Propagating Nuphar Japonica

[saugata]

Hi! All,

How do you propagate Nuphar Japonica?

Regards,

Saugata

[vinz]

The rhizome grows under the substrate and will produce a new growing tip or node every few inches or so. From above the substrate, you would see what appears to be new plants.

Dig out the rhizome. You should see several growing "tips" or "nodes" where leaves are growing out from. Cut the rhizome into pieces with a sharp knife. Make sure there is one growing node or tip on each piece. Makes sure that the cut ends are at least 1 to 2 inches away from the growing nodes or tips. The cut ends tend to rot off about an inch.

Replant the rhizomes.

Oh... the roots grow very far and deep. Be prepared for a HUGE mess in the tank and a large water change to siphon out the mulm churned up. For me, I pull the rhizome partially out of the substrate, then feel around it and pull each thick root out individually.. Most are really long and will break. Leave the broken roots in the substrate.

[saugata]

Thanks a ton for your reply. Will try doing this.

Rgds,

[samuelgoh]

have fun bro! but be careful, i had a culture shock when i pull out my nuphar japonica few months back, its roots spread across the whole of my 2ftx1.5ft area, created a huge huge mess and needless to say the base fert were sort of stir around, resulting in a mini algae bloom...

handle with care !

[saugata]

I guess, its better to buy a new plant rather than try to propagate it as I don't want to aggravate my algae problem as it is already I am having to struggle.

Rgds,

[samuelgoh]

I guess, its better to buy a new plant rather than try to propagate it as I don't want to aggravate my algae problem as it is already I am having to struggle.

Rgds,

hmmm to each his own, but the propagation, the woes of wat might happen and the challenges are wat make plant keeping fun aint it ?

anyway just go ahead with wat vinz had advised, and you will be pretty much secured that way

[StanChung]

did a silly thing two years ago... fouled the water so bad my discus died...
a big WC is recommended! esp if there's a rotten egg smell.

[vinz]

Well, one way is to harvest only the growing ends of the rhizome. Just uproot the end partially, cut the rhizome in-tank and then uproot only the part you want. The growing ends should not have very long or deep roots as they are still fairly "young".

Make sure you have some clean gravel to immediately fill up the hole you just made in the substrate.

Turn off all filters and pumps while you are doing this so that there is less current to spread the muck around and allow it to settle quickly. You don't want that stuff to clog your filter as well. Be gentle with your movements in the tank as well, for the same reasons. Give the stuff about half an hour to settle down and siphon them out during the water change.