MousePotato

After less than a week, my Amazon Swords look like they've been through a salad shooter, thanks to the impressive teamwork of my clown loach and one of the peacocks. So, I went back to the "good" LFS today and asked for some java fern. They didn't have any, but the guy recommended anubias.

I bought two small plants and I've been reading up on them. I am seeing some conflicting advice. Some sites say to plant it in the substrate, others to bury all but the rhizomes (and the leaves, of course) and yet other sites recommend attaching it to driftwood or rocks.

What would my fellow fishlorians suggest? What works best for you?

Thanks!

mathas

These two are your best bet. If you bury the rhizome, it begins to rot away and the plant dies.

If you choose to try just burying the roots, I wish you the best of luck. I've read that some people have good results, but my Anubias is too buoyant for that to work. The slightest bump from a fish and it turns into a floating plant.

I have mine weighted down with a rock on the roots. The rhizome is still buoyant, but it can't actually float away.

Probably the best method is to tie it to a rock or driftwood. You can use fishing line or 100% cotton thread. The cotton thread will eventually disintegrate, but by then the plant should anchor itself to the rock/wood.

Butterfly

I have seven different kinds in the 75g(Anubias is a fav of mine can you tell )
All are attached to rocks or tucked in to crevices in the rocks. They will kind of attach themselves after a bit. A couple of them that sit above the substrate and have sent roots into the sand. I think as long as the rhizome is above ground you would be safe sticking the ends of the roots into the substrate to anchor them. some of mine have rocks against them to hold them in the crevices.
carol

MousePotato

Thank you, Mathas. I think I will try attaching them to something. I have a VERY active tank and currently have my rare specimens of "floating tattered amazon swords," so I'd like these to stay down.

I wonder how they'd do tied to the holey rock? Even the dorkfish (my giant upside-down Asian catfish) can't budge a 40+ pound rock, though she blows through everything else in the tank like a truck driver on I-45!

Barbrella

I use elastic bands to attach my Anubias to my driftwood. By the time the elastic breaks, the roots are usually firmly attached to the wood, and I remove the elastic.

MousePotato

Thanks, Butterfly. That sounds lovely. I like the idea of tying them to something the fish can't move. I feel like a losing contestant on that "Design Star" show - all they do is criticize my decorating!

Edit: I was right - your tank IS lovely!!

MousePotato

That's another great idea. Wow, you guys are on tonight! I think most of my thread is a cotton/poly blend and I don't have any fishing line. Rubber bands, however, are easy to find around here! Thanks, Barbrella.

Barbrella

I tried first using threads, etc. but that is more difficult to attach properly. Elastic bands won't damage the rhizome.

Butterfly

Thank You
The biggest problem I had to begin with was the Corys and Kuhlis. They both thought there just HAD to be a yummy morsel of something under Mommys plants so putting them in crevices and propping with rocks helped give them some support until they attached to the rock.
What I like is that the big piece of A. coffefolia in the front of the tank has just continued to "crawl' across the rock.
Carol

MousePotato

Absolutely lovely, Butterfly!

I got the plants attached to the driftwood tonight. I'm guessing the rubber band method is easier when the driftwood isn't already submerged! I did a 70% water change (had to anyway) and then it took me a good 20 minutes or so to get the plants latched on. They don't look like much right now, but I think they will be pretty in time. Actually, between sickness, destruction, and slowly changing the substrate, the whole tank isn't much to look at!

I think I may start a thread on functional, but unattractive tanks. I'll bet mine could win such a contest.