Red Ludwigia and "shooters" / roots

[pglenn]

My new Red Ludwigia is growing quite well, however all the stalks are growing "shoots" from each of the leave links (for lack of better word). I dont know if this is normal or desired. I was considering cutting off each of the shoots right at the stalk as they dont look too good. Is this recommended?

My tank is 29g with 55w lighting and CO2 added, via 2 2-liter soda bottles. The Red Ludwigia is along the back of the tank, lots of light, at least at the tops, and nice shades of red and green throughout.

Patrick

 

[madasafish]

Yeah this happens with many plants. I don't think I'm having the prob. at the moment with Ludwigia, but I am with Cabomba. Cutting these secondary roots away won't harm the plant IME. They do give you a good place to start from, though, when you have to trim them back eventually--you already have a root system for the trimmed top part.

 

[aquazen]

A problem I had with my red ludwigia was molting. The darn thing molted within the first week I got it from Petsmart. I was afraid it was going to die, but then it started growing shoots. I just let the shoots grow out until they were long enough to clip and replant in the substrate. The replanted clippings aren't molting and actually look very nice. The original plant still looks like a misbegotten science project, but it is still producing nice looking shoots.

http://vernonschiu.multiply.com/photos/album/7

 

[Guest]

My Ludwigia does the same thing. Every couple of weeks I pull it up and pick off the root runners or simply pinch off below where the majority of the root runners are and replant. The bottum portion is sometimes a little tired looking compared to the vibrant top, so I toss the bottum prunnings on the compost pile.

This is rather common on a lot of fast growing stem plants. There kind of a double edged sword. Great for soaking up excess nutrients and helping to keep algae at bay, yet they grow so fast. Stem plants may require a little more prunning in a healthy, thriving planted tank.

 

[Guest]

Ludwigia is notorious for putting out lots of roots well above the substrate. You have to clip the plant a lot, sometimes pull up the whole thing, clip it into several pieces and just keep the top parts to replant. the bottoms often have more roots than leaves, so replanting the tops looks better.
Mojo has it right, I just realized I restated most of his post, just in different words!

 

[aquazen]

Yep. I've just got to let the new shoots grow out a bit. I may do some trimming this weekend.