FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I have a 55g freshwater that is slowly being taken over by an amazon sword. It fills just about the whole left side of the tank. Eventually, I know I'm going to have to prune it. How do I do this? The gouramis love the dark space underneath it, but they are getting bigger, and the swimming space is getting smaller.

Also, some time ago the amazon put out runners. I clipped off the new plants and spaced them around the tank, and only the one in the shade of the parent plant is still alive. Is it a shade thing for amazons?

While I'm at it, I might as well ask if anyone has any advice for green and white - don't remember the last part ofthe name. But it looks like grass. It's growing okay, in that I've had it about a year and it's not dead yet. But I wish it would thrive and give my bettas a place to explore.

Hi,

While you can,as such, prune a sword unlike a stem plant you can't just cut it in half. The only way to prune a sword plant is to cut off the older leaves at the outside of the plant. The cut should be as close to the bottom as possible.

While this will reduce the number of leaves and width of the plant it probably won't reduce the height. Also chances are that once you cut some leaves the plant will grow faster and even bigger !

Unfortunately with sword plants they can get big enough to outgrow most tanks. When this hapeens there's really no choice but to live with it or remove the plant.

For your baby plants you may be cutting them from the mother plant incorrectly. Let the plantlets grow on the runner until they reach a couple of inches in height and then cut from the runner but leave about an inch of the runner on either side intact. Then plant where you like.

HTH

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Thanks! It's a gorgeous plant, and I wish I could just let it keep going, but I think it's time to cut back. I appreciate the info.

Trade it for a small one at the LFS, most no problem trading a large tree for a smaller Sword.
Better, yet, try some crypts instead, they grow slower and come in many colors and many stay 12" or less.

Regards,
Tom Barr