FLFishChik Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 ‘Twas but a week ago that I exited my local BB pet store, newly acquired treasures in hand and headed home to acclimate my prized (but highly common and not very exciting) Ghost Shrimp. As I prepared to welcome them to their new abode and introduce them to the other inhabitants of their vast 29 gallon estate, I noticed a small sprig, about an inch long, accompanying my transparent little friends as I transported them into their new home via the net. A single little green stem, bristled and thin, but interesting in it’s form as it escaped the net along with the shrimp. Too tired to try and chase it around the tank, as it had swiftly been caught in the down current of the filter and nestled just under the pre filter sponge, I left it there to fish it out another day. There it remained, forgotten for a week until today, when trimming back an offending Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus, I noticed the tiny sprig had escaped the grasp of the pre filter sponge and had lodged itself in a clump of Water Sprite. Upon inspection, it seemed to have grown 2 new sprigs and the tiny hairs of new roots were forming. Unable to bear the thought of sending this little plant to an untimely end in the depths of the kitchen trash can, I scooped it up and gently planted it into the substrate of the 29g estates gardens. For now, it seems tiny, lonely and out of place, but I shall give it time, love, patience and see how this mystery plant will grow! 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 The leaves look similar to Elodea 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 On 12/26/2022 at 9:12 PM, Colu said: The leaves look similar to Elodea Exactly what I thought. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted December 27, 2022 Author Share Posted December 27, 2022 On 12/27/2022 at 2:44 PM, Odd Duck said: Exactly what I thought. Well, I guess if it begins to swallow my tank and all it’s inhabitants whole… and I’ve no choice but to break out the flame thrower to obliterate it, I’ll know for sure it’s Elodea 🤣 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted December 27, 2022 Author Share Posted December 27, 2022 Well.. it’s been an entire 24 hours and it looks like it may have grown a little! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted December 29, 2022 Author Share Posted December 29, 2022 It’s …. Aliiiiive! And probably sizing up how quickly it can consume my tank. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted December 31, 2022 Author Share Posted December 31, 2022 Here we are… 5 days in. Growing like a weed (not at Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus rates, but still faster than most) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share Posted January 4, 2023 8 days in… we have lift off! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 8 days since the last check in and the Panda Corys have managed to uproot my little sprout. I gently nestled it back down into the substrate and hopefully it will be no worse for the wear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 Here we are, 8 days since the last post and she is still growing! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 Is it anacharis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 On 1/19/2023 at 9:19 AM, JettsPapa said: Is it anacharis? Looks like it! I’m going to assume that’s what it is for now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 Moved the Java Fern to give it some extra room 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted February 3, 2023 Author Share Posted February 3, 2023 Did it grow any? I can’t tell anymore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonske Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 Ah, anacharis... it's not always happy, but when it grows, it grows. Into something like this (trimmed/half-removed last week): 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted February 3, 2023 Author Share Posted February 3, 2023 On 2/3/2023 at 2:58 AM, Fonske said: Ah, anacharis... it's not always happy, but when it grows, it grows. Into something like this (trimmed/half-removed last week): When you trim it, does it stop growing from the original stem? Does it produce side shoots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonske Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 On 2/3/2023 at 7:41 PM, FLFishChik said: When you trim it, does it stop growing from the original stem? Does it produce side shoots? It makes a new shoot or several new shoots near the end of the stem and/or some side shoots elsewhere, but usually it prefers to grow one very long stem. (At least mine likes to grow like that, in these 2-meter long loops instead of being bushy and pretty). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted February 3, 2023 Author Share Posted February 3, 2023 On 2/3/2023 at 7:09 AM, Fonske said: It makes a new shoot or several new shoots near the end of the stem and/or some side shoots elsewhere, but usually it prefers to grow one very long stem. (At least mine likes to grow like that, in these 2-meter long loops instead of being bushy and pretty). I was hoping that maybe once this shoot was tall enough, I could trim it, replant the top and the original would branch a bit to help fill in that space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 On 2/3/2023 at 6:33 AM, FLFishChik said: I was hoping that maybe once this shoot was tall enough, I could trim it, replant the top and the original would branch a bit to help fill in that space. Anacharis does best for me if I just drop a piece in the tank and let it do what it wants. Sometimes it floats and sometimes it sinks. It will send roots out along the stem, but it won't root from the cut end like stem plants will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonske Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 On 2/3/2023 at 9:24 PM, JettsPapa said: Anacharis does best for me if I just drop a piece in the tank and let it do what it wants. Sometimes it floats and sometimes it sinks. It will send roots out along the stem, but it won't root from the cut end like stem plants will. Same experience exactly, the only way for me to grow it is to toss a little bit into a tank and hope the plant likes it there. Usually it doesn't, but the guppy tank above is the lucky one. On 2/3/2023 at 8:33 PM, FLFishChik said: I was hoping that maybe once this shoot was tall enough, I could trim it, replant the top and the original would branch a bit to help fill in that space. If it starts to really grow, it will fill the entire tank in two weeks or so without any intervention...and the roots will happen where they want to, like @JettsPapa said. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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