How to keep my amazon swords pretty?

[cjldad]

Ok... I just added some new amazon swords.. They are very pretty and look like this..

I have a few older that look like this.. Notice there isn't as much stem, and the leaves are not as round..

Are these basicly two different species of swords, or is that how they get when older? Thanks!!

 

[the_fish_man]

I believe they are 2 different species of swords I think the first pic is a melon sword and don't know the second one but I have it in my tank and so the melon sword(1st pic) Will keep it's melon shaped leafs and the stems

 

[xander]

the new ones were grown out of above water. When they are under water they change shape. The leaves get pointier.

 

[cjldad]

I was afraid they would..
Hoping they wouldn't change.

 

[mgamer20o0]

the new ones were grown out of above water. When they are under water they change shape. The leaves get pointier.

right on. there will be a transition period so some of them might turn brown and die. keep root tabs around the base is the best way to keep them healthy. they are heavy root feeders.

 

[mattrox]

I had good succees with swords when using flourish excel and 2 tubes in my 4 ft tank.

 

[meegosh]

Any time my swords start taking a turn for the worse I replace my root tabs and they bounce back quickly. Like mgamer said, they are extremely heavy root feeders.