On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:53:07 -0700, Aaron wrote:


I started a tank with manure and potting soil a couple years
back and threw in some fern, anubias, and crypts. I set the
light on a timer and pretty much got busy with other things and
neglected it, only feeding the fish a few times a week. Now I
see, the anubias took over and the crypt and fern are small and
stunted. The whole tank is filled to the top with anubias and
I can't budge the thing. Something seems stuck good.

I want to move them to a larger tank, my concerns a
If I pull up the anubias, are the roots deeply imbedded in the
potting soil, manure and gravel mix, will it release the rotten
sulfur gasses and kill the fish too? Will I mess up the
plant's establishment and large growth if I move them? What if
I cut them, how should I cut it? I can't trace because I can't
see where the roots start and begin, there are green branches
all over and white roots sticking out everywhere.

I want to move the anubias, if I knew this was going to happen,
I would've started with a larger tank when I first began. If
possible, I'd like to keep the whole plant as big as possible
and not have to fragment it.

Thanks all.

I have some anubias that are giants. One in 10 gallon tank was
pushing out of the water, so I cut it in half. The bottom in the 10
gal now grows lots of new leaves, but no new stalk. That is great in
that tank. The top half is now in a 29 gal tank and does not seem to
be starting a new stalk either, just leaves.

I also have some giants in a 75gal tank. One of them divided itself
half way up. I moved the top half and planted it, so far it is
growing well.

I have smaller species of anubias that did well for years, but
recently the new leaves are less healthy. Strange since the giants do
not share this problem.

I rarely stir up the bottom, but I see no problem when I have had to
remove plants. The water gets dirty, but clears in an hour or two. I
have worried about the grit getting in fish gills and suspect I lost
one fish that way, but it could have been a coincident.

The large roots remind me of that swamp tree in Florida (Mango?) I
just push as much of the roots into the gravel as I can get in. Seems
to be ok.

I just try things and hope for the best. These giant anubias seem to
be very resilient.

dick