Amazon Sword Plant – Detailed Guide to Take Care of the Aquatic Plant

Long we have studied about the care guide on different fish and maintaining the fish tank for the comfort of water species, but have you ever thought about the environment of your tiny little companion? Now, we should also discuss the perfect ambiance of the aquarium.

Your little swimmer-friend always likes to live in a natural and eco-friendly surrounding with plenty of plants while dwelling in the wild rivers or ocean. However, while captivated, they really miss their old home and stress up themselves up for that reason.

So, don’t you want to provide a good ambiance to your pet fish in your aquarium? If yes, then try to plant aquarium herbs like Amazon Sword Plant in your fish tank, and gratify your pet buddy by providing the natural and pleasing environment.

Quick Details about Amazon Sword Plant

The beautiful blade-like 16-inch Amazon Sword Plant has an eye-pleasing look which is not only preferred by the fish-keepers but also by some fish themselves who are suitable tankmates of this aquatic plant. Therefore, if you are planning to set up a tank in an eco-friendly way, then you may plant this aquatic plant at the bottom part of the water in your aquarium. Before discussing the details, just have a short look at the table given below:

Scientific name	Echinodorus Amazonicus
Family	Alismataceae
Plant Size	16″ (40 cm)
Tank size	10 Gallons
Growth Rate	Moderate
Care Level	Easy
Lighting	Medium
Water Conditions	60.8-82.4°F (16-28 °C); 6.5-7.5 pH; 8-15 dHK (Soft to Moderate Water)

Overview

This long-leafed Amazon Sword Plant is famous among the fish enthusiasts because they love to keep the plant in their aquarium. This plant is commonly chosen by the aquarists because of its sturdiness and high ability to tolerate different kinds of water temperature.

As this plant has a high resistibility to adjust in any type of environment, so fish keepers like to keep this plant in their tank, and choose it as the preferable surrounding for different fish breeds. Moreover, fish are also comfortable with this ever-green aquatic tree in the water.

The range of Amazon Sword Plant is from $5-$7, and the rate of the large-sized plant’s rate is $10.

Origin of Amazon Sword Plant

Originated from the Amazon River basin, this plant is highly suitable for freshwater aquariums. You may also find the plant in U.S.A and Columbia with other floras and faunas. Amazon Sword Plant is also found in the lakes and ponds along with the rivers.

Appearance of Amazon Sword Plant

This bushy plant has a short stems but long and broad green leaves. The leaves of these plants extend straight from the roots on shrill scapes and nearly reach about 16″ (40 cm).  They are found from the Amazon River, and the leaves resemble pointed sword blades, so these plants are named, ‘Amazon Sword Plant’.

The color of the plant changes to dark green in a good water condition, and at a point of time, it starts turning muddy red or brownish color due to the lack of nutrients and nourishment. However, the roots or rhizome of Amazon Sword Plant are strong and powerful, and they are light-shaded spreading out deeply and widely into the substrate.

While growing in wild, the plant’s length reaches to 20″ (50 cm), but if you are keeping it in your aquarium then trim down the leaves whenever it is growing out from the tank.

How to Plant Amazon Swords in Aquarium

The Amazon Sword Plant is a great background for your aquarium because it brightens the looks of your fish tank. Moreover, these plants are just like forest thick foliage that is great in concealing the heaters and filters of an aquarium.

Planting Amazon Sword in a fish tank is a good idea but putting a healthy substrate before planting the tree is necessary for its healthy growth and nourishment. Once you purchase a good specimen, start planting it accordingly on the layer of the substrate, and remember the substrate should be around. Also, while planting, you have to check whether the leaves are accurate with apparent scratches and edges or not. If you find sharp edges then try to shape-up the edges of the leaves. This plant should be placed in the back-side of the aquarium. You may follow these suggested steps to place Amazon Sword Plant in the tank:

You need to collect nutrient-rich soil for the plant, especially which is rich in iron. You can use a 2″ (5 cm) diameter PVC pipe to keep substrate or soil without removing anything from the tank. You just need to lift the pipe slightly to spread the substrate at the bottom of the tank. A minimum 10-gallon aquarium is required for the growth of this plant.

Try to scoop out a small hole that is wide enough to cover the root bundle of Amazon Sword. Remember, the hole should be deep enough so that you can see the crown of the plant on the soil line. After setting the plant in the hole, scoop up the mud back onto the roots. Don’t forget to pack the dirt tightly around the roots of the plant to prevent it from floating up. Never cover the crown of the plant when you bury the roots.

These plants can grow too large, so try to avoid it placing at the front or middle of the aquarium. That will really obscure your view of the tank, and even block out the lights of the tank. Moreover, the home of your pet fish will look dense and clumsy. So, place the Amazon Sword Plant at the background of the aquarium to attract the decoration and beauty of the fish home.

After planting the Amazon Swords, you should keep the aquarium near the window where sun rays can directly fall on the green trees and help them make chlorophyll. But remember, while following this method and taking care of the plant growth, try to shift the fish to another tank because the warm sunlight can be annoying and troubling for the fish.

How to Take Care of Amazon Sword Plant

Like other freshwater plants, Amazon Sword also needs proper care and nourishment to grow. So, before planting, you should know the care guidelines for this plant that are mentioned below.

As this plant is hardy, resistant and naturally grown in wild, it does not need much care and attention but some care tips are necessary to be followed for its healthy growth in a tank such as:

• It isn’t so necessary to trim down the plants but sometimes trimming may help grow the plant steadily.
• Cut down the unwanted dead leaves from the plant to maintain the hygiene of the tank for the fish.
• Sometimes the plants start catching infections and falling ill, which results in death. This happens when you find the leaves of the plant is losing shape and deteriorating color. Moreover, it ends up with blackish or brownish outgrowth. So, for that problem use plants medicine and nutrition for the plants.
• You need to check the quality of the water in every week and remove the sick leaves when you find the drastic condition of the plants because that can cause a problem to the fish and other water species.
• Switch on the lights of the aquarium for 11-12 hours a day for the nourishment of the plants in the tank.
• Check the algae on the plants and try to wipe off the dust and algae from the leaves with a clean cloth to maintain the hygiene or cleanliness of the tank and the plant.
• Find a good filter for the plants to maintain the water filtration process well because that is necessary for both the fish and the plant.
• You should closely watch the acidity and dirt of the tank water because of unhygienic water. This can affect the plant with several illnesses, damage, and death.

Tank Requirements for Amazon Sword

We have discussed earlier, this plant grows in the Amazon River basin, so the natural weather and rich substrate in the wild makes the plant grow faster and stronger. Now, if you are planting Amazon Sword in your aquarium then you have to know about some basic tank requirements.

Tank Size

A10-gallon tank is required Amazon Sword Plant because the plant’s size is 16″ (40 cm).

Substrate

The soil or substrate should be thick because Amazon Sword Plant needs a rich mineral soil.

Lighting

Amazon Sword Plant is a freshwater herb, so you need to maintain the lighting of the tank properly. Natural light is needed to be fixed on the ceiling of the tank because proper light energy is required for the nourishment of the plant. Moreover, try to keep the aquarium under sunlight sometimes, so that the plant can absorb Vitamin D.

Filter

If you keep a normal filtration system in the tank then it will help wash out the pollutants of the water. Yes, we know plants are natural filters but a mechanical filter will reduce the load of filtration effort from the plants.

Water Type for Amazon Sword Plant

For every aquatic plant, the water temperature should be checked before you keep the plant in your aquarium. Follow some necessary requirements to set a tank of Amazon Sword Plant.

Temperature

The optimal water temperature range should be 75°F (23 °C) for the comfort of the Amazon Sword Plant.

pH Level

The pH level should be around 6.5-7.5.

Hardness

The hardness of the water should be 8-12 dGH.

Replacement Procedure

Don’t change the entire water from the tank at a time, instead try to replace about 25% of the water once in a week to maintain the quality of the water.

Reproduction and Propagation of Amazon Sword Plant

The breeding or propagation of this plant is very simple without any hassles. These plants develop long maternal stem, and the plantlets appear on the stem. After some days, the tiny plantlets will start developing their roots with a couple of leaves.

You can keep the plantlets in a submerged condition that will help the plant grow faster with better development. During the propagation period, try to place the developed plantlets in the soil substrate and secure the plantlets of the tree with small stone chips or rocks. Never cut off an underdeveloped young plant or plantlets. Moreover, if you find the small plantlets appearing yellowish then don’t panic because the young Sword Plants are usually yellow in color. You can use liquid plant nutrition as the foods for the growth of the plant like

• Seachem Flourish Excel
• Flourish Trace

Tankmates and Compatibility of Amazon Sword Plant/h3>

While propagating Amazon Sword Plant, you need to know about the other compatible plants and live tankmates or water species of the plant.

Compatibility

You need to find the plant of the same genus which will be easily compatible with Amazon Sword Plant. So, you can choose some suitable well-matched plants to keep with Amazon Sword such as:

• Spade-Leaf Sword Plant
• Pygmy Chain Sword
• Water Lettuce

Tankmate Fish

There are various types of fish who prefer in living in the ecosystem surrounded by the freshwater plant Amazon Sword. Take a look at a few names:

• Angelfish
• Discus
• Guppies
• Mollies
• Gouramis
• Platies
• Zebra Danios
• Plecos

Unsuitable Tankmates

Some fish may eat, roughen and damage the leaves of Amazon Sword Plants. So, you should avoid keeping these fish with Sword Plants:

• Goldfish
• Jack Dempsey
• Oscars
• Texas Cichlids

Types of Sword Plants

Other than Amazon Sword Plants, there are varieties of Sword Plants that you can keep in your aquarium to provide a beautiful and eco-friendly ambiance:

1. Gigantea Sword – Originated in Argentina and Brazil, this plant is also a freshwater plant-like Amazon Sword, and comfortable to propagate in soft water under strong light. This aquatic plant is a perfect background for small and shy fish in the tank that likes to hide behind the shrubs.
   
2. Pygmy Chain Sword – This tropical plant is a rapid spreader because if you propagate one then it will grow more branches in the tank. Bottom-dwelling fish love to stay on the leaves of this tree.
3. Red Mellon Sword – The color of this plant is light-red, which creates beauty in an aquarium. The water temperature should be medium while placing these plants.
4. Spade-Leaf Sword Plant – The leaves of this North American aquatic plant are circular and broad in shape. This is also prone to algae-like Amazon Sword, so you need to be careful with the cleanliness while placing this plant in the tank.

Get Information on Other Aquatic Plants for Fish Tank

You can also place other plants in your aquarium for providing a serene and eco-friendly environment. Have a look at a few names: