# Question about Amazon Sword



## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

I have an amazon sword in my planted tank (a 5.5 gal with fertilized substrate. One betta, one Oto). The Sword is then planted in a terra cotta pot filled with said substrate. 

So my problem is, everything else in that tank is growing like CRAZY. Soon, I'll have Java Fern growths from it to put in the divided ten I'm working on now (I think the bettas in there are enjoying the constant scenery changes xP) I have an oto, and I still had to pull a ton of algae from the tank when I returned from vacation...from a tank that requires minimal maintenance. So why is my Sword not growing back? 

History on the sword...it was originally in my ten gallon, which was the only tank in use when I redid my room. To repaint, I had to pull the tank out of the room, which meant almost all the water was drained from it. When I filled it again, something was in the water, even after treatment, that damaged the plants and killed my guppies and betta (RIP Jazz, you were great even with the constant fin biting <3 ). It also damaged the plants, killing the Water Wistera. The ferns are now doing great, and the Sword is still ALIVE. The tank has been going since June...second or third week of, I believe. I need to check receipts to make sue that is true though. 

So, what am I doing wrong? Is it possible to save the little thing? What should I change?


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

I think swords tend to grow slowly... I have two types of sword plants and they both grow very slow, while some of my other plants grow very quickly.


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## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

But six months with no obvious growth? That seems a bit extreme to me. Maybe I'm wrong but...


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Hmm, it might be stunted. Are you fertilizing regularly?

Can you take a pic of it?
My swords arent growing any taller, but they do sprout new leaves pretty regularly so this is intriguing me.
Is it still green? Or does it look like its dying?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

First off Otos are schooling. Second Otos should be ideally in a 20G.


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

I've had a rosette sword for about the same amount of time as you, and I've only seen a couple of new leaves in the center. It could also have something to do with fact that it's in a pot. I'm not sure, though. Just throwing out suggestions.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

My sword grew fast then stopped growing.


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## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

Ae, I will go get the SD card, I have a pic of is somewhere. I don't use a liquid (or dissolved etc.) fertilizer in the tank, I have this stuff as substrate. 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753891&lmdn=Type&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

It looks...well yeah, like it's dying. I don't think it's the lights, which are...

http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...=LIghting+&amp;+Hoods&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

I think...I should have a box around here somewhere


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Hmm... what else do you know about that light? I wonder if it's not bright enough. I know with compact fluorescents you need 6500K for there to be good growth.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

the light looks good, and the substrate is good too. HMM what is your light cycle?

If it were me, I'd cut all the dead/dying leaves off and just leave the crown. If it doesnt start re-generating itself after another month or two then toss it.

AS long as the crown is green it should grow back, but whatever that chemical was to kill the fish and other plants could have easily done something to ruin this one too, but taking a longer time to destroy it because they are a little hardier than the other plants you had.


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## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

Alright, got some pics, off to upload them in a minute. 

Double checked the light, that is what I use. Also found a receipt from when I got algae chips for the oto (which I'll address in a second Chocolate  ) and the tank is actually around 7 mos old, same lighting/substrate and still in the terra cotta (sp?)

To Chocolate: The oto I have was from a suggestion made by a friend of mine who is a successful betta breeder/keeper/shower (is that a word?). She told me she has been successful keeping them in all her tanks, and alone. Sadly, I don't have a 20 gal (so wish I did, but there's only so much space in here), and worry that the bioload on a 5.5 with more otos would put the cycle out of balance. He seems to be doing fine...so I'm not totally sure what to do with what you say. I've had him nearly as long as the rest of the tank. Probably 6, not 7 months.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

if it grew really fast then stopped growing, it probably is root bound and needs to be trimmed or put in a larger pot. are there roots coming out of the pot bottom?they have huge root systems.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Oto's arent required to be kept in schools. Sure they would like that, but they can do just fine and even thrive by themselves. I know many succesful fish keepers that only have 1/tank too!


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## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

Oi. Won't let me put the pictures in an album hold on.


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## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

http://s1204.beta.photobucket.com/user/Beautiful-Vision/library/Bettas

There's all the pictures of both tanks...you can see the growth of both the Java Ferns and the Sword. Ignore the tank with the divider I just wanted to put all the pictures up at the same time. The current layout, the Sword is in front of the filter/heater, which is a new setup. Just did it yesterday.


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