# What's up with this plant?



## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

I got this plant a week ago and I'm seriously confused as to what it's doing right now. It's Murdannia Keisak and I only have it in one tank. 

From what I can tell, it's growing _roots_ from the stem/bamboo part in places where roots shouldn't be. There are roots at the bottom of the plant (you know, the usual place where roots grow) and those are buried in the substrate which is okay. It's just those additional roots that are bothering me because it's making the plant look quite unsightly and my baby betta seems to think they're worms and tries to munch on them. 

Any ideas why this plant is doing that?
I've attached a picture but I'm not sure if you'll be able to make much of it.











Edit: I've just realised it's my first time posting about my plants growing and not dying haha.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Haha, it's just growing is all! The roots come from all places on the stem so if in the wild it gets knocked off, it can float somewhere else and root into other places. That is generally where you snip off the top to replace; just before the root so it has a head up in the roots! If you don't like them, you can snip the roots off that grow from the side.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

A lot of stem plants do that. If I neglect to trim mine (ummm which is always), the roots from the middle of the plant will sometimes grow all the way down to the substrate and anchor into it.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Its totally natural for roots to grow at the notches in the stem. If you do not like them you can cut them with scissors or carefully pinch them off with finger nails. I actually used the roots growing all up the stems of my hygro sp. tiger to turn it ino a carpeting plant. I pushed all the roots int the substrate, forcing the plant on its side, and as it grew more leaves and roots, it kept re-anchoring itself and staying down. Was quite interesting.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

givemethatfish said:


> A lot of stem plants do that. If I neglect to trim mine (ummm which is always), the roots from the middle of the plant will sometimes grow all the way down to the substrate and anchor into it.


Heh....yep, my Ludwigia does it ALL the time lol. I've just given up trying to make it "pretty" XD


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Thanks for the replies guys  

So can I just cut the plant below where the new roots are growing and replant the cutting? Will the original plant continue to grow if I do this? 

Givemethatfish, I know how you feel haha. I rarely trim my plants - mainly because up until now nothing really grew and I also don't have proper plant tools such as scissors and tweezers so I need to improvise which isn't always easy lol. 

Thanks to everyone who's helped me on the forum I'm finally not getting so frustrated with my tanks. Other than cycling issues, everything is going great. I've not had any fish die, everyone is thriving; my plants finally aren't melting and even my java ferns are sprouting babies like crazy! Literally zero problems.


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## andakin (Aug 10, 2009)

Success stories are always great to hear.

That stem plant you have looks neat. I will have to try it some time. As for replanting, just clip it anywhere along the stem, it doesn't have to be at the new roots. The bottom portions will continue to grow, probably creating two new nodes.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

+1 it will grow, just grow out the sides so where you cut won't always grow exactly there but they will continue to grow. And yes you can cut anywhere but I just like to cut a little below where the largest roots are is all  But anywhere will do!


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Thanks for all the help  I'll just cut the longest stems when they reach the surface: it should be soon, judging by how close they are right now. I've noticed the same strange roots on my huge (it's like twice as big as the others) Ludwigia stem but I don't really want to cut that because Lucifer builds nests under the leaves that are on the surface lol 

My mum's boss got a betta yesterday and I was on the phone to her because she had lots of questions and long story short I'm giving my spare Java Ferns tomorrow  poor things have been sitting in a bucket of cold water for weeks!

I also got another plant today... Yup... I need to stop haha.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah...planted tanks are ADDICTING, it's terribly good lol!


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