# Help! Amazon is getting TOO BIG!! (pics)



## theteh (Jan 19, 2006)

With little experience, I bought the Amazon sword (Echinodorus radicans) thinking it would remain small as it was when I bought it... but to my horror... after two months....it has taken over half my tank (60L tank)

on the left:








It keeps growing out new leaves. At the moment, there is a young leave reaching the water surface, and I am afraid it will outgrow my tank in few weeks time! My tank has a lid with light and wet/dry filter sitting above the tank.

Anyone has a solution? What should I do? Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated indeed!


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## rohape (Feb 7, 2005)

i had an amazon sword also, your pic really is nothing compared to how huge they can get. it will soon over grow and block the light from your other plants. i had mine in my 55gal. and it took up about half the tank. i had to give it away. it got too out of hand.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I've had this happen with various sword plants. I see two options, either remove the plant or cut the leaves off and start all over.


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## Blazerfrs (Feb 3, 2006)

Not olny does the plant get huge, but I've read the root system can pretty much dominate the bottom of a small tank... I would remove it before it gets completely out of hand.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

One thing you can try is cut all but a few leaves off.

According to the AGA DVD's that I watched (I forget which one), most swords will outgrow _any_ tank. Their root systems will spread out in the wild as much as 12 feet (or even more).


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## theteh (Jan 19, 2006)

Thanks for all the advice, I will cut the leaves and see if I can control it this way. If not I may have to remove the whole plant 

As for removing the plant, how should I do that given the roots are now presumably all over the tank? Do I just cut around the plant, pull it out and leave the remaining roots to rot?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

When I removed my swords, which virtually filled a 125 gallon tank, I just gently pulled them out. The roots and roots+soil ball came out as one mass. I was tearing down the tank so it didn't matter too much. I doubt that leaving that much roots to rot in the soil is a good idea.


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## theteh (Jan 19, 2006)

I just murdered the Sword!! Completely removed it from my tank before too late. I feel sorry for it actually  , it was my fault--ignorance about its potential before buying!!

Here is the tank after its removal! Hopefully my grass will now have enough lights to grow.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I've pulled up 2 of them in the past couple of months. Same thing - they look great when they're small but they go nuts with good light and nutrients. Pretty soon everything else is left in the shade. IMO they are just as good as fast-growing stem plants at soaking up nutrients for a new tank.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I had a similar problem when I first started off with amazons. I had 2 in a dinky 10 gallon, and in short time they totally over grew and took over! 

I tried my best to keep them in check by pruning the leaves every week, cutting out the largest ones, but it became too much. I was surprised how extensive the root system was when I did pull them out. How did your root situation pan out?

-John N.


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

Just pulled some this week.










What one of them looks like. That's a 24" on the tape there.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

whoa those are HUGE! What kinda tank were they in?!? And where are they now...

-John N.


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

They were in my 90 gallon tank. I pulled them since they were getting too large and have other swords that I want to make room for (Veronica and some ozelots).

Three of them are going to some local members of SFBAAPS and the other two are going somewhere; not sure where yet, haha.


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## NE (Dec 10, 2004)

Ibn said:


> They were in my 90 gallon tank. I pulled them since they were getting too large and have other swords that I want to make room for (Veronica and some ozelots).
> 
> Three of them are going to some local members of SFBAAPS and the other two are going somewhere; not sure where yet, haha.


Watch out for the ozelot it will grow as big in time, this is one of mine that i have to get rid of because of the size (50cm / 19.7inch deep tank).
http://zoone.se/main/blog/images/i_mg_3855.jpg


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Out of curiosity, does anyone have any knowledge or pics about how large one of these guys can get if left alone and given the room?

I'd love to see what would happen if planted in something like Amano's giant tank.


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

NE said:


> Watch out for the ozelot it will grow as big in time, this is one of mine that i have to get rid of because of the size (50cm / 19.7inch deep tank).
> http://zoone.se/main/blog/images/i_mg_3855.jpg


Thanks for the heads up. Kind of know how big they will get already.  Just thinning it out a bit.

Here's the original plants that I picked up awhile back. Amazon on the left and ozelot on the right.


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## May (Aug 12, 2004)

*Amazon is getting TOO BIG!!*

Has anyone tried to contain the roots in a small container within the aquarium?.. maybe a small hollowed out rock or something... kinda like a bonsi?


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## cranetech (Feb 1, 2006)

May said:


> Has anyone tried to contain the roots in a small container within the aquarium?.. maybe a small hollowed out rock or something... kinda like a bonsi?


I was thinking about putting mine in a pot. I have 3 that will soon outgrow my 55 gal. Havent read about doing this, just thought it might work with proper soil. It might be convenient to move around this way. Wouldnt a terra-cotta pot work pretty well for this? I have seen some that are lower profile so hiding it wouldnt be as big of a problem as the regulars.
Anyone have any suggestions?

Maybe we can prevent the needless slaughter of more beautiful specimens!


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## C_perugiae (Feb 26, 2004)

To quote Bert:
Out of curiosity, does anyone have any knowledge or pics about how large one of these guys can get if left alone and given the room?

I'll see if I can dig up some pics of the swords at the Barnes and Noble in downtown Baltimore that I visited this weekend. The tank, which is maintained by the National Aquarium, is huge and so are the plants... two of the swords look like they're about 4 feet tall. Rubins, I believe. It's a neat setup.


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## C_perugiae (Feb 26, 2004)

Ah, here we go! And, for the record, I'm not trying to look longingly into the tank for artistic purposes or anything... I had no idea my pic was being taken. That red thing to my right is one of the swords in question.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Wow! :!: Thanks for the pic perugiae.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Now there is a tank that is big enough for Amazon swords!. Here is another picture of it:


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