Rotala Indica

[Cinnebuns]

I had an experience with after wisteria that is now repeating with some rotala indica so I'm thinking it may be something I did. Once I planted it in the substrate it started not doing well. I have some floating that appears to be doing fine. I planted 2 pieces that already had roots and had planned on planting the floating pieces once they grew roots but now I'm thinking I'm doing something wrong with the planting. 

They are planted in fine gravel substrate. No planted substrate, but I didn't think these plants needed it. I had put API root tabs throughout the tank and 1 specifically near where I planted the rotala. 

As you can see in the pic, the mystery snail knows the plant is dying and is now munching on it. 

Ideas?

[Odd Duck]

Speculation here since I am NOT the best at stems, but it might be the difference in lighting.  Most lights don’t spread that well all the way to corners, where your floating stems are right up as close as possible to the light.  Just a thought. I’m sure others better at stems will chime in, too.

[Cinnebuns]

On 5/28/2022 at 8:02 PM, Odd Duck said:

Speculation here since I am NOT the best at stems, but it might be the difference in lighting.  Most lights don’t spread that well all the way to corners, where your floating stems are right up as close as possible to the light.  Just a thought. I’m sure others better at stems will chime in, too.

Oh!  They are placed under water lettuce. Maybe that's it. I wonder what plant might work for that spot that would be fine under water lettuce. I want something coming up behind a structure. 

Behind this thing. 

[Cinnebuns]

I realized that I need to thin out my water lettuce anyway. Maybe I can keep it more thinned out permanently and that will help the plants below it

[Odd Duck]

On 5/28/2022 at 8:13 PM, Cinnebuns said:

Oh!  They are placed under water lettuce. Maybe that's it. I wonder what plant might work for that spot that would be fine under water lettuce. I want something coming up behind a structure. 

You can find Java fern very tall, sometimes.  It’s very “shade” tolerant.  I can’t guarantee that it will continue to grow very tall fronds, though.  It suits itself, sometimes, on size of fronds.

You could also try one of the tall Crypts, like C. balansea, C. aponogeton, or C. ulvaceus, and let them be rooted back behind the structure but float their leaves across the top where they can get more light.  They will get you a look somewhat similar to Aponogeton crispus, A. longiplumosa, or A. boivianus but a bit narrower.  If you can get them to establish (they are about as prone to Crypt melt as other crypts), they will stay tall and not have resting stages like Aponogetons tend to have.  They are also  much less likely to completely take over a smaller tank like Aponogetons sometimes will.  The tall Crypts seem to be as low light tolerant as other Crypts and maybe more so since their leaves will reach the surface of anything smaller than about 26” deep or more.  My C. ulvaceus are still babies, but C. aponogeton and C. balansea are touching the surface in my 29 G pea puffer and 100 G nanofish tanks.

[JoeQ]

On 5/28/2022 at 9:02 PM, Odd Duck said:

Speculation here since I am NOT the best at stems, but it might be the difference in lighting.  Most lights don’t spread that well all the way to corners, where your floating stems are right up as close as possible to the light.  Just a thought. I’m sure others better at stems will chime in, too.

I haven't had much success floating stems, as far as lighting goes i like to error to the side of less is more and only increase intensity to prevent lower leaves from dropping. 

[Odd Duck]

On 5/28/2022 at 8:36 PM, JoeQ said:

I haven't had much success floating stems, as far as lighting goes i like to error to the side of less is more and only increase intensity to prevent lower leaves from dropping. 

@JoeQ Did you mean to quote me or OP?  I’ve long since resigned myself to not doing consistently well with stems. 🤷🏻‍♀️  I periodically try a new one that catches my eye and sometimes even succeed.  But you might want to quote or mention OP if this comment was directed at their original question.

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/28/2022 at 12:37 PM, Cinnebuns said:

Once I planted it in the substrate it started not doing well. I have some floating that appears to be doing fine.

 

On 5/28/2022 at 6:02 PM, Odd Duck said:

Speculation here since I am NOT the best at stems, but it might be the difference in lighting.  Most lights don’t spread that well all the way to corners, where your floating stems are right up as close as possible to the light.  Just a thought. I’m sure others better at stems will chime in, too.

This was exactly my thought. Especially after seeing the difference on my 29G (30" long) going from a 24" to a 36" light.  It looks choked off by the rock and I don't see it lit "well".  It looks to me like something where anubias would do really well in that spot or java fern.

What kind of light is on the tank, what is the size of the tank itself?

[JoeQ]

On 5/28/2022 at 9:40 PM, Odd Duck said:

@JoeQ Did you mean to quote me or OP?  I’ve long since resigned myself to not doing consistently well with stems. 🤷🏻‍♀️  I periodically try a new one that catches my eye and sometimes even succeed.  But you might want to quote or mention OP if this comment was directed at their original question.

I think i did mistakenly? I'm not sure 🤣 I just replied to the first post that popped up thinking it was the whole tread. 

[Odd Duck]

On 5/28/2022 at 8:46 PM, JoeQ said:

I think i did mistakenly? I'm not sure 🤣 I just replied to the first post that popped up thinking it was the whole tread. 

😆 You have to do an @ symbol, then start spelling their name, and click on their name when it pops up, or quote directly from who you want to reply to.  I’m embarrassed to admit that it took me far too long to figure out how to get somebody’s name to pop up and send them a notice.  This should do the trick for @Cinnebuns but they should also get a notice when you post on their thread or any thread they are following.  I’m pretty sure “following” is started automatic when you create a thread.

[JoeQ]

On 5/28/2022 at 3:37 PM, Cinnebuns said:

I had an experience with after wisteria that is now repeating with some rotala indica so I'm thinking it may be something I did. Once I planted it in the substrate it started not doing well. I have some floating that appears to be doing fine. I planted 2 pieces that already had roots and had planned on planting the floating pieces once they grew roots but now I'm thinking I'm doing something wrong with the planting. 

They are planted in fine gravel substrate. No planted substrate, but I didn't think these plants needed it. I had put API root tabs throughout the tank and 1 specifically near where I planted the rotala. 

As you can see in the pic, the mystery snail knows the plant is dying and is now munching on it. 

Ideas?

My unprofessional opinion is that it is being choked off, either by poor flow which would limit water colum nutrients or recieving poor lighting caused by the water lettuce blocking the light. If it were me, I would probably add a bubbler to this area to get some flow (it looks like a dead spot) and see how things go. It if doesn't improve id move the rotala and put an anubis/tiger lilly or even some kind of val in that spot. 

[JoeQ]

On 5/28/2022 at 9:57 PM, Odd Duck said:

😆 You have to do an @ symbol, then start spelling their name, and click on their name when it pops up, or quote directly from who you want to reply to.  I’m embarrassed to admit that it took me far too long to figure out how to get somebody’s name to pop up and send them a notice.  This should do the trick for @Cinnebuns but they should also get a notice when you post on their thread or any thread they are following.  I’m pretty sure “following” is started automatic when you create a thread.

Ment to quote here:

Im not big on this forum software...... It accidentally quotes people by just scrolling. Saves your quotes when you reply to other threads, keeps your text from old text that you never hit send on.... Among other annoying features, its toooo much, just too complicated.

[Odd Duck]

On 5/28/2022 at 9:09 PM, JoeQ said:

Ment to quote here:

Im not big on this forum software...... It accidentally quotes people by just scrolling. Saves your quotes when you reply to other threads, keeps your text from old text that you never hit send on.... Among other annoying features, its toooo much, just too complicated.

It does have some quirks.