"swords", Amazon, Brazilian, radican, melon, horizontal, red, double red, broadleaf, narrow leaf, pygmy chain, etc. You could stock up on only swords and still do a respectable amount of plant sales. But there are still others which I would include in this category. Some of these are Cryptocorynes, water sprite, onion bulb plant, Anubias, Nymphea bulbs, Aponogetons and banana plants. The Singular Varieties can be broken down into the following sub-categories: Crown Plants: These are mainly the swords and Cryptocorynes, both of which need additional iron to maintain a deep green color and for continued growth. As mentioned above, only plant the roots of these plants paying careful attention not to cover the "crown." As with any plant, prune off any discolored or dead leaves or roots prior to planting. The roots of these plants should be white but may be stained if they were grown in soil. Rhizome Plants: These include Anubias, Bolbitis, Microsorium and Lagenandra. A rhizome is a fleshy stem which usually grows horizontally just above the surface of the gravel or soil. Unlike true roots, a rhizome has leaves and buds and, if cut apart, will grow into a new plant. Roots grow downward and leaves grow upward out of the rhizome. As with the crown, it is important not to bury the rhizome, only the roots. This type of plant can also be tied to a porous rock or piece of driftwood with a piece of fishing line and the roots will eventually attach themselves to the rock or driftwood. This is very popular among discus hobbyist who do not want to use any gravel or soil in their tank because it can be a breeding ground for bacteria. / Tubers and Bulbs: Tiger Lotus (Nymphaea maculata), Dwarf Asian Lily (Nymphaea stellata), Onion Bulb Plant (Crinium thaianum) and Madagascar Lace Plant (Aponogeton madagascarensis) are some of the varieties that belong to this group. These do best just lying on top the gravel with the roots (if any are present) buried. Crinium is the only true bulb which is characterized by a mass of overlapping leaves on a short stem which serve as a source of food for the plant. Crinium propagates by sprouting a new stem at the base and thereby starting a new bulb. Nymphaeas, Aponogetons and Barclayas are tubers which are short, swollen food-storing stems. Tubers have buds (eyes) on them which grow into new plants. The new plant gets its nourishment in the form of starch from the tuber until it is mature enough to develop roots.
As with all the previously mentioned aquatic plants, only the roots of the bulbs or tubers should be planted under the gravel. The bulb or tuber should be resting just above the gravel. If the plant has only few or no roots it is possible to plant the bulb or tuber half way into the gravel with the leaf growth pointed up until the plant has produced enough roots to hold it in place. Be careful to keep detritus from building up around the bulb or tuber. When buying plants as bulbs or tubers without any plant growth evident, it is difficult to determine whether the bulb or tuber is viable. The first thing to look for is the condition of the bulb or tuber. Give it a hard squeeze. A healthy bulb or tuber will feel hard to slightly spongy. But watch out, if it is rotted inside it may explode all over you and the smell is less than desirable. Once you have all the bad tubers and bulbs culled out, place the good ones in an aquarium with good circulation, heat and light. Some will sprout within a few days, others may take a few weeks and there may be still others that seem like they will never sprout. After two to three weeks, take out any unsprouted bulbs and start moving them around to other aquariums every couple of days. Very often this is the only stimulus they need to get started. If you still don't see any growth, the bulb is probably no good. Floating Plants: Many retailers don't carry floating plants simply because they don't display well hi the average display rack of aquaria and because they are a little more difficult to divide into equal portions for sale. Yet, in many ways floating plants fill a niche which no other plant can satisfy. Any one who has seen a tank covered with floating water sprite (Ceralopteris pteroides) with the delicate roots hanging down to form an intricate labyrinth for baby fish to hide in can attest to this spectacular sight. By providing a shade cover, floating plants create an oasis for shade loving fish such as clown loaches and bushy nose plecos. Floating plants also provide the proper lighting for other plants like dwarf African spearhead (Anubias nana) and Asian water fern (Bolbitis heteroclita). Other floating plants that will do well in the home aquarium include Azolla caroliniana, frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum), duckweed (Lemna species), and butterfly fern (Salvinia articulata). The requirements of these plants are simply slow moving water and a full spectrum of light. I have seen some types of floating plants get by for a while under cool white fluorescent or yellow incandescent light, but they really thrive under a full spectrum florescent bulb.
Careful care and selection of aquatic plants can result in a planted aquarium such as the one in our centerfold. Photo by Dino Barbarisi Continued on page 12