[Bert H]

Well, I have decided to give up on trying to grow Ludwigias. For whatever reason, I can't seem to keep these alive. I have tried L. repens, L. arcuata, L. repens cross, L. ovalis, and have had the same lack of success with all of them. I know for the most part they are considered easy plants, but... They will grow for a while, then develop a necrotic area (turns black and melts), and it goes down the toilet after that. To my knowledge all my params are OK, and I don't see this with any other plant I have tried. Perhaps my hard water in combination with the other params is the culprit.

Out of curiosity, anyone out there have similar experiences? Which plants made you pull your hair out, and what do you attribute it to?

 

[bharada]

Sorry to hear it Bert. While I didn't have them reach a total failure point, I did get rid of my L. repens and ovalis as their lower stems would get very ratty looking as they dropped leaves. The only Ludwigia I've kept is brevipes.

I've had R. magenta melt outright on me, and L. 'cuba' died a slow death. I should try them again since my tanks have settled into a healthy equillibrium at the moment.

BTW, the Blyxa you sent me is doing nicely. The flower stalks haven't reached the surface yet, but they're getting close (another 3"). And the Hottonia is growing slowly, but steadily.

 

[Bert H]

Hey Bill,

I also experienced the bottom leaf drop, when the necrosis didn't get to it first, lol. My Blyxa flowers without reaching the surface as well. The Hottonia is growing a lot faster, since I moved it to a more centralized area, ie, directly under the main light bank.

 

[Urkevitz]

The only miserable failure I have had is Rotala Magenta.

 

[IUnknown]

Hair grass and java moss. I'm thinking because the emersed form gets sold and I can never get past the die off of the emersed growth.

 

[Gomer]

Ammannia gracilis is the only plant I can't grow..can never get it to not go wrinkled.

 

[gnome]

I've had the same problem with ALL Rotalas and ALMOST ALL Ludwigias: They grow a bit, then the growing tip starts to put out progressively smaller and smaller leaves until it stops. Then a new stem branches from lower down on the stem, but it does the same thing - grows a tiny bit, then gets the funny tips, stops, and branches from lower down. Quite annoying and no amount of fertilization seems to help prevent this. I think these plants simply hate me. Now I do not keep any Rotalas or Ludwigias.

I've been able to grow Hottonia very well, but I've found that if you cram a bunch of them close together or too close to other plants, they don't grow as big or fast or as nicely. If you just plant a few stems and leave a nice space cushion in between, they'll flourish, and branching happens readily, so you can get a "lush" look soon enough. When it gets too bushy, do trim so that light is not completely blocked from the base. Sell the cuttings or give them away because if you replant them to the point that the stand is crowded, all the growth may get hindered.

I've had better luck growing Hottonia in my unheated tank, but this may be purely incidental... I've seen gorgeous Hottonia in heated aquariums. I think Carlos mentioned in the plant profile at another site that his didn't grow so well in 80F until he dosed iron and suddenly, it was fine, again. Mine does fine in the unheated tank (with DIY CO2 and Flourite) with recommended amounts of KNO3, KH2PO4, and Flourish.

Oh yeah - I also can't grow Tonina species or Blyxa. Okay - let's just say I can't grow any red plants and many of the green ones, as well :roll: .

-Naomi

 

[m.lemay]

I can't grow blyxa. Just about everything else in my tank grows like a weed. I'm not sure what it is about blyxa that confounds me so much. I' ve tried just about everything.... but nada, it just finally withered away and died. I'd like to here from you guys that have had success with it to try and figure out what it is your tank does or doesn't provide that mine won't.

Marcel

 

[Bert H]

I have Blyxa aubertii happily growing in 2 of my tanks. 2.5 W/gal; kh 9-10; gh 12; NO3 ~10; PO4 ~2.5; CO2 injected ~30ppm; dosed with micros and iron. HTH.

 

[shalu]

Ludwigias all do great for me.

The one plant I am having most trouble with is Nesaea sp 'red leaved', it just grows tiny branches and then stunt.

To a lesser degree, a few rotalas. The regular macrandra often stunts for no reason, but it is to die for when it sends out good stems. The macrandra 'green' grows like a weed. R. wallichii also stunts often. R. magenta does the worst. R. rotundifolia, R. nanjanssen, R. sp 'green' do ok.

 

[fishfry]

Tonina sp. "belem", it is hard to have a tonina tank when all you can grow is fluviatilis :evil:

 

[pineapple]

Interesting, I can grow Tonina belem but not fluviatalis. I will give it another and another shot though..

Andrew Cribb

 

[JanS]

One of the ones I don't do as well with is Rotala Indica, but the Macrandra's (red and green) grow like wildfire, and it's not leggy growth, but nice compact lush growth.... :?

Crinums, which are some peoples bane, also do very well for me.