# Do aquatic plants suffer transplant shock?



## Roccus (Nov 1, 2013)

when I move my vegtables and flowers from the green house to the garden i do it slowly and calculated to "harden" them off over a period of a week or so... but my aqurium plants get purchased the roots washed in aqurium water any broken foliage trimmed and they get planted in the gravel... some do great after what seems to be a week or 10 days.. others never seem to recover and appear stunted or maybe die... I know soil bound plants require differant enviorments... after study, I try to match as closely as possible to the desierd enviorment for each ( aquatic) plant...I've never thought about it much as most plants are inexpensive so if the dont make it I'd just try something else and chock it up to a sub par plant... but.. .. after reading many, many posts and articles here... the subject has my curiosity peaked... the scenario of coarse would be a fully cycled tank with root tabs added .. and an apprpriate bio load to support said plants.. my question is more of the general variaty and not aimed at any one scenario... I'm just curios.. do aquatic plants suffer from transplant shock..

P.S... I wasn't quite sure where to post this, so Mods move it if needed.. thanks - Roc


----------



## aquabruce (Jun 26, 2013)

Yes, they can suffer from transplant shock. Crypts, for example, will often melt when moved from one environment to another. 
Another thing to consider is that many plants you buy at your LFS in the pots are grown emersed to speed their growth and avoid algae. These plants need time to adjust to their new submersed environment. 
Some plants just will not grow in gravel with root tabs.
Good lighting, proper substrate, CO2 and fertilizers are keys to success with aquatic plants.
You can grow many plants without CO2. Low light plants such as java fern, mosses, Anubius etc.. are less demanding and don't need substrate, just tie them to some wood or rocks and don't bury the rhizome.


----------



## Roccus (Nov 1, 2013)

Thanks for the reply... it only makes sense that they would have some type of reaction.. they are living organisims..and yes ...most plant's I've purchased have been in pots.. some severly root bound ..on average it seems about 10 days until they start to look healthy...


----------

