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bolbitis "baby leaf" question

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I got this plant from my LFS (didn't know what it was) and the LFS said "it is a carpeting plant for the foreground". Being the naive fool that I am, I believed the seller and when I got home cust the lovely strong rhizomes into smaller (1.5-2 cm) cutlets and planted the rhizomes into the substrate.

The tank is a dirt tank, no filtration or circulation.

After about a week, I noticed that many of the leaves had yellowed out and most had fallen. I thought it was a natural process of the "acclimation" to the new environment (such is the case with cryptos).

However I was curious if this was so, so I set out to do a more refined search (I had attempted to do a search on the species initially but wihout a name to go with, carpet plant with rhizomes didn't turn anything useful and I had given up) using the phrases "rhizome, parsley like leaves" and I came to the conclusion that what I had was a bolbitis plant, specifically one called "baby leaf".

I immediately went to the tank to raise the rhizomes from the substrate but alas, almost all had rotted away. I have some of the leaves still green but as with most rhizome plants, I doubt the leaves will grow new rhizomes.

I do however have 2 rhizomes, one partially rotted and one still good. My questions are:
1. What would be the best way to save them? Should I cut off the rotted part of the semi rotted rhizome or let it be?

2. I also read that they like to be in a current: would being in a dirt tank with no movement save that caused by the swimmerets of my shrimp be a contributing factor to their demise, i.e. should I removed them and move them to a more current containing tank?

3. I read that these grow very slowly when submerged: should I grow them emersed? What would be a proper set up for a faster growing bolbitis taking into account their requirements (current, light, etc).

4. Would they grow terestially (roots in dirt, rhizome above dirt, plant grown like other terestial plants)?

Since I do not have any more rhizomes left and my LFS has no intention of buying more of these plants (they did not sell well apparently), I have no way of getting additional stock of these plants and hence my usual "trial and error" method of testing my theories is not a viable solution... Therefore, I would appreciate the experience of other forum users with this plant and suggestions on how to propagate this plant in a suitable manner.
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Raymond S.

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#4 ·
I would think that current, in this case may be more related to getting the ferts distributed well as a Rhisomed plant only usually gets them from the water and therefor it would help if that water were moving to bring the ferts to the plant.
They like low light just like Java Fern and I just read a post where the owner said they were doing bad till they dropped the light level.
Mine(had about three weeks so no extensive knowledge/growth records) are doing well
in med light. No speculating on the PAR cause it's one bulb of T5 @ 12" from the sub.
Don't know about the rotted part but I'd put them up higher in the tank on wood till they start to grow but not at the top. Had just a piece of Rhisome of java fern start back growing leaves that way. Took months though.
Glitch in system: two types and one doesn't do so well under water.
Which is which ?
 
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Raymond S.

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#6 ·
aquariumhobbyist said:
Bolbitis heteroclita doesn't do well out of the water.
Bolbitis heudelotii does do well submerged but very slowly.
I have no idea what the scientific designation for Bolbitis baby leaf is. I assume it does moderately well submerged.
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Thank You very much.
 
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