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Pruning Water sprite

6K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  equatics 
#1 ·
Do you cut the stalk from the bottom? Can you then plant that stalk in another part of the tank ,will it grow roots and produce other stalks.?
 
#2 ·
Yeah, each plant grows stalks, but probably you have to split the roots - I don't know, I've never done it. I just have cut a stalk and probably threw it out. It's kind of a pain when you want to trim half a stalk but if you cut in the middle the rest of the stalk will turn brown anyway. You should really send a pic so I can confirm that we're both talking about the same fern.
 
#3 ·
If you look closely at Water Sprite, especially as it gets large, you can usually see bunches of roots forming all over the place. That's a new plant, you can pluck it right off and it will grow just fine (very similar to Java Fern, but Water Sprite grows much faster).

That's usually what I do, I pluck off a few and then throw away the large fern (mine is floating). Within two weeks the new plants are large themself and by week three I'm throwing them away yet again. Their growth when floating at least is the fastest I've seen with any plant.
 
#4 · (Edited)
This definitely sounds like the floating version. The folllowing pic is the planted version, Ceratopteris thalictroides.

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQdiToLcefOacaICKbw62uQWv5wRgztLfxAe41lVJMArUDKsJGj

This one is the floating version. Hah! This pic says Ceratopteris thalictroides too, so take your pick: floating or planted.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXGHznbzAkSGpE4nzVtRqELXGqtEAKZ4ciJiw6U2_0oEJSLGJvig


One bit of information - although both versions grow fast, the floating version would probably do the most good for the tank, having only air between itself and the lighting. It is also supposed to have access to atmospheric CO2 and use that.
 
#6 ·
I'm wondering if you actually meant Wisteria, and not Water Sprite? Wisteria is Hygrophila difformis and it is a stem plant, so cutting the stem would make sense. But WS is Ceratopteris cornuta (or another species) and this is not a stem plant; daughter plants are produced on the leaves.
 
#7 ·
I think this is a good time for me to cut off a frond of thalictroides and try to float some of the subfronds (smallest division). I've got slowly returning algae and if I can wait long enough it should help.
 
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