florida sunset wendtii

[DragonFish71]

I have a sunset in our 40g tank that has just gone crazy. It started as a pathetic 2 stem plant and has burst into about 17 stems since the end of June.

Does anyone know how I can get more than one plant out of it without killing it? I'd love to have it in more tanks, especially since where I order from is out of stock right now.

 

[dkpate]

Maybe you could try cutting off a shoot and sticking it in a glass to see if it grows roots? That is what my mom always did when she wanted more of a certain plant.

 

[DragonFish71]

I don't think that works on fully aquatic plants but I could be wrong.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that I can split the crown on this, like a sword plant but don't remember where I read that and can't find anything in research.

 

[dkpate]

Found this in an article:

I originally bought one start of this, and before I knew it I had myself a munch! Every few months, I take out a 'bunch' and separate the shoots and plant them across the tank. These are very hardy, and very easy to grow and cultivate. I recommend this plant to any person at any level

 

[dkpate]

It can be grown in a pot or in a tank, so I would think it would be the same. I would try taking a shoot and putting it in a cup of water.

 

[mgamer20o0]

you just pull it out and split each individual plant. once out you will be able to see each plant and its root system. if you ever looking to get rid of some let me know. i ordered some but it died.

 

[Robert H]

I am really glad to hear that this plant is doing so well for you, being that it is a new plant to the hobby, and you still don't hear that much about it. Its a great plant that as you can see is a very healthy and strong plant. I don't know if you have heard the story of this plant.

Florida aquatic nurseries developed this strain in their lab. It is a genetic mutation of Cryptocoryne wendtii mi oya. It is from a variegated gene that makes the leaves various shades of different colors.

C. wendtii produces baby plants from a runner called a rhizome. The plants may be cut off the runner. Since they are grown in pots, often there are several plants on rhizomes that are very close to each other, or in some cases several individual plants may have been put in the pot together so that their roots fused together. Either way, these plant can be separated easily either by cutting them or just pulling them apart. Try to leave roots on each plant, but if some of the roots get broken it is of no concern.

Enjoy your plant and when you have too many you can start giving them away!

 

[Blueiz]

I would suggest not putting it in a cup of water to grow, unless you are going to put a light on the cup of water and fertilize it .

Excellent advice on how to propagate it has been given.

 

[Sicklid]

Yeah, Crypts pretty much grow in tight bunches, and when you uproot them you can generally pull apart and separate out several plants from one nice-sized one... Then just re-plant them in the tank or tanks you want to have them in...

You may or may not see some melt after that... Many report it happening, but I have not had a Crypt melt on me yet. They may look a bit shocked for a day or two, but they always recover quickly for me.

 

[DragonFish71]

Yeah, Crypts pretty much grow in tight bunches, and when you uproot them you can generally pull apart and separate out several plants from one nice-sized one... Then just re-plant them in the tank or tanks you want to have them in...

You may or may not see some melt after that... Many report it happening, but I have not had a Crypt melt on me yet. They may look a bit shocked for a day or two, but they always recover quickly for me.

Is there a way to avoid the "crypt melt"? I'd really like to put this plant in other tanks.

 

[DragonFish71]

I am really glad to hear that this plant is doing so well for you, being that it is a new plant to the hobby, and you still don't hear that much about it. Its a great plant that as you can see is a very healthy and strong plant. I don't know if you have heard the story of this plant.

Florida aquatic nurseries developed this strain in their lab. It is a genetic mutation of Cryptocoryne wendtii mi oya. It is from a variegated gene that makes the leaves various shades of different colors.

C. wendtii produces baby plants from a runner called a rhizome. The plants may be cut off the runner. Since they are grown in pots, often there are several plants on rhizomes that are very close to each other, or in some cases several individual plants may have been put in the pot together so that their roots fused together. Either way, these plant can be separated easily either by cutting them or just pulling them apart. Try to leave roots on each plant, but if some of the roots get broken it is of no concern.

Enjoy your plant and when you have too many you can start giving them away!

Thanks for the info. I had read up on it while waiting for delivery and was amazed that it was such a new plant. I have to say I do love how it looks in our 40. By rhizome is that going to be like my javas and anubias or like my chain swords?

 

[Sicklid]

Your just gonna have to be brave and pull on up and see for yourself! You will know what to do once it's uprooted, just gently shake it until it is obvious which portions of the plant are wanting to come apart.

I don't know how to avoid melt, I just never had one melt on me... I can't say for sure. The health of the plant before pruning most likely is a factor.

 

[Robert H]

Cryptocoryne rhizomes are horizontal stem structures that are thick and woody and can vary in size from a little stump barely bigger than a thumb tack, or even as small as a pinhead,to several inches long. A long rhizome can be divided and each piece will produce a new plant. As I said a potted plant was grown in such a way as the rhizomes are forced to grow very close together to create a large root ball. If you look at it closely you should be able to tell where they can be separated.

"Cryp melt" has been classified as a disease carried in Cryps and is very common amoung several species. Its thought stress on the plant can trigger it much the same way stress can trigger dormant pathogens in fish. Sudden temperature changes, transplant shock, and other eviormental conditions could be the trigger. Wendtii is one of the species that is known to extensively have this problem. As long as the rhizomes remain healthy after the leaves melt, (good light, favorable growing condtions, non anaerobic conditions) they will begin to grow new leaves within three or four weeks.

They only thing you can do to try and prevent it is to keep the tank as stable as possible and allow them time to acclimate after planting before doing anything major to the tank such as a big water change, but sometimes they melt for no apparent reason.

 

[fort384]

Yeah even if they melt, they will come back in no time. So long as you have some rhizome and roots there, you are good to go. The melting is sometimes just unavoidable. I have had it happen just moving a crypt within the same tank even.

 

[DragonFish71]

Good to know.

I took a starter from it today so we'll see what happens. I moved it to the other side of the tank with a fert pellet close by. Didn't want to put it directly under the roots.