# Riccia pruning technique



## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Hi,

I have a good cluster of Riccia fluitans (Crystalwort) attached to a rock in my tank. This cluster is doing pretty well and I'm thinking about some pruning it. 
First of all I need it be a little smaller, because it reach a tank side. Secondly, I plan *to use cuttings for further propagation*.










The question is what size should be pieces of riccia leaves/blades to be able grow later. Will it be fine if I make a 'haircut' and cut 5 mm of it from all sides. Will those scraps survive and grow?

Should I use some another technique to cut and then propagate it?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

igor.kanshyn said:


> The question is what size should be pieces of riccia leaves/blades to be able grow later. Will it be fine if I make a 'haircut' and cut 5 mm of it from all sides. Will those scraps survive and grow?


The small pieces will likely survive and grow. All you need is a single "Y" of the Riccia, and it will eventually repopulate itself.



igor.kanshyn said:


> Should I use some another technique to cut and then propagate it?


You can try to gently pull apart the carpet and let it regrow that way (it will likely grow faster). In addition, if you trim the Riccia in the manner you mentioned, you will likely get Riccia bits all over your tank (very annoying to clean up).


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

*I did it*

Thank you Anthony.

I trimmed it!
It was not easy to collect cuttings. Thank God, they are floating up. Otherwise it would be impossible to collect them. I collected them from a surface with a small net and placed into a floating ring.

They are not look really good, very small. They all are detached from each other. 
I will let them grow for a week or two and will see how it's going.

There are pictures of cuttings collected in a corner and a final result in a ring.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Those little pieces pictured will grow fine.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> Those little pieces pictured will grow fine.


I hope I will be able to enjoy a riccia cluster grown from them before I retired


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

You will. 

I ripped my riccia ball to pieces before and a few got caught onto the mesh for my slow growing xmas moss wall. 

Now I have a part riccia wall starting up 
It's starting to look nice though haha


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