Iron. They need serious iron supplementation to maintain that colouring,
and some decent light to grow large.

I have a gorgeous specimen plant growing under 2.5 watts which fills up
nearly a third of my 75-gallon tank. I have some others planted in a row in
a shady spot, which keeps them stunted, maybe 3" x 3" each, and hedge-like.

If you supplement with trace and CO2 you can expect your outer leaves to
hold up better. But, frankly, if you remove them periodically, you will
improve the growth and overall appearance of the plant.

kush

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

Donovan N wrote in message
...
I have a six gallon tank with what I believe is a melon sword, an
amazon
sword and two amazon compacta. Also in the tank is a lump of lava moss
attached to a small terra cotta pot. I don't add CO2, and the lighting is
an
eight watt PC. 1.3 WPG about. Every month or so I push a "Jobes' plant
spike
for ferns and palms" into the gravel under each plant.

The plants are all growing quite well, the melon is looking beautiful
showing a new deep red leaf every four days or so.

Anyways, at a LFS I saw some plants with a red/green mottled
coloration,
the employee clamed they were volunteers with a shipment and as sutch
dosen't know for certain what they exactly are. They have a shape and root
structure that looks like most sword plants so I'm suspecting they are
ozelots.

I really like their coloration/patterning and would like to add one to
my tank. Do they have any special needs, or should I expect them to act
like
my other sword plants?

Also, my melon sword has two types of leaves, oval shaped green ones
on
long stems and a cluster of long red leaves. The green leaves have been
dying off; turning yellow then just dissolving. The red leaves at the
center
of the plant have been growing quickly and look very healthy... Is this
normal? Were the green leaves from when the plant was above water? Or is
this die off a sesional event?

I am very inexperenced with this whole aquarium hobby so parden my
ignorance =p.

--donovan