The Dragon's Rose 33 Posted March 22, 2014 So I'm hoping to have my sump up and running in a week or two, which means I'll be able to order my plants to redo the tank. I'm looking to add some variety to my greenery, and have decided that I'd REALLY like to try bolbitis. I'm a little concerned though, my fish think java fern is an excellent salad, and I don't want to spend a lot of money on bolbitis to have them decide the same thing... So I figured I'd ask around here and see if anyone's kept both. I know they're not closely related, but they're both ferns, at least by name. How similar are they? Do YOUR goldies think they're tasty? (I know edibility depends on the fish, just looking for what goldies TEND to think) If the general consensus is salad, can you guys recommend something else? I already have a sword that's surviving ok (it isn't salad, but they keep bashing it with their tails, so it's a little ragged... but it's growing). I also have some vals of an unknown variety I got free from a friend, they aren't getting tall, but they're spreading like crazy... I suspect they don't like the amount of sand that keeps getting dropped on them (hence the shortness). Other plants I intend to order, that I KNOW will not be salad: Anubias coffeefolia Anubias hastafolia Anubias nana Crinum calimistratum Crinum thaianum POSSIBLY a package of tiger lotus bulbs from petco, and some red vals 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenzaar 11,605 Posted March 22, 2014 I've been wondering the same thing. I don't mind being the guinea pig! I do need to wait before I give it a try though, just been spending way too much money lately. I don't know why I keep coming back to this - I think because bolbitus sounds like bulb, and I'm excited about this plant every day haha. But I have an aponogeton that is growing like CRAZY. I will say that it was salad for one night (probably it was melted a little bit from PP, and easier to chew) - but within maybe three weeks, it has grown back from one leaf to about ten that are HUGE. There are a few that are close to a foot long now. So, there's my unsolicited two cents 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dragon's Rose 33 Posted March 23, 2014 yeah... every single aponogeton I've ever tried has been salad, lol. Mine are weird... they eat all kinds of things they're not supposed to like, and NOTHING can outgrow their appetites. Thanks though! I hear from a LOT of people via the web, as well as from the plant guy at my LFS (who seems to know his stuff pretty good) that there aren't many fish that'll eat bolbitis. MOST of the reason I'm asking is because that's also the consensus on java fern, and that stuff gets eaten faster than Progold in my tank 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anna-Katharina Parsons 495 Posted March 23, 2014 Ice actually just added s one bolbitis to my tank yesterday. So far my fish don't seem interested. More worried about melting. I will let you know Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenzaar 11,605 Posted March 23, 2014 Haha, disregard then! When I introduced my one fish to the tank, all 7 grams of her took on the biggest anubias nana I had.. and then the coffeefolia. She's not as bad as she used to be, thank goodness, but I get it. I hope it works out, if you do try it! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dragon's Rose 33 Posted March 26, 2014 Sooo... for anyone who's wondering about bolbitis... I picked some up today. Just one rhizome, but its around 4" long, and looks pretty healthy. Right now it's just wedged between a couple rocks, tomorrow I'll be cutting it into a few pieces and gluing them in place as my experiment to see if it's salad. I'll keep you guys updated if there's any interest. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenzaar 11,605 Posted March 26, 2014 Yes! Interested! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dragon's Rose 33 Posted March 27, 2014 (edited) Please excuse the scuzzy glass... I don't have enough plants yet for it to stay relatively clean without weekly scrubbing, and my hands weren't up to it last WC. Edited March 27, 2014 by The Dragon's Rose 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dragon's Rose 33 Posted April 15, 2014 Sooo... the chain gang's consensus is that bolbitis is NOT edible! I picked up 5 more yesterday and glued them to rocks. The original hasn't grown any yet (and is plastered in algae), so I'm still hoping I can grow it successfully, but then, I also haven't been adding any ferts (until yesterday) because all the OTHER plants are root feeders, and I didn't want to much in the water column for algae. We'll see how keeping it alive goes, but at least it isn't salad! Original plant is on the far right (on the pinkish rock) 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flipper 13,057 Posted April 15, 2014 Yay! No salad for you! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandybottom 56 Posted April 15, 2014 the only thing that i might worry about is the ph requirements of bolbitis. 5.0-7.0 is the ideal.they tend to not do well in goldfish tanks for this reason.good luck with your new plant. i hope it does well for you. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dragon's Rose 33 Posted April 16, 2014 the only thing that i might worry about is the ph requirements of bolbitis. 5.0-7.0 is the ideal.they tend to not do well in goldfish tanks for this reason.good luck with your new plant. i hope it does well for you. Really? Pretty much everywhere I read said up to pH of 8 should be fine (some even up to 8.5), and since I usually sit around 7.4-7.6, I figured I'd be ok. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel 5,668 Posted April 16, 2014 I've read it's range is anywhere from low 5-7.2/4. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
