Amazon sword question

[garnpet]

The Amazon sword in my 26 gallon tank is now growing out of the tank ( I will be selling it at the next OVAS mini-auction).

There is a rather thick stock growing out of the plant and is now about 8 inches above the tank, there are no leaves on it.

Any ideas?

[Laura]

I bought one like this at a LFS and it had 3 young plants which had just started growing along the stalk - not sure about whether there used to be a flower which was fertilized, or whether this is its version of a runner.

It's good to know that it naturally grows upwards - when I purchased it the roots were wrapped and I was unsure if a runner had been forced upwards instead of the usual underground route.

[BigDaddy]

Your sword is trying to reproduce   :wink:

The shoot should eventually produce a node or two.  Those nodes, if emersed, should flower.  Then you'll get plantlets from the flowers.

If the stalk is well above the water line, wait until it flowers, and then bend the stalk back under the water line... you'll get more plantlets that way.

My ruffled swords do this every couple of months for me.

[garnpet]

Thanks.  Unfortunately in my 26 gallon tank there is not just enough room for more than 1 of these plants!   :?

I will be selling it at the next mini-auction, should I keep the runner attached?

[mseguin]

If you want it to sell for more yes, or you can remove it and grow the plantlets urself.