# problems with bolbitis



## tomfromstlouis (Apr 2, 2012)

I stuck a couple Bolbitis heudelotii in my low tech tank and they immediately went completely brown. All leaves gone. I left the rhizomes in there - they still felt firm - but two new attempts look like they are going the same way. Water is fairly hard, pH is 7.4, medium light. I see on the Plant Profiles that it is slow to adapt (although two pieces in another tank of mine are doing fine).

Is this normal? Are these grown emersed for the trade? The difficulty rating is shown as "medium"; what are any special care techniques for this plant?


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Bolbitis is a very easy plant to grow as long as its needs are met. A good amount of flow and current is an absolute must. In the past, this plant did very well for me when kept in a tank with a lot of flow, while it languished in another one of my tanks that had very calm water.

Also, are you attaching them to anything or just burying them in the soil? Bolbitis is an epiphytic plant, meaning that it grows attached to a hard surface instead of with the roots in the substrate. If you haven't already, you should tie it to any rocks or driftwood in the tank.


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## tomfromstlouis (Apr 2, 2012)

I tied it to driftwood and the tank has lots of flow. 

Good points. Maybe I just got some that came from very different water parameters?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

CO2, CO2 and CO2...........it does not care much otherwise............I've had it in very soft low KH/Gh tap water up to insanely high GH/KH tap water.


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## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

I have this African water fern growing very well in a low low tech tank. I
Have had it for 3 months and it is just about ready to be trimmed down. This tank has low light I dose ferts once after WC. The water is 75f and has good water flow all around it. It has taken off. I have the left over cuttings from this plant in another tank that use to have co2 I did not have a big differance in growth with co2. Mine are attached to rocks. 

Do you use any ferts? What's the light like? I have found this plant does best when neglected in a cool water tank that has good water flow. The temp under 80 in the 70s is best I try and keep my tanks at 70-75F.


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## beetea (Jan 27, 2012)

I've always kept bolbitis in non-CO2 tanks with low/medium light, and it grows very well, but one time I did end up cooking it was when I had the temperature around mid 80s (F) for an extended period.

Other than that, it seems pretty hardy. I'd throw some into the bucket only to find it still alive weeks later.


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## tomfromstlouis (Apr 2, 2012)

My problem must be the temperature. I have a 6g tank where my bolbitis goes to recover. It is an unheated (71 degree F) Fluval Edge with upgraded bulb - still medium/low light - and the plant does fine. Every time I move a piece into my 220g - same water, near spray bar so lots of flow, higher light and heated to 78 degrees F - the darn thing just melts. 

The small successful tank gets no CO2 or ferts while the larger medium light one gets liquid carbon and a full regime of dry ferts. In other words, you'd expect the plant to do at least as well in the bigger tank, except for the temperature. But really, could 78 degrees be why this thing does not like the tank I really want it in?


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