01-12-2012, 12:14 PM
| || |
Originally Posted by pringleman1
Hi guys sorry to intrude on this post but I have two small Anubius plants in my tanks. Mine are growing at a fairly normal pace I think, i see new leaves growing every week or so. But the leaves are only small and the stem on the leaf isnt long.
I wanted these plants so they can grow long stems and maybe broader leaves.
The tank light is on around 9 sometimes 10 hours a day. I use different brands of aquairum plant formula in the tank each week.
Does anyone know how to make the plant stems grown longer and leaves broader?
It depends upon the species. The genus Anubias contains several species, and each will grow differently. Sometimes it is not easy to tell species apart, as differing conditions in different aquaria may influence the plant a bit. If you check our profile [profiles are under the second tab from the left in the blue bar across the top of the page, or if the name is used the same in posts it will shade, example Anubias barteri, and you can click the shaded name for the profile], you will note it mentions several species with A. barteri var. nana being the smallest form and the most common; this is likely what you have.
Anubias are all slow growing; a new leaf every week is doing well. The plant itself grows by lengthening the rhizome (the thick "stem" from which all leaves sprout) but the length of the individual leaf petiole and the leaf size will be largely determined by the genes of the plant species.
Light and nutrients will affect the plant with respect to its growth rate, but not such as to make larger leaves. Some plants do have differing leaf sizes and lengths depending upon light and nutrients, many Echinodorus and Hellanthium (sword plants) for example. Anubias is a shade plant in the true sense of the word; it grows best in indirect light, such as under cover of taller plants or floating plants. In direct light it often does poorly, and brush algae is usually quick to attack the leaves in brighter light.