Red dwarf lily bulb - squishy?

[Just Renee]

I just received this 2 days ago and immediately rinsed it off, then popped it into my newly cycling aquarium.  Let it rest on the substrate, just pushed it in a tiny bit.  I am still rearranging all the plants in this new tank and noticed just now that the bulb is squishy and when I gently pressed it, a lot of cloudy stuff came out.  I took it out and now have it in a bowl.  It came with a small, roughly 1cm long root or stem coming out.  Is it for sure a dud or does it get sort of squishy while sprouting?

[Solidus1833]

if there is 'any' growth I'd throw it back in your aquarium. Lily bulbs can take a notoriously long time to really get going. So if you see any growth, that's a good sign. I've had lily bulbs take a few months to get to a point where they start sprouting leaves. They are worth it in the end, but dang do they take a while. 

[Just Renee]

I have it in a bowl with dechlorinated water in it, is that good enough to get it to sprout?  I just don't want to mess up my aaaalllmost cycled tank if it turns out to be rotton inside.

Thanks for the help!

[Solidus1833]

if anything its addition is negligible at best to changing water parameters. Even if its rotting, that just feeds the beneficial bacteria to catch up and consume nitrite. I've had a bulb that was squishy like you have described. My clown loaches sniffed it out dug it up and ate half the bulb, but the sprouted end still lived and thrived. 

[Just Renee]

Oh that is great to know!  Thanks, Solidus.  I will keep an eye on it because I really hope it turns out to be viable.  I have a red tiger lotus bulb that is already growing leaves and I love it!

[Just Renee]

Ok, this bulb is still being weird.  It has roots or stems growing from it, I can't tell which.  It keeps floating to the top of the tank and it is still squishy.  Is this thing viable or is it growing the spawn of satan?

 

 

[lefty o]

if it is growing, it's viable.

[Just Renee]

10 minutes ago, lefty o said:

if it is growing, it's viable.

Thanks!  I'm still low-key nervous it's satan spawn though. 

Can you tell if those are roots or beginner leaves?  I can't figure out if the part that's sprouting should be down in the substrate or up toward the light.  Not that it matters, it keeps filling with gas and floating back up after a day or so.

[lefty o]

that looks to be leaves. dont worry too much, the plant knows which way to grow what part.

[Just Renee]

Ok, thank you.  I hope it stops floating to the top at some point!

[Isaac M]

The red and green material is the leaves and the white growing down is the roots.

What I do with my dwarf aquarium lilly bulbs is keep them in a separate container like a cup so I can monitor it. Once the leaves have sprouted, I move them over to the aquarium. 

I am perplexed however about why it keeps floating. Maybe there is something decomposing in it that is causing the gas? 

[Just Renee]

Yes, there is clearly something decomposing inside it.  When I squeeze it, air comes out and then a milky substance comes out.  It's gross, evil and I am tempted to call a young priest and an old priest.

[Isaac M]

Hahaha that is very odd, I can see why you are tempted 😂 I have never experienced that but I would just watch it closely. 

[Isaac M]

@Just Renee I have been thinking about this and if it is squishy and decomposing, I would just remove it. It would be best to just get another bulb than to risk fouling your aquarium over it. You can also just keep it in a container separate from your aquarium if you want to monitor it but I would at bare minimum remove it from your aquarium. If it does end up sinking and growing, you can add it back to the aquarium. 

[Just Renee]

Ok Isaac, that makes sense.  It's actually stayed on the substrate for a day now and has an obvious tiny little leaf growing so I'm going to give it one more chance, if it floats again, it's out. I'll just buy another one at some point.  

Thanks!

[ARMYVET]

@Just ReneeIf you have a priest come and bless the tank....your bulb will literally be submerged in holy water...😂

[Just Renee]

Update!  It has kept itself submerged for, like, 3 days now and there's a big leaf growing so I think good is overcoming evil.  Thank god.

[ARMYVET]

Maybe it will grow big and strong like this!

[Just Renee]

LOL!  Ok, I promise right here, right now, that if it grows into Audrey, I will happily mail you a cutting. 😉

[ARMYVET]

Oh No....I live with 5 women...I already have my own little house of horrors😂🤣😂