# Dwarf lilly



## brainwavepc.com (Sep 27, 2011)

Mine started short in my 125 then went mostly to the top, now it's all short again. I think they adjust according to the tank environment.


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## Wicket_lfe (Aug 21, 2008)

I would think that if they arent getting enough light they would shoot up to the surface. Just a guess. when i first had mine, all it did was shoot for the surface, it eventually stopped as i kept trimming it short.

Have you trimmed the short leaves? Obviously don't trim all of them, but maybe enough to coerce it to grow upwards to get more light, in conjunction with a shorter photoperiod for now?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Do dwarf lilies/lotus bloom?


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## NJAquaBarren (Sep 16, 2009)

You can't stop them from getting to the surface and blooming. Just let them grow, they will reach the surface. You'll be trimming in no time,

In my limited experience, you can't stop them from blooming either. Growth and blooms seem to come in waves. Shortly after leaves reach the surface, mine bloom like crazy. Guessing flowers take a lot of energy and surface leaves gather more.

Just fert substrate a bit and stand back. Don't be surprised if they grow slowly for weeks, then suddenly explode. 

Great plants. Good luck.


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## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

*It might be awhile*



Eldachleich said:


> Do dwarf lilies/lotus bloom?


My understanding from reading posts is once they're root bound to tank and stressed with enough stored energy they'll shoot a bloom/flower bud. 

I've had mine for ~8months and roots are practically across whole bottom of 10gallon tank, it has over 8 small surface pads and four on the way, I've been using lily grow tabs typically used for water gardening that seems to be providing higher NPK than API & Seachem's.


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Ok I'll try trimming the short leaves. I've had dwarf lillies for a year and a half and this is the first time I've ever seen one send up a leaf to the surface. That was because I cut the photoperiod in half. When I got back from vacation and returned the photoperiod back to normal the tall leaf reaching for the surface stopped growing. But it can't be JUST a light issue... I've seen many high-light tanks with surface lillypads, so it's gotta be something else?


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Anyone else have lillies or lotus that constantly sends up surface leaves?


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## szenic (Aug 15, 2011)

hmm... I have a dwarf water lily that has been constantly shooting surface leaves without me doing anything special. It gets about 9hrs lighting under two 13watt compact fluorescent bulbs... I don't add ferts, with occasional flourish excel. But my lily is still attached to its bulb if that might be a factor?


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## Dave10910 (Nov 8, 2011)

Mine used to send up surface leaves relentlessly. After many, many, many, trims it stopped suddenly and stuck exclusively to the middle of the tank. 

This was under high light. In my experience the plant sends more to the top when there is lower light or it's fighting other plants for light.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

What would be the minimum size tank for these things? and the maximum depth?
How big are the leaves and flowers? Do they come in a variety of colours?
Can it grow in a MGOPS substrate?
What about dwarf lotus?
Anyone got an pictures? I've seen it submerged and tiny many times. I would love to see a side shot of one in a tank. Im really interested in owning one.


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## ucantimagine (Jan 8, 2012)

I just got 2 bulbs (bought one, got one free) from a seller on aquabid about a week ago. They are almost the size of golf balls and already sprouting several small stems. If you decide to get them, I'd get some good fresh ones like these and not those dried up little pebbles they sell at petco. If you want her info, just PM me.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

I'm probably gonna get one from my local garden center. I just need to know... which to order.
Its making me rethink my nano. I found a small small small lily that might work for my 6.6 gallon.
Can they go in MGOPS?


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

The ones I have (I think it's nymphaea stellata) grew fine in gravel for a while so I think they'll grow in just about anything. Once they exhaust the energy in their bulb they'll need root tabs and then they'll explode again. I don't know about your garden center cause that sounds like a pond lilly but you can get the dwarf aquarium ones at any pet store (ok maybe not Petco). They're just usually in pretty sad shape until you get them home. Look for one with a big bulb, it'll have more stored resources and will grow better for a longer amount of time.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

FriendsNotFood said:


> The ones I have (I think it's nymphaea stellata) grew fine in gravel for a while so I think they'll grow in just about anything. Once they exhaust the energy in their bulb they'll need root tabs and then they'll explode again. I don't know about your garden center cause that sounds like a pond lilly but you can get the dwarf aquarium ones at any pet store (ok maybe not Petco). They're just usually in pretty sad shape until you get them home. Look for one with a big bulb, it'll have more stored resources and will grow better for a longer amount of time.


Thanks!!!
Aquarium lilies were some sort of lily at one point.. still are?.. I've noticed that if you google them they just seem to be any old type of hardy lily that someone forced to stay down under the surface. Its why I get getting size and colour discrepancies..
I found a variety thats leaves only get about the size of the bottom of a soda can. With pretty white flowers to match. I called and my garden center was willing to order whatever I wanted. None of the fish stores around here are that helpful.
Plus none of them have lilies in.. ever. I see alot of anubias and hornwort here... lots...
Thank you though!! I didnt mean to hijack the thread.. But In recently messed up my 6.6 gallon and want to do a major rescape...


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## WeedCali (Jun 21, 2010)

I think They're like Crypts in a sense. Mine started to look really nice and shot out 6 lily pads at one time but it seems like after I moved it a little, they died off and it went back to submersed leaves


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

I cut off every leaf on my lilly except for the long surface one. I'm redoing this tank in a couple weeks anyway so I have nothing to lose.. if I killed it, I killed it. Waiting to see what will happen.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

If you kill it let me know.. I should have a cute tiny white one in a couple months.


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Nah these things seem impossible to kill... it's already putting up a new leaf but it looks like a short one so my experiment was a fail ):


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## rollinghills (Sep 19, 2011)

How does a dwarf lily propagate? I bought one (the only one I found) and it's growing pretty nicely. I want one for my other tank. Can I take a part of the plant I have and put it the other tank? If so how do I go about it? I have the red variety if that helps.


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