crispulata which looks lovely. Problem is, it grows so incredibly slooooow, especially compared to valis! So either buy tonnes of it, and at a good height (and cross your fingers to avoid crypt melt) or look into other swords. I think a tank full of all sorts of swords would be cool. What with the smaller rosette types you can get.

 

[anewbie]

Yea my jungle val are a bit of a pia:
I also have a bleheri on the right behind the java fern; but the really large sword is in the middle is a ruffle (species?)

 

[FishHobby99]

Yea my jungle val are a bit of a pia:
I also have a bleheri on the right behind the java fern; but the really large sword is in the middle is a ruffle (species?)


View attachment 147614

Anewbie, you are no newbie. That’s a fantastic tank!

 

[anewbie]

Anewbie, you are no newbie. That’s a fantastic tank!

Believe me i'm a newbie and don't confuse luck with skill.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Yea my jungle val are a bit of a pia:
I also have a bleheri on the right behind the java fern; but the really large sword is in the middle is a ruffle (species?)


View attachment 147614

Stuuning! Are you running Co2?

 

[FishHobby99]

Believe me i'm a newbie and don't confuse luck with skill.

Bet I’m way more newbie than you. Bought 1st tank in 7/21

 

[anewbie]

Stuuning! Are you running Co2?

Yea in that tank - but these 2 tanks are not running co2 - the co2 does make a difference esp with the swords and speed - but the 120 is 24 inch deep and that hurts a bit - these two tanks are only 18 inches deep - the italia val quite frankly is as bad as the jungle val - i cut it about once a month but it keeps growing back. My flame sword (in the 120 right center front is still only about 4-6 inches tall and it is 4 years old).

 

[FishHobby99]

Now I’m reading about people making their own CO2. Even saw a recipe at a plant forum from one of the most experienced fish keepers here. fascinating!

 

[mbsqw1d]

Now I’m reading about people making their own CO2. Even saw a recipe at a plant forum from one of the most experienced fish keepers here. fascinating!

Yeh it can work quite well in smaller tanks. I found citric acid and bicarb method the best, setup in two bottles. I used to try the yeast method years ago but its inconsistent which leads to algae issues.