Tall Anubias - Any way to train or change the growth?

[Knight00ps]

I've got a great big beautiful anubias that has been in the tank for several years but now is growing to tall for my 75 gallon tank.  The rhizome of the plant has tripled or more in size since getting it, now 6 inches, with lots of large healthy leaves. Stems are growing more then 24 inches long and pushing against the lid of the tank and the leaves are very large, size of a large man's hand, and so they block a lot of light. If I didn't have a lid on the tank the newest leaves would be close to 6 inches above the water line and the length of the stem, leaf to the rhizome, would be close to 30 inches.   I can't go with a open top so I'm thinking I either get rid of the the plant or I try chopping it back and see what happens.  Before I did either I thought I'd see if the community has any suggestions?

Thank you!

 

 

[josh world]

if you search up "how to propagate an anubias" you will learn how to cut the rhizome and make more plants. I have never seen an anubias that big. can you post a picture? 

[Streetwise]

Can you please share some photos of your epic Anubias?

Edited November 1, 2020 by Streetwise

[Knight00ps]

Wow thanks for the quick response. I'll check it out.  Here are some images.

Tuff to get a picture of the rhizome in this "heavily planted" ie. overgrown tank but you can see the leaves and cluster of stems.

[Daniel]

Looks like a Sagittaria to me.

[Daniel]

Probably Sagittaria latifolia.

[josh world]

WOW! THAT IS HUGE!

 

[josh world]

does it have a rhizome?

[Daniel]

Here is an herbarium specimen of Sagittaria latifolia showing the roots.

[kammaroon]

Could be an Anubias gracilis?

http://www.flowgrow.de//assets/images/apple-touch-icon.png Anubias gracilis - Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database

WWW.FLOWGROW.DE

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Anubias gracilis is one of the larger representatives of the genus Anubias. In nature it grows on the banks of jungle rivers in West Africa. This species is not often found in trade. This species has characteristically...

 

[josh world]

Is the bottom of the plant glued to something or is it planted on your substrate?

[josh world]

can we see a picture of the roots of the plant or the bottom of the plant?

[Knight00ps]

I ordered from the coop.  Didn't do a good job of keeping track of what is what and didn't want the evidence of how much I've spent through the years just laying around but a I think it is Anubias Hastifolia if I'm looking at the correct order confirmation.

here is an attempted photo of the rhizome.  I can see there are some smaller nodes(?) with leaves coming off with new leaves.

[josh world]

that is an anubias 

[Knight00ps]

It was krazy glued to the piece of wood you see in the photo. Main rhizome is thicker then my thumb and about six inches long.

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Knight00ps

[josh world]

how+to+propagate+anubias - Google Search

WWW.GOOGLE.COM

 

this is a vid on how to cut up anubias 

[Hobbit]

That looks like one happy plant!

Im not necessarily recommending this because I’ve never done it myself, but bonsai growers will often pluck all of a bonsai’s leaves off a few months before a show. The new leaves are usually smaller and more numerous than the leaves that were there before. If you’re thinking of getting rid of the plant anyway, it may be something to try. But it also might kill the thing so... 😬 I don’t think it would kill it, but obviously I don’t know for sure. Just something I thought I’d throw out there!

[Fonske]

I would first try to separate the anubias from the wood and reposition it, maybe attaching to the side of the tank near the bottom, with the stems diagonal or even parallel to the substrate (and "pressed" to the glass), so it takes much less space. 

[Knight00ps]

So six month update.  I went ahead and did some hacking.  The longest of the two rhizomes I cut into three equal sized pieces.  Two of the pieces had leaves which I trimmed down to one or two of the newest and best looking leaves.  One piece was so well rooted that I left where it was with no leaves.  Well they all survived and have beautiful new growth which is much neater and a more manageable size.  So don't be scared.  Go ahead and whack your anubias, I now have 3 enjoyable plants instead of one monster.

[Guppysnail]

I’ve never had that plant but when my wisteria and sprite get to tall I put a plant weight part way up the stem and the stem stretches across the gravel. I sit a pleco cave rock or other random thing in front to hide the weirdness of it laying on the ground. Don’t know if it will work for yours

[DaveO]

Hopefully one day I will have an out of control anubias