# Help! Growing Dwarf Water Lily



## J. J. Shark (Sep 23, 2020)

Hi everyone! 
About 3 days ago I decided to try and grow my own dwarf water lilies from the bud since finding the plant is near impossible right now where I live. So I put them in separate containers both with aquarium water. One was a little dirty so in the first picture you can see the water was a little darker. The next two pictures are of them right now. My questions are:
1. Am I doing this right? 
2. Why is one floating but the other isn't? 
3. Should I change the water? 
Thank you all!


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## fatblonde (Apr 20, 2020)

I'm gonna follow this because half the time my bulbs don't grow! It's literally hit or miss. Although I'm just getting them from petco and petsmart. Usually one out of 4 will grow. ... grrrr. I don't know if lillies are the same or different.

I seem to have _better_ luck with the Apongeton bulbs, but I've pondered buying some of these


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Try planting them. That's always worked for me. Just make sure you plant the proper end in the substrate.


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## fatblonde (Apr 20, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Try planting them. That's always worked for me. Just make sure you plant the proper end in the substrate.


Good point!

The ones I have left floating in the tank (or that floated up from being planted) never did root. And the ones I buried too far down didn't root either🤔 (if I remember correctly) The ones that did the _best_ were planted right up against the glass ( I don't know if that has an impact or not, just throwing it out there)

Do you have any extra substrate to put in each cup? Maybe when you do water changes on your tanks you can put the dirty water in there instead of _cleaner water_


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## X skully X (Mar 17, 2020)

The one that floats should eventually sink, if it doesn’t then it’s probably a dud unfortunately. I put mine in the fish tank and the ones that sink always grow roots. I wait until I see leaves. The leaves and roots grow out of the same spot so make sure that whatever end is sprouting is the end pointed up. With bulb plants most of their nutrients are stored in the actual bulb itself, so initially it will grow on its own steam after a few months it will benefit from a fertilizer. You can even remove shoots off the bulb and plant them if they have their own roots. If your lucky that shoot will grow its own bulb.


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## J. J. Shark (Sep 23, 2020)

So which way is the right way up? Also, is it normal to have some mucusy stuff growing around the bulb?


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## X skully X (Mar 17, 2020)

I can’t tell which way is up until it sprouts. That’s why I just toss them in my tanks. You don’t have to bury it, just let it sprout and THEN bury it halfway with the sprouted end up. Yes the white bio film is normal


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## J. J. Shark (Sep 23, 2020)

Thank you all! My best friend noticed that the one that was floating was full of air. She squeezed it a little and it sank. We will see if it still grows.


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