Giant Annubia too big

I somehow got an annubia that has outgrown my 10 gallon tank. It has
occupied a corner of the tank for over a year and has just kept on
growing. The lower leaves are smaller than the top and in perpetual
shade. New growth is all at the top and have reached the water top.
I have roots coming out along the thick stem.

Can I cut off the bottom and replant the top? Should I trim older
leaves with algae growth and leave only new growth? Will both bottom
and top halves survive?

I am amazed at the size of this plant. I have a large anubia in my 75
gallon tank, but the one in the 10 is twice the size of the one in the
75. My other Anubias are less than 6 inches in height.

What to do?

dick

"Dick" wrote in message
...
I somehow got an annubia that has outgrown my 10 gallon tank. It has
occupied a corner of the tank for over a year and has just kept on
growing. The lower leaves are smaller than the top and in perpetual
shade. New growth is all at the top and have reached the water top.
I have roots coming out along the thick stem.

Can I cut off the bottom and replant the top? Should I trim older
leaves with algae growth and leave only new growth? Will both bottom
and top halves survive?

I am amazed at the size of this plant. I have a large anubia in my 75
gallon tank, but the one in the 10 is twice the size of the one in the
75. My other Anubias are less than 6 inches in height.

What to do?


Annubias are very tough. I thin mine out by removing older leaves quite
reguarly. I'd have no problem cutting the top off - just look for a sensible
place to cut with some roots above so that the top half will have roots
after you cut it off. They seem to thrive when you give them a bit more
space to work with by thinning them out.

I.

In message , Dick
writes
I somehow got an annubia that has outgrown my 10 gallon tank. It has
occupied a corner of the tank for over a year and has just kept on
growing. The lower leaves are smaller than the top and in perpetual
shade. New growth is all at the top and have reached the water top.
I have roots coming out along the thick stem.

Can I cut off the bottom and replant the top? Should I trim older
leaves with algae growth and leave only new growth? Will both bottom
and top halves survive?

I am amazed at the size of this plant. I have a large anubia in my 75
gallon tank, but the one in the 10 is twice the size of the one in the
75. My other Anubias are less than 6 inches in height.

What to do?

swap it with a little one from the 75 gallon? ;-)

dick

--
sophie

mostly bottom posted but some comments
intersperced -

"Iain Miller" wrote in message
...
"Dick" wrote in message
...
I somehow got an annubia that has outgrown my 10 gallon
tank. It has
occupied a corner of the tank for over a year and has
just kept on
growing. The lower leaves are smaller than the top and
in perpetual
shade. New growth is all at the top and have reached
the water top.
I have roots coming out along the thick stem.

Can I cut off the bottom and replant the top? Should I
trim older
leaves with algae growth and leave only new growth?
Will both bottom
and top halves survive?

Probably. When I prune the top I usually pull
off the older leaves and leave the younger
ones attached and the whole mass floating in
the tank to form a new plant. Recently one of my
plants had that long stem growth you mentioned
but was growing baby leaves near the bottom.
I pruned the top 12" of the plant, leaving about
2" at the bottom.

I am amazed at the size of this plant. I have a large
anubia in my 75
gallon tank, but the one in the 10 is twice the size of
the one in the
75. My other Anubias are less than 6 inches in height.

What to do?


Annubias are very tough. I thin mine out by removing older
leaves quite
reguarly. I'd have no problem cutting the top off - just
look for a sensible
place to cut with some roots above so that the top half
will have roots
after you cut it off. They seem to thrive when you give
them a bit more
space to work with by thinning them out.

I.

I agree with Iain and will add I often drop the
pruned tops (sans roots) into the tank where they
eventually form roots and I can plant them. From
just one of these plants, I now have healthy plants
in 6 tanks (sizes from 10G to 40G). I'm getting to
the point where I'll probably have to start adding
the cuttings to my compost pile - but I prefer that
to a plant that never grows.

Gail

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 14:32:03 +0100, sophie
wrote:

In message , Dick
writes
I somehow got an annubia that has outgrown my 10 gallon tank. It has
occupied a corner of the tank for over a year and has just kept on
growing. The lower leaves are smaller than the top and in perpetual
shade. New growth is all at the top and have reached the water top.
I have roots coming out along the thick stem.

Can I cut off the bottom and replant the top? Should I trim older
leaves with algae growth and leave only new growth? Will both bottom
and top halves survive?

I am amazed at the size of this plant. I have a large anubia in my 75
gallon tank, but the one in the 10 is twice the size of the one in the
75. My other Anubias are less than 6 inches in height.

What to do?

swap it with a little one from the 75 gallon? ;-)

dick


I have gotten used to the corner being filled, so I wanted to keep the
giant, but just reduce its height. I can't imagine a small one being
attractive in that tank, so thanks, but I will try planting the top
half. Since I have loads of roots hanging from the middle, I expect I
will bury the stem and as many roots as I can. Or, would I get better
results for the 10 gallon tank if I cut midway and leave the bottom
minus large older leaves? Is this giant going to remain a giant after
separation? I want to keep the corner full and high. I don't want
the stem to not grow again. Hope I am making sense.

Thanks for someone for mentioning the value of thinning. I like close
vegetation, one tank the growth of anubias is very heavy and leaves
are separating and floating to the top. I have anubias in 4 tanks and
this is the only one where the leaves are coming off the stem. Maybe
I need to thin some?

I have gotten used to the corner being filled, so I wanted to keep the
giant, but just reduce its height. I can't imagine a small one being
attractive in that tank, so thanks, but I will try planting the top
half.

No reason why that won't work fine

Since I have loads of roots hanging from the middle, I expect I
will bury the stem and as many roots as I can.

Don't bury the stem - just bury the roots a bit. Just weight the thing down
using plant weights or tie it to a log or a rock with either thread or
fishing line till it grabs hold of the rock/log of its own accord.

Or, would I get better results for the 10 gallon tank if I cut midway and
leave the bottom
minus large older leaves? Is this giant going to remain a giant after
separation?

It should grow again.

I want to keep the corner full and high. I don't want
the stem to not grow again. Hope I am making sense.

It will shoot again from below where you cut

Thanks for someone for mentioning the value of thinning. I like close
vegetation, one tank the growth of anubias is very heavy and leaves
are separating and floating to the top. I have anubias in 4 tanks and
this is the only one where the leaves are coming off the stem. Maybe
I need to thin some?

I find that if I don't thin some of the leaves also get stunted. Where I
thin my AnnubiasI tend to get bigger and healthier looking leaves.

HTH

I.

In message , Dick
writes
On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 14:32:03 +0100, sophie
wrote:

In message , Dick
writes
I somehow got an annubia that has outgrown my 10 gallon tank. It has
occupied a corner of the tank for over a year and has just kept on
growing. The lower leaves are smaller than the top and in perpetual
shade. New growth is all at the top and have reached the water top.
I have roots coming out along the thick stem.

Can I cut off the bottom and replant the top? Should I trim older
leaves with algae growth and leave only new growth? Will both bottom
and top halves survive?

I am amazed at the size of this plant. I have a large anubia in my 75
gallon tank, but the one in the 10 is twice the size of the one in the
75. My other Anubias are less than 6 inches in height.

What to do?

swap it with a little one from the 75 gallon? ;-)

dick


I have gotten used to the corner being filled, so I wanted to keep the
giant, but just reduce its height.


I'm sorry, it was a jokey comment only...

I can't imagine a small one being
attractive in that tank, so thanks, but I will try planting the top
half. Since I have loads of roots hanging from the middle, I expect I
will bury the stem and as many roots as I can. Or, would I get better
results for the 10 gallon tank if I cut midway and leave the bottom
minus large older leaves? Is this giant going to remain a giant after
separation? I want to keep the corner full and high. I don't want
the stem to not grow again. Hope I am making sense.



Thanks for someone for mentioning the value of thinning. I like close
vegetation, one tank the growth of anubias is very heavy and leaves
are separating and floating to the top. I have anubias in 4 tanks and
this is the only one where the leaves are coming off the stem. Maybe
I need to thin some?

--
sophie

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 12:32:28 +0100, "Iain Miller"
wrote:

Since I have loads of roots hanging from the middle, I expect I
will bury the stem and as many roots as I can.

Don't bury the stem - just bury the roots a bit. Just weight the thing down
using plant weights or tie it to a log or a rock with either thread or
fishing line till it grabs hold of the rock/log of its own accord.

What does the rock/log do? Why do the roots grab them?
What would happen if I just pushed stem and roots into sand?
Your instructions are different than any other plant I have, but this
plant is different from any other.

When I look at the whole plant it is eye catching. It occupies 1/3 of
the tank area, but lots of space for the fish to swim around. My
Siamese Algae Eaters like to rest on the large leaves. My Clown Loach
has a cave mouth under a lower leaf. When I think of dividing I
imagine a very strange plant. I know I will have to do something, but
I fear the results are going to be less than satisfying. I sure will
be upsetting myself and my critters, but don't see any other option.

What will happen if I do nothing? When the leaves reach the water top
what will happen? Oh woe is me. I hate making decisions!

dick

"Dick" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 12:32:28 +0100, "Iain Miller"
wrote:

Since I have loads of roots hanging from the middle, I expect I
will bury the stem and as many roots as I can.

Don't bury the stem - just bury the roots a bit. Just weight the thing
down
using plant weights or tie it to a log or a rock with either thread or
fishing line till it grabs hold of the rock/log of its own accord.

What does the rock/log do? Why do the roots grab them?
What would happen if I just pushed stem and roots into sand?
Your instructions are different than any other plant I have, but this
plant is different from any other.

My Annubias are all growing on either rocks or logs or just sitting loosely
at the bottom of the tank (weighted down with plant weights). They seem to
like it better than being planted & the roots work their way down into the
sand anyway. If you tie the thing to a rock or a log (or even just use
weights to sit the plant on top of it) within a couple of weeks the plant
will attach itself with its roots.

When I look at the whole plant it is eye catching. It occupies 1/3 of
the tank area, but lots of space for the fish to swim around. My
Siamese Algae Eaters like to rest on the large leaves. My Clown Loach
has a cave mouth under a lower leaf. When I think of dividing I
imagine a very strange plant. I know I will have to do something, but
I fear the results are going to be less than satisfying. I sure will
be upsetting myself and my critters, but don't see any other option.

It probably will lookl a bit strange for a week or two but it'll fill in the
gap pretty quickly

What will happen if I do nothing? When the leaves reach the water top
what will happen? Oh woe is me. I hate making decisions!

Nothing will happen except that the plant will just get more & more dense &
the quality of the leaves you get will diminish in - it will just start to
look big & old if that makes sense.

If its of any consolation I waas similarly nervous when I started curring my
Annubias but I got over that pretty quickly (!)

rgds

I.

dick

On Fri, 18 Jun 2004 13:55:02 +0100, "Iain Miller"
wrote:


"Dick" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 12:32:28 +0100, "Iain Miller"
wrote:

Since I have loads of roots hanging from the middle, I expect I
will bury the stem and as many roots as I can.

Don't bury the stem - just bury the roots a bit. Just weight the thing
down
using plant weights or tie it to a log or a rock with either thread or
fishing line till it grabs hold of the rock/log of its own accord.

What does the rock/log do? Why do the roots grab them?
What would happen if I just pushed stem and roots into sand?
Your instructions are different than any other plant I have, but this
plant is different from any other.

My Annubias are all growing on either rocks or logs or just sitting loosely
at the bottom of the tank (weighted down with plant weights). They seem to
like it better than being planted & the roots work their way down into the
sand anyway. If you tie the thing to a rock or a log (or even just use
weights to sit the plant on top of it) within a couple of weeks the plant
will attach itself with its roots.

When I look at the whole plant it is eye catching. It occupies 1/3 of
the tank area, but lots of space for the fish to swim around. My
Siamese Algae Eaters like to rest on the large leaves. My Clown Loach
has a cave mouth under a lower leaf. When I think of dividing I
imagine a very strange plant. I know I will have to do something, but
I fear the results are going to be less than satisfying. I sure will
be upsetting myself and my critters, but don't see any other option.

It probably will lookl a bit strange for a week or two but it'll fill in the
gap pretty quickly

What will happen if I do nothing? When the leaves reach the water top
what will happen? Oh woe is me. I hate making decisions!

Nothing will happen except that the plant will just get more & more dense &
the quality of the leaves you get will diminish in - it will just start to
look big & old if that makes sense.

If its of any consolation I waas similarly nervous when I started curring my
Annubias but I got over that pretty quickly (!)

rgds

I.

dick


Thanks for the words of encouragement. I may have missed it, but did
you make a suggestion of whether it is best to use the top or the
bottom half. The bottom is secure whereas the top has the newest
leaves. Any suggestion which to keep? How much of the top need I
keep to be sure it will survive. (I am thinking that I will keep a
minimum so there will be more room for growth, but don't want to keep
too little and risk failure.)

The whole plant looks like a tree. I just can't imagine how it will
look with only half present. It has never grown fast in my low light
tank, so it is also hard to imagine the damage of cutting being
overcome in less than 6 months.

My 75 gallon has an intermediately large annubia. In 18 months it is
half the size of the one in my 10 gallon tank and does not have the
tree appearance. All my tanks are heavily planted so I would risk
upsetting two tanks to make an exchange.

When I can get myself to take the plunge, I will have to throw part of
the plant away. :-(

Thanks for your continued interest Lain.

dick