The Amazon Sword is one of the most popular aquarium plants in the world. These are easy to grow and take care of, but they do require regular maintenance to keep them healthy. They reproduce by growing runners which you can split from the plant to plant new Amazon Swords.
This quick guide will help you understand how Amazon Sword runners work and what to do with them.
Recommended:
How Do You Plant Amazon Sword Runners?
The Amazon Sword is a resilient plant, and it should be able to thrive if you plant it in aquarium gravel.
However, an even better solution is to plant it in loosely packed plant substrate. This is because the root system will grow large and spread throughout the tank. Because of this, you need to make sure that you provide enough substrate so that the roots have plenty of room to grow.
When you plant the Amazon Sword, you should make sure that the roots are well covered. However, you need to make sure that you do not bury the plant’s crown. The crown needs to stay above the substrate and be visible to your eye.
The most important thing to do if you want your Amazon Sword to thrive is to make sure that there are optimal growing conditions in the tank. The pH of the water in the tank should be somewhere between 6.5 and 7.5. Your tap water will probably fall within this range, but you should test it before you add it to the tank.
You should also make sure that you properly regulate the temperature of the water in the tank. The perfect temperature for the water is going to be somewhere between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. You can keep a thermometer in the tank to keep an eye on the temperature of the water in the tank.
You also want to make sure that you are giving your Amazon Sword enough light. Your Amazon Sword will need roughly ten to twelve hours of light every day. Your plant can handle various intensities of light, but it is best to use it on a low or medium setting.
Can I Split an Amazon Sword Plant?
You can split an Amazon Sword plant. You will know when it is time to do this when you notice that there are plantlets growing on the side of the maternal stem. When these plantlets start to grow their own sets of roots, that is when you know it is time to split the Amazon Sword plant.
You can remove the plantlets and re-plant them in a different part of the tank. You can also remove them from the tank completely and re-plant them in a different tank altogether.
How Long Does It Take for Amazon Swords to Reproduce?
Amazon Swords are known to grow very fast. Once you plant them in a climate that is good for them, they can start producing new leaves in as little as a week or two. There are things that you can do to make it reproduce faster.
For example, cleaning all of the algae out of your aquarium will provide a healthier environment that will allow your Amazon Sword to grow at a faster speed than it otherwise would.
Some people also recommend having a “blackout” period where you submerge the plant in total darkness for a couple of days. Many users report that this helps the plant reproduce faster.
Amazon Swords are a fickle plant that grow and reproduce on their own schedule. If you want your Amazon Sword to produce runners, you will have to be patient and let the plant do this when it is ready. It could be different for every Amazon Sword that you grow.
Amazon Sword Runners FAQ
If you are interested in adding an Amazon Sword to your aquarium, you probably have some things that you are curious about. These are the answers to the most common questions that people have about growing Amazon Swords.
Can An Amazon Sword Grow Out of Water?
The Amazon Sword is not able to grow outside of water. They are aquatic plants, and they need to be partially submerged in order for them to thrive.
Will Fish Eat an Amazon Sword?
Depending on the type of fish that you have in your aquarium, you usually do not have to worry about your pet fish eating your Amazon Sword.
This is as long as you are keeping your pet fish well fed. If you go a few days without feeding them, your fish might get hungry and decide to start nibbling on the Amazon Sword.
There are some species of fish that might be more attracted to the idea of eating the Amazon Sword than others though. For example, Plecos are known to enjoy the taste of Amazon Sword leaves, because the leaves are soft and have a lettuce-like texture that Plecos enjoy.
Certain types of snails are also known to eat the rotting leaves of Amazon Sword plants, but they are not going to eat healthy leaves on a live plant.
Will an Amazon Sword Leaf Grow Roots?
After time, the Amazon Sword will start to grow plantlets on the stem. After a while, these plantlets will start to grow their own root systems. When you see this happening, you can cut the plants off and distribute them elsewhere in the tank to make your Amazon Sword reproduce.
When Should You Prune an Amazon Sword?
You should prune your Amazon Sword once you see roots growing from the plantlets that are growing on the maternal stem of the original Amazon Sword plant. The Amazon Sword quickly grows quite large. This means that you will have to regularly keep up with pruning in order to keep the plant to a manageable size in your aquarium.
Final Thoughts
The Amazon Sword is a popular aquarium plant that requires a lot of maintenance but is easy to grow in your own aquarium. You just have to create the right conditions for it and know how to split the plant when the runners start growing.
