What To Do Now?

[Joshy]

Hi all.

I want your suggestions on what to do with this now.
I was thinking of just something simple and easy to go in the foreground.
Preferably S. American. I am no expert when it comes to plants.

The tank has two 15W running and gets dosed with fertiliser once a week.
There is no C02 running and because of the lighting, nothing too demanding.

It currently has 4 Amazon sword in there that are recovering and now beginning to do well. The photo supplied is an old one where the swords have only just been put in and there is just one old tube on. As I said, now there are two new 15W running. Oh and the tank is 2ft high, water level being about 18 inches high.

Thanks, I look forward to all your help.

 

[Joshy]

One other quick question for the experts:

Can i 'over crowd' the amazon sword?
I was just thinking of buying maybe two or three more?

Thanks

 

[SuperColey1]

That isn't Amazon sword although it is an Echinodorus of some sort (I think).

You will find that this plant will be too big for your tank. By the looks of it you already have a few in there. Once they get fully grown they will fill the whole of that tank!!!

AC

 

[Ludwig Venter]

That isn't Amazon sword although it is an Echinodorus of some sort (I think).

You will find that this plant will be too big for your tank. By the looks of it you already have a few in there. Once they get fully grown they will fill the whole of that tank!!!

AC

I'm so glad that you agree that this is not an Amazon Sword....Over here, (S.A.) they are also sold as Amazon Swords, and I have quite a number of them in my outside ponds where they totally grow out of the water (to almost 1m high) then sends out runners with little white flowers and each flower develops into a new plant.

I recall Amazon Swords as being a plant with uniform thinckness in the leaves & can get bushy (and big) if not controlled..... So what is this actually, (because of ignorance, I'm now also selling them as Amazon Swords, But I know it is not right.)

 

[SuperColey1]

I would put my money on Echinodorus Bleheri which is very commonly sold as Amazon Sword.

With Amazon Swords(Echinodorus amazonicus) the leaf starts almost at the crown with no long stems like these plants have.

Could also be Echinodorus parviflorus (black sword)

I hope for you it isn't Brazilian Sword (Spathiphyllum tasson) which is not a true aquatic!!!!

A better picture would be good as it is hard to see from the quality of that pic. Do some looking yourself on:

www.plantgeek.net
www.tropica.com

AC

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Here is a topview of my Guppy pond with one of those "alleged" Amazon Swords.... (and yes... From the crown)

 

[SuperColey1]

No idea what that is Luidvig but it isn't Amazon Sword:
[URL="http/www.plantgeek.net/images/plantpics/amazon2.jpg"]http/www.plantgeek.net/images/plantpics/amazon2.jpg[/URL]


Yours could be Echinodorus palaefolius var. latifolius. I would ignore the height advice on these sites as they are rarely the right measurements for plants that are left to grow without interference. Just scroll down the plant list on the right for pics and info on them:
[URL="http/www.tropica.com/default.asp"]http/www.tropica.com/default.asp[/URL]

AC

 

[Joshy]

I really can not tell the difference between Echinodorus amazonicus and this Echinodorus Bleheri.
But i can tell straight away it is not this Spathiphyllum tasson.

If it helps, you say:

With Amazon Swords(Echinodorus amazonicus) the leaf starts almost at the crown with no long stems like these plants have

Well all the new leaves so far have started out with no stem, they open up as a leaf pretty much at the crown, then grow upwards with a stem.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

These are exactly the same as what Joshy has in his/her tank... Only resembling when they are still small.....

 

[SuperColey1]

With Amazon Sword the leave starts at the stem and the leaf itself grows upward. From your picture there is a 'stalk' to each leaf.

Not too sure about it being echinodorus from your desription of the leaf starting at the crown and then the stalk rising up!!!

Got me foxed there!!!

This is an old pic of an Amazon in my tank. Notice the leaves are long rather than oval and that they go from the crown to the tip:

AC

 

[Joshy]

Argh great.
Well, what to do now?

Shall i leave them in there and see what happens?