# aponogeton bulb formation?



## clint2642 (Jun 30, 2010)

I have two aponogetons in my tank which I have had growing for a few months now. One is kinda small and not doing to well, but the other is absolutely huge and taking over the tank. 

Well the big one started growing these weird stalks that arent like the flower stalks or leaves. Its got one main stalk, another smaller stalk, and a third quickly on its way (among several leaves). On these stalks, they start out with a kind of "calyx" like tip, which opens up at the top of the water, and yeilds another stalk and several smaller floating leaves, at a node like point. The stalk part that comes out of the node leads to another node which sprouts several more of these smaller leaves.

At each one of these "nodes" on these weird stalks, they have begun swelling up into a bulbous shape and have even begun growing their own roots. Each one of the nodes that split off of one of the weird stalks are swelling up and forming their own roots even though they are at the top of the water. 

This is my first time with apono's (or any plants, got lily's too). Is this their way of forming their own bulbs? Or are they like bulbletes or tubercles or whatever they are called? 
Should I wait for the stalks to continue to grow into full bulbs then cut em? Or should I just cut them now and plant them? 
Will they even grow into full sized bulbs that can be harvested, dried and saved?
Will the plant just naturally drop the stalk and bulbs when it is ready to do so?

Let me post some pics of what I mean I know its kinda hard to understand.

Here is the main apono that is making these stalks:




Next is a couple of pics of the weird stalk and how it splits. It also shows the "nodes" where it splits to show how its starting to look like a bulb:






Here is a closeup:




any thoughts or advice?


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## clint2642 (Jun 30, 2010)

So nobody has seen this before? No thoughts or comments on what I should do with them?


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## Brittrugger (May 30, 2010)

I have little to no experience with aquqrium plants but i know plants in general and it looks like it is try to send roots down from there.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

clint2642 said:


> So nobody has seen this before? No thoughts or comments on what I should do with them?


Sry Clint...I have no experience with Apons, never grew them. If they are like other plants that send out runners like E. Angustifolia, then after the daughter plant gets to be "x" big, you can snip it from the runner.

Bout the best I can say.


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## Fishman Dan (Sep 18, 2009)

The aponogeton you have in the pic is the undulatus. It reproduces by seed or producing daughter plants like the pics. In nature the stalks will be broken by natural events and the daughters will float around until they root into something. I would let them get a little bit bigger then clip and replant them. They will mature and eventually grow a bulb.
Hope this helps
Dan


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## clint2642 (Jun 30, 2010)

Undulatus? Man i been wondering what species of apono it is exactly since it started growing haha. 

Yeah, I might let it go for a little while longer. its got two more of these stalks, one is just beginning to grow these "daughter plants", the othe has 3 bulb like daughter plants with roots, and the one in the pic above has 2. 

Thing is, I dont know what im gonna do with them! My tank is to small as it is, and I dont need 5 or more daughter plants! Between the rubra and the apono the tank is an absolute jungle. The rubra has formed several huge pads and more are coming out every day. Im gonna have to start trimming these things!


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