# Pruning Carolina Fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana)



## co2 (Sep 13, 2004)

Yes, you can cut it there, strip of the bottom ~2" of leaves and replant the top. The part below that will look ugly, but supposedly you can leave it and sideshoots might come out, but I never gave them a chance. When I used Cabomba, I would take the whole stem out and only replant the top, you will get occasional sideshoots anyways. It's kind of a pain to deal with since you have to top it every week (with high light/CO2).


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## crazie.eddie (May 31, 2004)

Thanks. When I bought them, it wasn't rooting at all, just all stems. I moved them around and noticed they started rooting. I guess it's a good sign. I also noticed that the tops of the plants closed off after lights out.


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## distrbd (Feb 17, 2006)

I can't keep them in the gravel.After a week most of them come out of the gravel and float .I have tried plant anchors,rocks , but to no avail. don't see much roots on the stems,lately I lay them horizontally and push the middle and the end in to the gravel and so far they seem to stay put and start giving roots .do you have this problem ?some say I need heavier gravel but I don't think it will work.I have 2.5 WPG light.


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## crazie.eddie (May 31, 2004)

I never had any problems with them. Most of the plants I bought contain no plant anchors or weights, especially my Carolina Fanwort. They seem to hold just fine. Of course, I have about 3-4 inches of gravel (sloping areas) and my gravel is larger than sand and smaller than the average gravel. I've included a pic below...










They pack nicely as you can see here...










How deep is your substrate? Do you have any fish that maybe pulling them out?


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## distrbd (Feb 17, 2006)

I have the same size gravel but you maybe right about fish pulling them out,I have SAE,,clown loaches , and a huge Gurrami ,these are the fish that may be the ones who commit this crime .but I like these fish more than the plant so I think I'll Keep the fish.


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## slickwillislim (Nov 9, 2005)

Every time topped them they replaced that same single stem. I doubled and then trippled the amount in my tank without taking out the bottoms. I only occassionaly got it to send out multiple stems. I eventually got so annoyed with how fast it grew that I took almost all of it out. I only left a few stems in.


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## crazie.eddie (May 31, 2004)

distrbd said:


> I have the same size gravel but you maybe right about fish pulling them out,I have SAE,,clown loaches , and a huge Gurrami ,these are the fish that may be the ones who commit this crime .but I like these fish more than the plant so I think I'll Keep the fish.


I have clown loaches and they seem to be fine with my plants. I know the SAE's swim rapidly at times and maybe bump into them and kick them from the substrate.



slickwillislim said:


> Every time topped them they replaced that same single stem. I doubled and then trippled the amount in my tank without taking out the bottoms. I only occassionaly got it to send out multiple stems. I eventually got so annoyed with how fast it grew that I took almost all of it out. I only left a few stems in.


Glad to hear. I'm starting to like them alot more. I went back to the LFS to see if they sold them, which they did, but they were labeled as Purple Cabomba. Unfortunately, they were out. But knowing they grow quickly, I can clip them and replant the stems. I have noticed that they have grown a little already since I got them, which is why I asked about clipping them.


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## crazie.eddie (May 31, 2004)

These are great plants, but boy, do they grow! The top half I cut continue to grow, while the bottom half seems to thrive, but I haven't seen any signs of growth from where I cut it.


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

I'll tell you how I prune it. I put it in the tank. Presto it's pruned.

I bought two big clumps of Green and Purple Cabomba and went on vacation for 5 days. Came back and the entire crop of Cabomba was gone. I mean GONE. Apparently the two Honey Dwarf Gourami's decided to have it for lunch.


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