# Petsmart now sells S. Repens and P. Helferi!



## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

This is legit; Ill post pics later.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

I also found crypt balansae, Cyperus helferi, crypt wendtii tropica or something like that, and some sort of cardinal plant.


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## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

Overgrowth said:


> I also found crypt balansae, Cyperus helferi, crypt wendtii tropica or something like that, and some sort of cardinal plant.


Cyperus helferi? Wow. I'll have to go check out Petsmart again.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

P. helferi? At petsmart? What?


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## crice8 (Aug 2, 2012)

indeed they have downoi. It is $8 for like 20-30 stems per pack. givin they are tiny stems but they will grow in time(=


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

...I need to get those now.


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

Petsmart! here I come!


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

Interesting that they are selling p. helfiri. From everything I've read, it requires CO2. Do they let people know that on the packaging, or is it buyer beware? Or am I wrong and it grows fine without CO2?


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

It's legit:


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

100% legit, went today and bought some Crypt Wendtii Tropica, Crypt undulate 'Red', some staurgoyne repens, Flourish root tabs and some algae wafers. sad to say I spent over $50  when I only meant to spend 20. Not sure if it's known but petsmart will be having a 4th of July Sale, the lady who was helping me said if I wanted to buy a tank, was looking at a 20 long for a grow out, to wait until the 4th


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## aparker (Mar 12, 2013)

are plants going to be on sale or just tanks?


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

aparker said:


> are plants going to be on sale or just tanks?


 No idea, she only mentioned it when I looked at the tanks, so I would assume tanks. I would hope its more than just tanks, but a sale on tanks would be pretty nice


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Lol, I have too many tanks already.

They actually give you a lot more plants than you think; I planted so much downoi when I was setting up my new tank.


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

They really do give a lot, never realized it, got 3 Crypt Wendtii Tropica's and 3 Crypt Undulata's as well as the decent sized "mat" of S. Repens


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## Lucubration (Jun 20, 2013)

Yeah, I bought some _Cyperus helferi_ from Petsmart a couple of weeks ago. I like it sitting above the dwarf hairgrass. It's hanging in there, but my tank doesn't have enough light or CO2 for it to really flourish.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

How much PAR do downoi and S. repens need? I know S. repens can tolerate lower light, but I'm just concerned about keeping my downoi alive. If downoi dies on me (knock on wood), then I'll just buy like 3 more packets of S. repens and cover my whole 36g with it. lol.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Lucubration said:


> Yeah, I bought some _Cyperus helferi_ from Petsmart a couple of weeks ago. I like it sitting above the dwarf hairgrass. It's hanging in there, but my tank doesn't have enough light or CO2 for it to really flourish.


IME C. helferi doesn't really need CO2. I had it growing with HC with just excel dosing. And my tank was a 10 gallon, so the Cyperus literally covered up half the whole aquarium. But then I got lazy with my tanks and then it died


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

I picked up some of the S. repens and P. helferi today. Most of the other packages had sickly looking plants (looking a bit yellow, some already covered in mold). I think once they hit the store shelves, you have to pick them up when freshly delivered since the lack of intense light will slowly kill off these light-loving species.


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## hooha (Mar 14, 2004)

Ive been off the forums for a few years, being slowly trying to encorporate the hobby back into the routine (low maintenance is the way to go!).

"Back then" Staurogyne repens and Pogostemon helferi were brand new to the hobby, and we were still trying to figure out the true ID of these plants. I'd like to think that our hobby (and forums like these) helped to get these two particular plants ID'ed and mainstream into pet stores around he country.....


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## Gavin288 (May 10, 2013)

picked up some S. repens and it's some top notch stuff it's been in the tank for three days and i swear theres already new growth :icon_eek: also picked up a packed of lobelia cardinalis Not really sure how it's doing but if it doesn't work out i will just pick up a few more packets of Repens


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## VJM (Feb 9, 2013)

My cardinalis is doing amazingly well, especially since it had seen better days when I bought it. I am really glad they are going down this road. Having the biggest pet stores in the U.S. taking notice of the hobby can't be bad.


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## Gavin288 (May 10, 2013)

VJM said:


> My cardinalis is doing amazingly well, especially since it had seen better days when I bought it. I am really glad they are going down this road. Having the biggest pet stores in the U.S. taking notice of the hobby can't be bad.


did you get lobelia cardinalis or alternanthera reineckii cardinalis?, if you bought the lobelia cardinalis can you take a picture of how there doing?


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## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

The S. Repens is excellent, planted it on Monday and it is already sending new leaves. I wish I went to petsmart before I ordered some online.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Same for me. My tank is brand new and the S. repens is looking real good. Not sure how the downoi's doing though.


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

AnotherHobby said:


> Interesting that they are selling p. helfiri. From everything I've read, it requires CO2. Do they let people know that on the packaging, or is it buyer beware? Or am I wrong and it grows fine without CO2?


I always tell everybody who is buying the life plants if they need Co2 and what type of lighting they will need. Since i have learned a lot here about my plants and other plants, light, fertilizer etc. i can save some people from wasting money if they don't have the right set-up.

I was very excited too when i saw that Petsmart got all the new plants. Unfortunately in my store they all came half way dead into the shelve, so i will wait until we get a better shipment


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

My downoi is showing lots of new growth after just a week or so (it's growing out in a tank WITHOUT fish to nibble on it)... some of the emmersed growth melted within the first few days, other parts are just hanging in there but have colored up well since being planted, and overall it's looking pretty good. I have quite a few "mini" crowns that are about 1/4" of new growth. 

All of the staurogyne repens I've planted has done exceptionally well.. so well that I just picked up two more packages (I started with 2) to fill in and extend my carpet a bit more


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## TehDopeness (Jun 26, 2013)

How much was the Pogostemon helferi?


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

I think its 8.99


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

Mine was $7.99


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## BHolmes (Aug 23, 2012)

So cool to see that they carry such a large selection in good shape!


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

sarahspins said:


> My downoi is showing lots of new growth after just a week or so (it's growing out in a tank WITHOUT fish to nibble on it)... some of the emmersed growth melted within the first few days, other parts are just hanging in there but have colored up well since being planted, and overall it's looking pretty good. I have quite a few "mini" crowns that are about 1/4" of new growth.
> 
> All of the staurogyne repens I've planted has done exceptionally well.. so well that I just picked up two more packages (I started with 2) to fill in and extend my carpet a bit more


Can you tell me what your setup is? My downoi doesn't seem like it's dying, but it doesn't look good.


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## jbig (Jul 13, 2012)

this is true. i just dropped 65$ there because i'm redoing my tank. pretty much got one of everything. crypts, repens, carolinas, ect. look to be in good condition as well.


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

Overgrowth said:


> Can you tell me what your setup is? My downoi doesn't seem like it's dying, but it doesn't look good.


I just have it growing in a spare 10g tank, lighting is a 20" fugeray, lots of CO2 - my drop checker is yellow but I have no fish in the tank, just plants.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I bought some S. Repens the other day and it was surprisingly healthy and in great condition. I actually didn't even buy it, the guy tried to scan it and it didn't work, gave me the nod he was just giving it to me so it was free. They had about 8 different plants packaged this way. Then they had a much larger variety than before in the tubes and I didn't find any non-aquatic plants in the mix. I am convinced you can have a very unique and diverse planted tank only going through Petsmart which is something I never thought I would say. Looking forward for more options as plenty of other plants can survive for quite awhile emmersed on store shelves so I hope Topfin capitalizes on this. 

Most my LFS that are not plant specific have either stopped carrying plants or carry significantly less. Only two stores, neither of which are that close, carry a large variety of plants and are dependable. I will continue to go to both because they carry some of the more rare plants to the hobby in general, not just to a LFS. It would be nice to get my "bread and butter" plants locally again.


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

I just called my local Petsmart, and they said they aren't carrying them. Darn.


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

I am sure they will soon, we got ours maybe 4 weeks ago, it takes some time to deliver to all PetSmart stores


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

Aquaticus said:


> I just called my local Petsmart, and they said they aren't carrying them. Darn.


I stopped by one Petsmart by where I work the other day and they don't even carry any bagged/tube plants, only a scant selection of algae infested stems in tanks.


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Mine too. Here's to hoping! 



sarahspins said:


> I stopped by one Petsmart by where I work the other day and they don't even carry any bagged/tube plants, only a scant selection of algae infested stems in tanks.


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

sarahspins said:


> I stopped by one Petsmart by where I work the other day and they don't even carry any bagged/tube plants, only a scant selection of algae infested stems in tanks.


So they didn't have a shelve right across the fish wall at all with plants? That is weird


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

Dina-Angel said:


> So they didn't have a shelve right across the fish wall at all with plants? That is weird


Nope, I even asked when I didn't see them, and they said they didn't carry those, just what was in the tanks (all of which looked really really bad).


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

Yeah, was the Anarchis and Mondo Grass, right? Lately they come already half way dead


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

No mondo grass, it was hard to say for certain what the stems were - easily half of the plant mass was algae


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

Oh boy... I would't buy anything outta there for sure lol


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## Shawn123 (Jan 24, 2013)

I checked out petsmart today and picked up some staurogyne repens. I am going to try it in my non co2 and see how it does. These plants were hanging on a little rack beside the tube plants at the one I went to. 
I was also pleasantly surprised at my local petco, they had hygrophila angustifolia in their stem plant tank that I had been thinking about ordering online, so I picked some up a week or two ago, because they usually only have anachris and a few other common things.


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## silvertiger3450 (Apr 21, 2012)

they dont sell it here in bergan county do they cuz i couldnt find them


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## jspk (Oct 7, 2012)

I bought p.helferi, c. helferi, and anubias nana. they all look super healthy and so did the rest of the plants at my PetSmart.


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## Otoscapes (May 21, 2013)

Just bought some staurogyne the other day right when i found out they had them. They look great:smile:


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## jbig (Jul 13, 2012)

silvertiger3450 said:


> they dont sell it here in bergan county do they cuz i couldnt find them


 
There is a petco on rt 17 south that has some tube plants. I haven't been there in a while but i know i have seen them there. otherwise i would say your best bet is fishtown usa on 17 south. 

i am unsure of any petsmarts in the area.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

Boo quit cutting into my market Petsmart! rofl, glad they are carrying some healthy plants, especially for those who don't have a LFS to go to. What is the pricing like on a package of stauro and how many stems do you get?


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## Shawn123 (Jan 24, 2013)

A package of staurogyne is 7.99. The number of stems is hard to guess....they are small, prob tissue culture. I just grabbed te fullest looking pack. The pic a few posts up with the rock... That is probably one package around the rock. They had a few other plants like this, all were 7.99 to 8.99


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

I've bought 4 packages now and I've gotten a good 20+ rooted stems from each package. If you completely break them up you'd end up with quite a few more, but I wanted to transition mine to submerged growth and let them take off a bit before I went and cut them up a lot.

Mine have filled out a LOT in just over a week. With lights/ferts/co2 they start greening up and pushing out new growth (and bigger leaves) immediately. I started with 2 packages and it looked so good so fast that I went back and got more - so for under $30 I've basically gotten enough plants to carpet the entire front of my 55g.


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

sarahspins said:


> I've bought 4 packages now and I've gotten a good 20+ rooted stems from each package. If you completely break them up you'd end up with quite a few more, but I wanted to transition mine to submerged growth and let them take off a bit before I went and cut them up a lot.
> 
> Mine have filled out a LOT in just over a week. With lights/ferts/co2 they start greening up and pushing out new growth (and bigger leaves) immediately. I started with 2 packages and it looked so good so fast that I went back and got more - so for under $30 I've basically gotten enough plants to carpet the entire front of my 55g.


That is awesome, good to know... I hope to see pictures soon when everything has grown


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

TexasCichlid said:


> Boo quit cutting into my market Petsmart! rofl, glad they are carrying some healthy plants, especially for those who don't have a LFS to go to. What is the pricing like on a package of stauro and how many stems do you get?


I felt my pack was pretty generous. I want to say 15-20 stems at least. For $8, it was way cheaper than anywhere else.

I want to feel bad for all the sellers now. As I said in my last post, I really think you could make a great planted tank just by going to my local Petsmart. However, I will always have to rely on outside vendors and specialized shops to get the more rare stuff. I hope that encourages sellers to keep larger amounts of rare plants on hand as well as continuing to keep new species coming into the US.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

talontsiawd said:


> I felt my pack was pretty generous. I want to say 15-20 stems at least. For $8, it was way cheaper than anywhere else.
> 
> I want to feel bad for all the sellers now. As I said in my last post, I really think you could make a great planted tank just by going to my local Petsmart. However, I will always have to rely on outside vendors and specialized shops to get the more rare stuff. I hope that encourages sellers to keep larger amounts of rare plants on hand as well as continuing to keep new species coming into the US.


Yep. That undercuts me pretty badly as staurogyne has been a staple of mine selling. That's 40 cents a stem and no shipping needed. Looks like future trimmings will be RAOK material considering the Petsmart stuff even has roots.


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## Tanman19az (May 14, 2011)

Lets see how this stuff grows first. Their stuff is so tiny compared to the regular plants around TPT. I bought some Downoi from Petsmart to experiment with. But it's seriously like starting from a seed cuz they are so small


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

TexasCichlid said:


> Yep. That undercuts me pretty badly as staurogyne has been a staple of mine selling. That's 40 cents a stem and no shipping needed. Looks like future trimmings will be RAOK material considering the Petsmart stuff even has roots.


My Petsmart is pretty huge and actually arguably has better fish than my LFS as well. Not to say another Petsmart would have less plants per pack but I would be surprised if most Petsmarts kept stocking large amounts and keeps them in good condition in the long run. For example, my local Petco carries the same DHG but usually only has less than 10 packages, sometimes none. Just saying, I wouldn't go their yet, plus, look at how many people in this thread can't get it at their Petsmart. 


That said, I was surprised about how much I got for my money and all of it was in better condition that a lot of plants I would buy off other hobbyist.


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## xiaoxiy (Dec 18, 2012)

I got a pack of DHG ($8.99) and 3 packs of Java Fern Windelov ($5.99) from Petsmart the other day.

The DHG was enough to almost cover a 2.5G footprint.

The Windelov was pretty impressive. In each pack ($5.99), I got around 2 rhizomes, with at least 10 leaves each.


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

This "patch" is just over one package (the rest was planted on the other side of the tank) planted about 8 days ago. (all of the brighter green plants are s. repens, even the out of focus ones in the back)










The paler/leggier looking ones (middle towards the right) here were planted yesterday.. they are already showing new growth and have greened up a bit. You can see clearly which have been in the tank longer, but even the older ones are still very "new" at just over a week in the tank.


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## Dina-Angel (Jun 20, 2013)

sarahspins said:


> This "patch" is just over one package (the rest was planted on the other side of the tank) planted about 8 days ago. (all of the brighter green plants are s. repens, even the out of focus ones in the back)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It looks awesome, i really like it!


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

Thanks, me too  I think once I do the first trim and replant to fill it in a bit more it will start to look really really good.


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## VJM (Feb 9, 2013)

I am excited about this because, while I would absolutely rather support a hobbyist, I live in South Florida. There is a good chunk of the year when shipping plants to me = melted bag of goo. Now I can get planting when the mood strikes in June-September! 

Still going with hobbyists as much as possible.


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

I've spent quite a lot on plants from hobbyists this past year with mixed results. Some have shipped fine and others arrived as mush (even when the weather was milder). All things told I'd prefer not to ship anything and risk losing a bunch of money. 

My LFS sells 3-4 stems of S. repens for $10 in a tiny tub. I'd rather buy from petsmart than get gouged like that.


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## Gavin288 (May 10, 2013)

TexasCichlid said:


> Boo quit cutting into my market Petsmart! rofl, glad they are carrying some healthy plants, especially for those who don't have a LFS to go to. What is the pricing like on a package of stauro and how many stems do you get?


the packet i bought last week i just counted the stems and i have 35+ i paid 7.99, it wont be long till it needs a cut since it's growing pretty quick


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

I picked up the Pogostemon helferi and Staurogyne repens. the LFS stuff available to me usually has a bit of algae. They are growing great, it should not be long until I have a TON of it.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I found myself back at Petsmart today for some airline tubing for my autodoser. Bought some Ludwigia needle leaf. Didn't look at the price but again, very generous portions for what was for sure under $10. Stems were short and obviously emmersed but I got at least 8x the amount. Way more than I needed. 

Ironically, I noticed many of the new plants they sell at Petsmart were plants that used to be widely available but are just not that easy to find for me locally. Even the ludwigia needle leaf is called a "staple of the hobby" online but I don't even remember this plant being widely available. I can't find many plants that were very common anymore so I feel bad to all the venders, hobbyists, etc selling plants but just having some easy options is so nice.


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## Cinbos (Dec 8, 2012)

So stoked they have them now...here are some picks of the store packages...


































Also for scale, here is a Repens package in my 55g. Bottom right...











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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Hell, $8 is almost the cost of priority shipping nowadays :thumbsup:


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## Gavin288 (May 10, 2013)

bacopa caroliniana was the first one i bought a few weeks ago and its growing slowly :c but it's getting faster now that it's getting used to the tank about 30 stems in the packet i bought for 8.99


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

CL said:


> Hell, $8 is almost the cost of priority shipping nowadays :thumbsup:


True story. I don't know how many RAOK I have shipped over the years that were close to the same price and had far less plants. However, they did have variety.


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## Stinkmonky (Apr 16, 2012)

I purchased some s repens. The top fin plants didn't look as full and mature as my current s repens. I take it they'll develop and fill out over time?


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

The Tropica and Undulata I got are doing Fantastic! new growth is popping up on all the plants. Did Petsmart undergo changes in *Management? (*probably not the word I was looking for but I can't think of anything that suits) I keep seeing new things whenever I go there! From higher quality bettas and fish to more plants and even equipment


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Went again today, and they've still got the crappy tanks with Mondo grass. I did pick up 10 otos for a dollar each, though.


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## nofearengineer (Mar 20, 2013)

I am ecstatic about this! I went to my PetSmart today with my fingers crossed, and YES!!!! I now have some plants available locally! Maybe it's only 10-12 species, but it's SOMETHING!!! And at only $8 a pack, too. :bounce

I bought some Postogemon helferi, Ludwigia arcuata, Staurogyne repens, and Telanthera cardinalis. 

I'm going to scrap my little 10 gallon wannabe iwagumi project and just use it as a growout tank for these plants so that when my 75 is ready to plant, I will have more trimmings to plant.

This has been a great day.


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## inthepacific (Oct 21, 2012)

im still waiting, ive been back everyday this week to see if they had the staurogyne in stock. i called and they told me they'd be expecting shipments tomorrow, but this was every day i went. so yea. still waiting on the staurogyne. but i got some of the pogostemon.


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## samee (Oct 14, 2011)

I really wanted otos but they were sold.

I did buy pogo for $4!!!! Yes many were 50% off! So that made up for it. I did however see a few mislabeled packages. They had really healthy repens and gloso labeled as pogo helfri. Besides that they only had boring ccrypts and nanas. I couldnt find any red plants. too many fake aquatic plants there too (like mondo grass).


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

Stinkmonky said:


> I purchased some s repens. The top fin plants didn't look as full and mature as my current s repens. I take it they'll develop and fill out over time?


Yes, if you look at my pictures earlier in the thread, after just a week they filled out a LOT.


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## mr.bigglesworth (Jul 6, 2012)

Did anyone else's Cyperus helferi come with the roots in a jello goo?

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## aparker (Mar 12, 2013)

they are all gel cultured, there's a thread about it somewhere but im mobile...


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## chevyguy8893 (Nov 5, 2012)

mr.bigglesworth said:


> Did anyone else's Cyperus helferi come with the roots in a jello goo?


That is an agar gel that is used as a growth medium for tissue culturing the plants. It is a neat process for creating a plant from very little.



I bought the Staurogyne repens about a week ago, and had separated it into roughly 20 small, rooted, stems and a small bunch. It transitioned to submerged growth very easily and is doing well so far. In the past I have bought the Alternanthera reineckii 'cardinalis' and Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green', and both of those did very well. Both of them grow very easily in my emersed setups.


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## hisxlency (Jan 26, 2013)

chevyguy8893 said:


> In the past I have bought the Alternanthera reineckii 'cardinalis' and Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green', and both of those did very well. Both of them grow very easily in my emersed setups.


Same for my 'cardinalis'. Amazing deal and quality


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## nofearengineer (Mar 20, 2013)

Just to give you an idea of how much is in the plant packs:

Here is a picture of the four packs I bought, in a 10-gallon to grow out and change to immersed form.










I'd say for $8 each, this is a steal.


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## du3ce (Jan 26, 2013)

I cant get my a reineiki to grow


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

du3ce said:


> I cant get my a reineiki to grow


Mine definitely took a while to get going that I bought there

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## aparker (Mar 12, 2013)

Just out of curiosity how does reineiki look emersed?


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## chevyguy8893 (Nov 5, 2012)

aparker said:


> Just out of curiosity how does reineiki look emersed?


Under the higher humidity I have the Alternanthera reineckii 'cardinalis' growing in emersed, it looks very similar to the submerged growth. I think it may have a slightly different coloration and form with lower humidity, but haven't tried it yet.


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## aparker (Mar 12, 2013)

thanks, good looking plants there! I was considering it for an upcoming riparium setup so it would definitely be low humidity... I bet hydrophyte would know.


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Just checked and they are available now at one of the stores in Madison. Yay! Picked up some Potamogeton helferi, Bolbitis heteroclita, Cyperus helferi and a bulb package with Crinium, Nyphaea and several Aponogeton ulvacaus.


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## Tanman19az (May 14, 2011)

Aquaticus said:


> Just checked and they are available now at one of the stores in Madison. Yay! Picked up some Potamogeton helferi, Bolbitis heteroclita, Cyperus helferi and a bulb package with Crinium, Nyphaea and several Aponogeton ulvacaus.


Wow! Big Spender


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

August 5









August 27









my s.repens from petsmart look wonderful. im so happy


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## newportjon (Mar 22, 2011)

Wow, that's awesome growth!

I was just at a Petsmart and didn't even think to look at their plants.


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## tithra (Dec 1, 2012)

My petsmart downoi  very happy with how it did 









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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

They have a new addition to the plant stand - an actual light over the plants now 

Have had really good luck with their crypts and anubias, decided to see what the downoi would do in little bowls:


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## TankYouVeryMuch (Jul 5, 2013)

my p helferi all died but 1, and its struggling. Can anyone help? I have them in different tanks. 

*in a 10g planted, (2) 10w bulbs, i dose co2 booster and flourish
*in a 3g bowl, 13w bulb, no co2 or nutes.

The only struggling one left is in the 10g

Pic


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## jbig (Jul 13, 2012)

not gonna lie but i've been very pleased with petsmarts plants. i picked up about 8-10 different varieties when i rescaped my 20L and everything is doing great (although i'm battling algae)

my s.repens melted when first introduced to my new tank but swiftly bounced back. after a few trimmings new shoots have started to sprouting/spreading across the bottom of my tank. 

very happy!


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## mr.bigglesworth (Jul 6, 2012)

Aquaticus said:


> Just checked and they are available now at one of the stores in Madison. Yay! Picked up some Potamogeton helferi, Bolbitis heteroclita, Cyperus helferi and a bulb package with Crinium, Nyphaea and several Aponogeton ulvacaus.


[email protected][email protected]!!! Petsmart carries bolbitis??? How much was it how big was it how many stems was it pre-packaged how much did they have is it ever on sale is it good quality was it grown emersed do they have it on driftwood or rock how often do they restock do they carry this item regularly how is yours doing?


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## Lornek8 (Jul 3, 2013)

mr.bigglesworth said:


> [email protected][email protected]!!! Petsmart carries bolbitis??? How much was it how big was it how many stems was it pre-packaged how much did they have is it ever on sale is it good quality was it grown emersed do they have it on driftwood or rock how often do they restock do they carry this item regularly how is yours doing?


 
The ones i've seen were emersed in plastic tubes with a perlite/gel rooting substrate. There were 2 size tubes, 1 about 2"dia and about 4-5" tall for about $7-8, the other about 2+" and about 6" tall for about $12 or so I think. I can't say how many stems were in the tubes though. I purchased some A.nana and java ferns in the same setup, both were realy healthy and are doing well. Some can be pretty rough though, depends how long it was on the shelf. My local Petsmart gets shipments in every Thur but don't get a complete restock each week. According to the employee I spoke to the plants are ordered automatically & they don't know what tey'll get in each week. I went back a couple of weeks in a row looking for P.helferi and have never seen it in stock although there is a space for it on the rack.


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## Jalopy (Aug 11, 2013)

Charrr89 said:


> August 5
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey Charrr89, I got some S. Repens too from Petsmart. They did fine for a week and now the leaves are starting to fall off. I was wondering if you had the same experience. By the way, are you using root tabs? I've got a CO2 ladder running DIY yeast injection, Fluval Shrimp Stratum, been dosing 0.5mL Excel everyday and dosed 1mL Flourish today when I noticed the leaves were popping off. Thanks.


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

Jalopy said:


> Hey Charrr89, I got some S. Repens too from Petsmart. They did fine for a week and now the leaves are starting to fall off. I was wondering if you had the same experience. By the way, are you using root tabs? I've got a CO2 ladder running DIY yeast injection, Fluval Shrimp Stratum, been dosing 0.5mL Excel everyday and dosed 1mL Flourish today when I noticed the leaves were popping off. Thanks.


Jalopy...

Ive had root tabs in my tank for about 3 months prior to adding s.repens... started off with DIY c02, just changed to pressurized a week ago. seems like that made a big difference. also my lighting is a Finnex Ray 2, very bright. I also use Ferts. the ONLY fertilizers i use are by SeaChem and that consist of Flourish, Flourish Excel, and Iron. once in a while when i do a water change i use Prime.. and i also run 3 Filters on my tank. 2 Spray bars and one HOB. im assuming the water movement has something to do with plant growth also. Good luck! im trying to see if i can recover some Downoi i got for $5 at Petsmart because the bag was completely damaged...


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## Jalopy (Aug 11, 2013)

Cool beans. I'll give the root tabs a try. Thanks for the help.



Charrr89 said:


> Jalopy...
> 
> Ive had root tabs in my tank for about 3 months prior to adding s.repens... started off with DIY c02, just changed to pressurized a week ago. seems like that made a big difference. also my lighting is a Finnex Ray 2, very bright. I also use Ferts. the ONLY fertilizers i use are by SeaChem and that consist of Flourish, Flourish Excel, and Iron. once in a while when i do a water change i use Prime.. and i also run 3 Filters on my tank. 2 Spray bars and one HOB. im assuming the water movement has something to do with plant growth also. Good luck! im trying to see if i can recover some Downoi i got for $5 at Petsmart because the bag was completely damaged...


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

My downoi all died, and my S. repens is hardly growing. Help?

36G
Aquasoil Amazonia
2x 24w 6500K T5HO (split photoperiod of 8-10 hrs/day; I forgot)
3 mL excel most days/week
Flourish Comp/Tetra Florapride when I feel like it

The S. repens isn't dying (it has a healthy green color), but it's not really growing, and I've had it since July. I can't get a pressurized system because A) I tried getting one and I can't figure out how to work it, B) The system in A gave me a scare when I tried to turn it on, and C) it's too much MONIES.

Help?


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## TankYouVeryMuch (Jul 5, 2013)

I also asked for help on downoi, no answer :/


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

Overgrowth said:


> My downoi all died, and my S. repens is hardly growing. Help?
> 
> 36G
> Aquasoil Amazonia
> ...



i was scard too. so i watched abuncha youtube videos to grow some confidence lol. it helped alot.but if u cant afford a pressurized go with DIYroud: it worked wonders for me. thats what actually helped...... 

Jalopy
For my root tabs i use ONLY SEACHEM. ive tried others before but none have worked like seachem.


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

tithra said:


> My petsmart downoi  very happy with how it did
> View attachment 199313
> 
> 
> ...




How long did your downoi take to get that way? i picked up some dying ones i got for real cheap... because they were out... im hoping it takes off in my tank.. yours looks BEAUTIFUL.


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## tithra (Dec 1, 2012)

Charrr89 said:


> How long did your downoi take to get that way? i picked up some dying ones i got for real cheap... because they were out... im hoping it takes off in my tank.. yours looks BEAUTIFUL.


probably about 2 weeks for it to begin really looking like downoi. I hope yours work out! I will say I also bought a pack that were not doing well at the store, and most of that pack melted away in my grow out tank, I probably only got about 3 plants out of that pack that made it, while my other 2 packs that were healthy when I bought them produced 8-10 plants. I think high light/co2/ferts really help the transition process though.


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

tithra said:


> probably about 2 weeks for it to begin really looking like downoi. I hope yours work out! I will say I also bought a pack that were not doing well at the store, and most of that pack melted away in my grow out tank, I probably only got about 3 plants out of that pack that made it, while my other 2 packs that were healthy when I bought them produced 8-10 plants. I think high light/co2/ferts really help the transition process though.


Did ur gel look a little blackish too? It was hard to wash off


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## tithra (Dec 1, 2012)

Charrr89 said:


> Did ur gel look a little blackish too? It was hard to wash off


I think with the package that wasn't doing well to start the gel was a bit black on the bottom.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

tithra said:


> I think with the package that wasn't doing well to start the gel was a bit black on the bottom.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Fingers crossed fr me..I purchased downoi here on planted but it was emersed so it melted and never came back in my tank! Lol. I want the pet smart one to work out so I can have more..


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## Jalopy (Aug 11, 2013)

Yeah I got some Flourish root tabs today so we'll see how that goes. By the way, I tried out 2 gel packs of Cardinal plants, Lobelia cardinalis, from Petsmart. Both looked healthy when I got them, no black stuff in the gel, and all of the plants melted. 

On the other hand, the gel pack of Needle Leaf Rotala, Rotala wallichii, did well. 

All of the above was with diy CO2 and Organic Miracle Grow. I wish there I knew why it's so inconsistent.


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

Jalopy 

Good luck. I hope the best for my Downoi. How long did u have the plants before they melted? If u still have the stem or root I believe it's almost possible to revive the plants..


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

Last Tuesday









Today







seems like te crowns are taking shape soon.... I'll give it one more week..


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## JEFF9922 (May 8, 2013)

O got my s repens from petsmart and they are doing great


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

With regards to all of the downoi questions, when I was looking to grow it, everybody said it requires CO2 — not just Excel or some other form of liquid carbon. Maybe it grows okay without it, but that was my understanding from researching it. If it's true, I'm guessing that's why it's not growing for some people. It thrives in my high light tank with CO2 and ferts.


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## Hunter P (Aug 6, 2013)

i have downoi with high light and DIY co2 and its amazing. 2 inches of growth in aq wek


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