Sword plant questions (shedding?, how to trim)

I have what I am 99% sure is are Amazon sword plants. Today I was inspecting
them closely as I was figuring out what to do with (how to trim) what
appeared to be leaves so long that they were to the top of the tank and ran
along the length of the tank. I found that these weren't attached to the
base of the plant, but appeared to be shed from the plant. These leaves
appear to be quite healthy. I'm wondering if this is normal, or if there is
some explanation for why this happened. I have a few corys, a pl3c0, and
tons of snails.

Also, since some of my leaves are about twice the height of the tank, I
think they should be trimmed for aesthetics and allow the rest to get light.
Some people say its ok to trim the leaves, other people say only to cut near
base. I'd like to here more before I do anything. Also if trimming at base,
do you guys uproot or do deep sea surgery?

I'm under the impression that the shed or trimmed sword plants leaves will
not root if replanted, am I correct? Is there anything useful I can do with
these and other trimmings (other than share replantables). Perhaps making a
veggie shake for my pl3c0? Chopping them up and putting them into the feed
bag I strap onto the pl3c0? Obviously I'm not serious about these ideas, but
it seems like there should be some useful I can do with this stuff.

Thanks for any help.

Also, since some of my leaves are about twice the height of the tank, I
think they should be trimmed for aesthetics and allow the rest to get
light.
Some people say its ok to trim the leaves, other people say only to cut
near
base. I'd like to here more before I do anything. Also if trimming at
base,
do you guys uproot or do deep sea surgery?

I'm just going from my own experience with my swords.. but had to trim them,
they were yellowing on the tips, so I just angle trimmed them so they didn't
look like they had a flat top cut... I also thinned them out by cutting the
outermost leaves, and some that looked ragged... remember, swords grow new
leaves from the inside mostly, so the outsides were ready to go on mine....

I'm under the impression that the shed or trimmed sword plants leaves will
not root if replanted, am I correct? Is there anything useful I can do
with
these and other trimmings (other than share replantables). Perhaps making
a
veggie shake for my pl3c0? Chopping them up and putting them into the feed
bag I strap onto the pl3c0? Obviously I'm not serious about these ideas,
but
it seems like there should be some useful I can do with this stuff.

surprisingly, my pl*co won't even touch my amazons.... probably because he's
6" bigger than they are.... go figure.... but my anubias?? he LOVES them...
I had to put them where he can't get to them..... in corners surrounded by
other plants.. now he just lays on top of them....

If the sword leaf is separated from the plant it won't last long. Is it
possible that your sword flowered and produced new plants now at the
surface? look for entire small plants with roots.

Another possibility is that it is a java fern. The leaf even when separated
will stay green.



--
Bob Alston

bobalston9 AT aol DOT com

"Andrew Sasak" wrote in message
...
I have what I am 99% sure is are Amazon sword plants. Today I was
inspecting
them closely as I was figuring out what to do with (how to trim) what
appeared to be leaves so long that they were to the top of the tank and
ran
along the length of the tank. I found that these weren't attached to the
base of the plant, but appeared to be shed from the plant. These leaves
appear to be quite healthy. I'm wondering if this is normal, or if there
is
some explanation for why this happened. I have a few corys, a pl3c0, and
tons of snails.

Also, since some of my leaves are about twice the height of the tank, I
think they should be trimmed for aesthetics and allow the rest to get
light.
Some people say its ok to trim the leaves, other people say only to cut
near
base. I'd like to here more before I do anything. Also if trimming at
base,
do you guys uproot or do deep sea surgery?

I'm under the impression that the shed or trimmed sword plants leaves will
not root if replanted, am I correct? Is there anything useful I can do
with
these and other trimmings (other than share replantables). Perhaps making
a
veggie shake for my pl3c0? Chopping them up and putting them into the feed
bag I strap onto the pl3c0? Obviously I'm not serious about these ideas,
but
it seems like there should be some useful I can do with this stuff.

Thanks for any help.