# Rotten Bromeliad



## Guest (Nov 10, 2004)

I just bumped a Neo lilliputania(?) in my 10 vert with my hand and it just fell apart. I mean completely! All the leaves fell and all that was left is the base with some roots. It was mounted on a driftwood branch so it wasn't really soaking wet, but it did stink though. I assume it rotted for some reason.

If I mount the base/roots in another tank higher up towards the light will it grow leaves again?


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## bluetip (May 18, 2004)

From my experience, when the "cup" of leaves fall apart from the base and stem, it's as good as dead. 

I know that this usually happens when the plant becomes extremely wet all the time or when the root system does not get the chance to dry off.

regards,

bluetip


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

I had that problem with some of my tanks that were not well ventilated.


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## jhupp (Feb 27, 2004)

Once it has the funk all hope is lost. Absolultely the worst smell on the planet.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I used to have bromeliads rot on me all the time (I kept planting them) and it seemed that no matter how little moisture I thought the roots were getting it was too much except for a few species (which turned out to be terrestrial).

With stoloniferous species the best way I've found for mounting is getting a plant with a good length of stolon, drilling/carving a hole into the wood you are mounting them on (I think this is illustrated on the black jungle site), wedge/glue the stolon into the hole, and just don't have the roots touching the wood at all. I've got some Neo. compacta that are actually mounted on the side of a cardboard box (check my gallery) its really ghetto but works. They get flushed with water 1-3x a week, sit next to the window, and are happy as all get out.

The way I test broms that may not be doing well or are in a rot-risking area is to tug on the center leaves coimg out of the middle. With a healthy plant the leaves won't give, on one that rotting out on the inside the leaves will give and come right out. This is usually before the plant starts really falling apart and reeking, but is definately a goner. When this happens the brom is removed and trashed, they won't grow back.


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## TimsViv (Feb 16, 2004)

Should you keep water in the axil of a brom constantly, or should you let it dry out once in a while?

Tim


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I keep mine constantly filled, overflowing the brom 1-3x a week (thats what I meant by flushing, its a simulation of a rainstorm). This is how the water-holding bromeliads get water since they obviously want their roots dry. I try and keep the water from being stagnent by flushing, and use tadpole tea in the water occassionally as fertelizer of sorts.

Another key here is to use warm (not really hot or chilled) water. Cold and chilled water actually damages the leaves and axils causing "burn lines" on the leaves which is an obvious clue that its harmful to them.

Crypts would not like this tho, but then again they don't have axils really capapble of holding water.


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## Guest (Nov 14, 2004)

can i cover the roots up with silliocon and then plant them on the bottom substrate (false bottom vivarium) or will that kill it? I mean it will keep them exceptionally dry.

Thanks,
Tom


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## Guest (Nov 15, 2004)

I don't think it's good to "seal" the roots. I was told that the plants actually breathe (in a way) through the roots.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Yeah, I'd second that, they'd probibly not to well or croak.

There are terrestrial species like Vr. splendens that would do well planted. Its just that these broms tend to grow large so they do well only when young and it would take a bit of research to figure out which ones (a call to tropiflora or other large brom dealer could help).

In smaller tanks with frogs that don't use broms in their lifecycle (d. tinc group mostly as well as my epipeds) it might not be even worth killing a plant over. They look cool but they are like frogs, if they keep dying then you are doing something wrong and need to correct it for the next plant.

Then again I hold my plants almost as high as my frogs


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