Trimming Amazon sword in my discus tank

[oliverk]

Ok so am enjoying my planted discus tank.

That said some of my amazon swords are now sending new leaves to the top of the tank...... rather than stopping part way.... A couple have sent runners and ....... those are easier, prune the runner.

Some when they arrived had leaves that were only 3-4 " above media level. Now the new leaves are to the top of the tank.....

The ones that are just sending all the leaves to the top of the tank and are generally just bigger than I'd like is there a way to prune and have the new growth be a little smaller - at least for a while? I worry lopping off all will just promote new growth of the large variety or the roots will rot. Just pruning a few at the edge .,,,, well that is normal maintenance.

Would prefer a "minimally invasive" technique..... would rather not dig up and and and.....

[Solid]

Just trim off the leaves that get too tall. Cut them off at the base of the leaves. This will cause more growth, but if you keep it up for a while it will "train" the plant to put out shorter leaves. Every so often it will try to reach the surface again and you will have to train it again.

[limige]

HMM, mine always sent runners above the waterline and flowered then created new plants as it grew and flowered again. swords are not a short plant. never heard of trying to train them to grow short, don't see how that would logically work.

[Solid]

I agree I was skeptical at first too. But it has worked for me in the past. Trimming the leaves the plant kinda learns to stay low and bushy. The flower stalks will still shoot up to the surface and create runners. This technique also works with lotus plants, if you want to keep them low and bushy rather than sending the leaves all the way to the surface.

[limige]

I may have another go at planted. last place I lived the water was horrid. the swords did well but too many algea issues. my well water here is awesome. I have a CO2 system I played with but stopped using it when I almost gassed the tank out. always wanted to have one of those pristine planted tanks

[oliverk]

Well trying the trim.......