Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm wondering if this plant has any chance of survival. I bought it over a year ago, planted it in the substrate, then uprooted it and split it into two parts - one with just leaves and the other with the bulb and leaves. The snails were eating the leaves and the bulb, so I moved it to a different tank. Since then, it's looked pretty much the same, except maybe a bit worse.

From the other side, the bulb is basically hollow, and even the nerite snail likes to park there and eat it. Right now, the lighting in the tank is just a small 40W bulb, but it's on for 13 hours a day to promote algae growth for the otocinclus quarantine. As you can see, the algae only grows on the substrate, which doesn't really interest the otocinclus.

Is there anything I can do to improve the plant, divide it, or make it whole again? Or is it a lost cause?

Your lotus plant seems pretty healthy, to be honest. It just needs some stability to let the roots grow more. Leave the bulb on top of the substrate - if it's getting mushy, it might've been under the gravel for too long. Even if the bulb becomes detached, the plant can still do well if the roots have developed. However, don't expect a new plant to grow from that bulb.

If you want to give it a boost, consider a root tab fertilizer with iron - it'll enhance the redness in the leaves. Without iron, the plant will be more greenish, but it'll still grow fine. If you have a well with high iron levels, you could use some of that water in your aquarium, as long as the parameters match your fish's needs. More pink/red light in the tank would also be beneficial. A heater can help too, keeping temps around the mid-70s.

Just be careful, as these plants can take over the substrate and choke out other plants. I keep mine in a 4-inch plastic pot with gravel substrate and may need to put it in a mesh bag to prevent the roots from spreading. I also trim it to maintain a bushy look and prevent the leaves from reaching the surface and producing flowers. I added a root tab to the gravel when I potted it, and I can trim the roots as needed. The bulb detached from my plant and now floats around, but I'm expecting a new one to sprout eventually since the bulb is still firm.