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is it a crypt or?? ID?
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maybe a sword?
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Yep, a sword, definitely. Looks like an E. parviflorus 'Tropica' to me. 
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a tiny sword?
I should have mentioned that it stays really small, only a few inches high after several years. Could it still be a sword?
I should have mentioned that it stays really small, only a few inches high after several years. Could it still be a sword?
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Yes, definitely a 'Tropica' sword then!! It doesn't grow any bigger!
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high light & co2
3 x 18 watt, pressurized CO2 through a limewood airstone, 15 gallon high tank. The plant completely melted when I first got it, then grew back over the last 3 years. I've just torn down the tank and I'm trying to save the plant for my new tank.
3 x 18 watt, pressurized CO2 through a limewood airstone, 15 gallon high tank. The plant completely melted when I first got it, then grew back over the last 3 years. I've just torn down the tank and I'm trying to save the plant for my new tank.
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Probably because it was grown emersed and changed into its submersed habit, maybe? Though I have to say, that I too thought that I was losing the plant when I first got it. Even the submersed leaves seemed to melt, and the growth seemed poor (because I compared it to the emersed plant that is perhaps 3-4 times the size) and with the curly leaves (realised only afterwards that this is normal).
Seems to me that the CO2 was the key to help it establish... I'm growing it under only 1.2 WPG now. It put out a flower stalk about a month or two ago.
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Cool! Love to see it...I'm growing it under only 1.2 WPG now. It put out a flower stalk about a month or two ago.
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Well, here are two pics of the top whorl with flowers. The 2nd one is with a millimetre scale ruler.
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nice picks. good close-ups
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Thank you, atomic!
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Yep, I agree. That's exactly what it is. I have them--one of the best swords for planted tanks. Some actually convert to submersed growth and look exactly like a mini-amazon.....Yep, a sword, definitely. Looks like an E. parviflorus 'Tropica' to me.
roud:The sword below is a E.p.'Tropica' that converted to submersed growth:
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Naja, you sword doesn't actually look that much like a 'Tropica' sword to me... (or am I looking at the wrong sword? That's very possible! )
The sword in the first pic is one that is a submersed 'Tropica'. You can tell 'Tropica' by the tip of its leaves: they are needle-like (mucronate). Its leaves are also very crinckly, they turn upon themselves.
(or am I looking at the wrong sword? That's very possible! )The sword in the first pic is one that is a submersed 'Tropica'. You can tell 'Tropica' by the tip of its leaves: they are needle-like (mucronate). Its leaves are also very crinckly, they turn upon themselves.
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You're Right, but it didn't start out the way it looks now. Some "converted" and some didn't. Why? I have no idea. But they all arrived looking like the first pic in this thread. I got them from aquariumplants.com if I remember correctly.Naja, you sword doesn't actually look that much like a 'Tropica' sword to me...
The sword in the first pic is one that is a submersed 'Tropica'. You can tell 'Tropica' by the tip of its leaves: they are needle-like (mucronate). Its leaves are also very crinckly, they turn upon themselves.
But that was my point: If they convert--they look like mini-amazons--and stay small.
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Very interesting! Either there is a mix up at the seller's end, or - as likely as that - the swords throw another screw ball at us (me) again. :hihi: The swords have a really high plasticity in their morphology. Therefore, they can look really different in different conditions.
This mini-Amazon look reminds me a lot of what Christel Kasselmann described as a new variety, E. grisebachii var. minor. It shouldn't be much out on the market yet, but I'm sure it will. Oh, taxonomically speaking, E. parviflorus is regarded as a synonym with E. grisebachii - as is E. amazonicus and E. bleherae. (Thus, 'Tropica' should actually be E. grisebachii 'Tropica'...). But this is beside the point. The speciality of 'Tropica' is kinda eliminated if it turns into a mini-Amazon, I reckon...
This mini-Amazon look reminds me a lot of what Christel Kasselmann described as a new variety, E. grisebachii var. minor. It shouldn't be much out on the market yet, but I'm sure it will. Oh, taxonomically speaking, E. parviflorus is regarded as a synonym with E. grisebachii - as is E. amazonicus and E. bleherae. (Thus, 'Tropica' should actually be E. grisebachii 'Tropica'...
). But this is beside the point. The speciality of 'Tropica' is kinda eliminated if it turns into a mini-Amazon, I reckon...
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Hi Daniel,
You certainly are the sword expert--You've helped me out a time or 2 before, so I willingly step aside.roud:
The plants I received all looked like the drawing on the Tropica website--even moreso than the picture in the first post. They did send up whorls and I did get plantlets--so I don't recall/know whether the ones that look like mini-amazons are from the original plants, the plantlets or both. The plants that I originally kept in a 29g all stayed the same, but I received plantlets from them. I put some plants in the tank I pictured above and some in a nano--those converted to what You see. Why? I have absolutely no idea! :icon_mrgr And I really don't know if they were all plantlets or a mix of the two. I didn't keep any notes, because--even though I thought it was cool--I didn't think it was a Big Deal.
In either version--I really don't understand why these are not a lot more popular!
You certainly are the sword expert--You've helped me out a time or 2 before, so I willingly step aside.
roud: The plants I received all looked like the drawing on the Tropica website--even moreso than the picture in the first post. They did send up whorls and I did get plantlets--so I don't recall/know whether the ones that look like mini-amazons are from the original plants, the plantlets or both. The plants that I originally kept in a 29g all stayed the same, but I received plantlets from them. I put some plants in the tank I pictured above and some in a nano--those converted to what You see. Why? I have absolutely no idea! :icon_mrgr And I really don't know if they were all plantlets or a mix of the two. I didn't keep any notes, because--even though I thought it was cool--I didn't think it was a Big Deal.
In either version--I really don't understand why these are not a lot more popular!
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Oh I hope you don't feel like was putting you down!!!
I know that swords are not that big deal for others... I'm just passionate about them.
Do you happen to remember what the stalks were like on your plants? Were they upright and very thin, or leaning and not unusual? My 'Tropica' has now the first stalk up and it's straight to the surface, about 12-14 '' long, very thin.
Yes, I agree. These should be more popular. It just seems that they are not the easiest ones to convert to submersed growing, maybe that's why...(?)
I know that swords are not that big deal for others... I'm just passionate about them.
Do you happen to remember what the stalks were like on your plants? Were they upright and very thin, or leaning and not unusual? My 'Tropica' has now the first stalk up and it's straight to the surface, about 12-14 '' long, very thin.
Yes, I agree. These should be more popular. It just seems that they are not the easiest ones to convert to submersed growing, maybe that's why...(?)
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No, not at all
roud: That's what I was getting at: You are into swords. You have probably already forgotten more about them then I will ever know! :icon_mrgr Its all Good!I know that swords are not that big deal for others... I'm just passionate about them.
Straight up and thin as You describe. 14" sounds about right. I never had problems trying to keep the stalks in the water like I have with other swords.
If You can take some plantlets and move them to another tank--You may see what I was talking about--No Promises though :icon_mrgr
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Great!No, not at all
[--]
If You can take some plantlets and move them to another tank--You may see what I was talking about--No Promises though :icon_mrgr
I think I'll have to try them in another tank now! :hihi: I would love to see this change in my plants too!!
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