# Caring for Aponogeton Boivinianus



## Jooleeus (Jun 15, 2004)

I purchased one of these plants a few days ago, and the shipping seems to have given the plant quite a beating. Is there anything I need to do to get it back into shape? Some of its leaves are decaying as I type this..

Thanks in advance!


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## ColinAnderson (Jun 25, 2004)

Just providing good care will bring back just about any plant. I buy a lot of mine from PetsMart for convenience and price, and of course a lot of times they're fairly beat up. But, every single one in my tank is doing very well, many of the first plants I purchased a few weeks ago show no signs of being mis-treated. 

What sort of setup and equipment do you have? Lighting? Fertilizers? CO2? Etc.


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## convicted_convict (Jun 30, 2003)

Be sure to provide plenty of fertilization to the roots of this plant. Aponogetons are heavy root feeders and as I have found they respond well when a root tab is placed by their roots. I had this tiny little aponogeton growing in my 20 gallon low light tank, and I started putting root tabs in for the crypts around it and in no time it had leaves that whorled around the entire tank. It has sent up two flowers in two months and I am very pleased with it. As of lately I have been a little lazy with that tank and have not been fertilizing it at all. The aponogeton has decreased in size but is still holding on. 
I better stop typing so I can go put in a tab next to the roots.


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## Jooleeus (Jun 15, 2004)

Sorry, I was busy getting my new Discus accustomed to San Diego's hard water and didn't have time to reply!

My planted tank details:

40 gallons (4 feet long)
AquaClear 300 and some other filter with similar performance for filtration
Shoplight with 2 40 watt NO flourescent bulbs
Mixture of Shultz Aquatic Plant Soil and silica sand (about 50/50)
1/3 size pieces of Jobe's Plant Sticks (the ferns and palms kind)
Flourish and Flourish Iron dosed according to bottle directions
2 liter soda bottle DIY CO2 inserted into HOB filter intake (the generic one)

I have a clamp light attached to the tank and a 40 watt screw-in CF bulb that I can use for extra lighting. I will also be setting up a pressurized CO2 system as soon as I can get out a money order to glass-gardens  

The apono is still looking pretty bad, with the stems turning brown and most of the leaves wilting. I inspected the bulb of the plant and noticed a white substance on the bottom... that can't be good.


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

That could be mold on the bulb. Try rubbing, scraping it off. Feel the bulb and sqeeze it a bit. If it is soft, the bulb is rotting and it is history, if the bulb is still hard then it may grow back. Bovinianus needs brighter light than other Aponogetons, 2 to 3 watts/gallon minimum. It also does not like very high temps, it is a cool water plant. Don't bury the bulb. Just let it sit on top of the gravel and let the roots from the bulb grow into the substrate. If you bury the bulb particularly while it already has problems, it will likely rot.


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