# Bleheri sword has stem for babies, need advice



## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Two days ago I noticed I finally have a stem growing that is the type that baby plants, which I have been wanting badly. 

In one day the stem grew up about 2 inches and its just starting to peak above water.

Do I need to keep it all under water or let it do its own thing? Is there anything I should do to help it or just leave it alone?


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

As nearly as I can tell, sword plants don't mind if you allow the plantlets to grow emersed for awhile. The only problem you might have is that if they've grown emersed for any great length of time, you might lose a number of the older leaves when you get around to planting it under water again.

Because of that, I try to keep them submersed if I can. But those runners can grow amazingly fast and very, very long, so it can sometimes be a bit of a problem keeping them all below the surface. I have used smooth rocks to weigh down the runner, to keep the plantlets below water. Once they get some roots into the substrate, then they'll stay down by themselves, and once they have some reasonable roots, you can sever them into individual plants if you want to.

If you sever them, use a clean scissors to snip off the runner stem as close to the plant base as you can, so you don't have a rotten remnant of the runner hanging around for ages.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

thanks, will make sure the runner stays underwater then.


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## aniroc (Aug 23, 2012)

Wait until the plantlets develop few leaves and roots are few inches long. Gently detach the baby sword without disturbing the stem. Do not cut the stem; more baby swords will form at those nodes later.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

It's interesting to know a runner can produce more plantlets from the same nodes - I've never seen that mentioned before.

I've always just trimmed them off, primarily because I don't have the space available in my tanks to allow the runners to remain in place. 

Of course size depends on the species, but I've had a couple of the larger ones I've had grow runners that are longer than my tank is. Unfortunately, my largest tanks are only 30 inches long. I just don't have space for a longer tank in this apartment. So allowing a very long runner to remain in place takes up too much room.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I just put some weights on two stems to keep them under water. There is now at least one baby starting, hopefully lots more soon. A local store will be willing to buy them from me


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Always nice when you can trade or sell them for something you can use.


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