Dang Banana Plant!!!

[Gboy66]

Hello all, i bought a little banana plant about a month or less ago. It had lots of little "bananas" and 3 large leaves. Well, as soon as i added it to my 40 gallon planted tank, it immediatly lost a big leaf. I assumed this is natural, because it is just slightly melting, but will be okay.

I was excited to find that a week later that a small leaf was unfolding! Cool! But, once it unfolded, it quickly withered away and fell off.

This process has repeated once more, and now one of the remaining larger leaves is falling off, and another small leaf is coming in. I am determined to make it live for fish sake!!

My lighting is moderate, which should be more then enough because i believe these are lower light plants. I dose ferts and iron once a week, and all my other plants are doing very well. The banana plant is sprouting new roots, and bananas too, but it cant succeed on the GREEN side of things!! Any advice from other owners/anyone at all is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I can't say what the problem is except maybe give it a bit longer. I've had 2 banana lillies for a few months now. One shoots a new leaf to the surface every 2-3 days and the other has grown maybe 3-4 leaves since I got it, none to the surface.

 

[Gboy66]

I can't say what the problem is except maybe give it a bit longer. I've had 2 banana lillies for a few months now. One shoots a new leaf to the surface every 2-3 days and the other has grown maybe 3-4 leaves since I got it, none to the surface.

Are they really supposed to shoot up all the way to the suface? Cool! I just hope mine can keep some new leaves alive! Should i maybe place it somewhere higher?

 

[blert]

I just let mine float around the tank. Sometimes they sit on the bottom, sometimes they float at the top. They seem to be happy wandering around the tank as the current pushes them around.

 

[Coleallensmom]

Everything I read said to submerge the bananas part of the way into the substrate but do not completely cover them. We did this with two we bought for my son's planted tank and within a week they had started growing roots and now just a few months later, they have completely covered the top surface of his tank with leaves. If you're sure it's getting enough light, then I would just give it some time.

 

[Gboy66]

Everything I read said to submerge the bananas part of the way into the substrate but do not completely cover them. We did this with two we bought for my son's planted tank and within a week they had started growing roots and now just a few months later, they have completely covered the top surface of his tank with leaves. If you're sure it's getting enough light, then I would just give it some time.

Could i see a pic? Haha im curious about how mine should look!

 

[Coleallensmom]

A pic of the surface leaves or the "bananas"? There is a pic here of his tank. The banana plant is the lighter colored plant on the right side just in front of his anubias. As you can see, the surface "lilypad-like" leaves far out number the amount of leaves under water.

 

[Gboy66]

A pic of the surface leaves or the "bananas"? There is a pic here of his tank. The banana plant is the lighter colored plant on the right side just in front of his anubias. As you can see, the surface "lilypad-like" leaves far out number the amount of leaves under water.

Oh woah, mine looks nothing like that! I have a 30 watt t8 fixture, and two smaller 15 watt t8 fixtures on the tank. Is that enough? Also, the large leaves dont grow up really, just unfold and get bigger

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Everything I read said to submerge the bananas part of the way into the substrate but do not completely cover them. We did this with two we bought for my son's planted tank and within a week they had started growing roots and now just a few months later, they have completely covered the top surface of his tank with leaves. If you're sure it's getting enough light, then I would just give it some time.

This is what I've done with mine as well. Just one plant covers half the surface of my tank. Have to cut the leaves off regularly so my other plants get light.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello all, i bought a little banana plant about a month or less ago. It had lots of little "bananas" and 3 large leaves. Well, as soon as i added it to my 40 gallon planted tank, it immediatly lost a big leaf. I assumed this is natural, because it is just slightly melting, but will be okay.

I was excited to find that a week later that a small leaf was unfolding! Cool! But, once it unfolded, it quickly withered away and fell off.

This process has repeated once more, and now one of the remaining larger leaves is falling off, and another small leaf is coming in. I am determined to make it live for fish sake!!

My lighting is moderate, which should be more then enough because i believe these are lower light plants. I dose ferts and iron once a week, and all my other plants are doing very well. The banana plant is sprouting new roots, and bananas too, but it cant succeed on the GREEN side of things!! Any advice from other owners/anyone at all is appreciated! Thanks!

Hello G...

The Banana lily (Nymphoides aquatica) needs bright light, so it's not surprising it's not doing well in moderate light. You also need to keep it away from areas in the tank that have a lot of water movement. Place it as far away from filter equipment as possible. It prefers very still water.

I have this plant attached to a piece of floating driftwood, so it's directly under the bulb. I just attached the plant to the wood with black sewing thread. Try this, and I'll bet the plant improves.

If you grow the plant attached to something that floats, then you'll need to drop the water level of your tank a little, so the plant isn't up against the tank cover.

Just a couple of thoughts that occured to me.

B

 

[Coleallensmom]

This is what I've done with mine as well. Just one plant covers half the surface of my tank. Have to cut the leaves off regularly so my other plants get light.

I read several different sources that all recommended it to planted that way and it seems to have worked for us.

My son's tank is a 20 gal long with a 20w T8 single bulb fixture. Not exactly high light, but apparently enough because both plants are extremely healthy.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I read several different sources that all recommended it to planted that way and it seems to have worked for us.

My son's tank is a 20 gal long with a 20w T8 single bulb fixture. Not exactly high light, but apparently enough because both plants are extremely healthy.

That is what I have read too. Mine are in a very deep (60cm) 70g, bottom half of the roots planted, with 2x 3foot t5ho lights about 6-7 inches above the water. One is doing great! Lol.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

One thing I have noticed at my LFS is they seem to think the roots should point upwards and then the leaves grew that way too. When I got mine I cut off all the leaves and turned them over to plant the roots. They then shot up leaves in the right direction.

 

[Gboy66]

Interesting guys, i have never sern a banana plant shoot up, so thats news. And i have moderate light like mumma, but mine isnt doing well...ill post pics to show you all later!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Interesting guys, i have never sern a banana plant shoot up, so thats news. And i have moderate light like mumma, but mine isnt doing well...ill post pics to show you all later!

How long have you had it in the tank? If it's less than a month then it's probably still getting use to it.

 

[Gboy66]

How long have you had it in the tank? If it's less than a month then it's probably still getting use to it.

Oh ya, its been around month...hmmm the bihir plant i bought that same day isnt doin very well either..

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Oh ya, its been around month...hmmm the bihir plant i bought that same day isnt doin very well either..

how old are your bulbs?

 

[Gboy66]

Eh probably pretty old, actually. Both the small t8 are a bit over a year, and the large fixture is probably 2 years, but im not sure. Bought it used

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Eh probably pretty old, actually. Both the small t8 are a bit over a year, and the large fixture is probably 2 years, but im not sure. Bought it used

Get some new bulbs! Bet that's the problem. Have to replace bulbs every 6-12 months because their output decreases.

 

[Gboy66]

Could that be it?