Is e. tenellus an easy plant?

[knifegill]

I just found out the little "spider plants" in my 5g planted tank are e. tenellus. This appears to be an aquascaping plant that could form a carpet. It has already sent out several babies amounting to about ten plants now. But it's just planted in plain wild 2" deep stream sand. The sand has worms to sift it but will there be sufficient nutrition down there? Should I just let it do its thing unless it looks to be dying or slowing down?

 

[Burto]

I consider it an easy plant, very easy for a carpeting (or pseudo-carpeting) plant.
If it's sending out runners you must be doing something right. Unless it looks like it's struggling I'd let it be. I have one growing vigorously in plain sand too, sent a chain of runners half way across the tank. I have some more growing in a tank with ~3mm gravel and they're sending out runners and growing huge, and that was before I put root tabs in around their bases.

 

[knifegill]

Cool, thanks! Some of the old outer leaves from growth in the last tank are turning brown. Think it's safe to pinch them off or should I let them fall off on their own?

 

[Burto]

I'd say pinch them off if you don't like the look of them, they'll melt away by themselves eventually though pinching off old leaves may encourage new growth.

 

[FLESHY]

E. Tennelus comes in many forms...and it really depends on what you are trying to do with it. I have the 3-4 inch slender leaf variety, and it sends out runners like crazy. It is not the short, stout one that has red leaves under the right conditions though.

I know that some people consider these carpet plants, but I do not...it would look strange unless you had a pretty large tank, and one of the smaller tennelus.

 

[knifegill]

Cool info. Just having a good time watching it grow now. Thanks!