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I've recently placed an order for one of these and I'm excited to share that it'll be my first foray into bulb plant care. I'd love to hear about the experiences of fellow members who have had the pleasure of keeping one.

I came across a piece of advice suggesting that the bulb shouldn't be fully submerged in the substrate, rather just the roots. I'm curious to know if this is a general rule of thumb for most bulb plants, as I've also been considering bringing a Tiger Lotus into my collection.

My crinium's been a real trooper - it's one of the few plants that made it through my tank move. I got a bit creative with the transfer, cutting a plastic cup in half and scooping up the bulb and its substrate to minimize root disturbance. It's been thriving ever since, growing these gorgeous, curly leaves with zero maintenance from me.

I also had a tiger lily a while back, and it was incredible while it lasted. The way that first waterlily pad shoot would burst to the surface was just amazing - it grew so fast. Unfortunately, it didn't do well long-term, so I took it out and stored it in damp sand, planning to replant once the bulb had rested. Of course, I ended up forgetting about it, and the bulb eventually died.

From what I recall, tiger lily plants do require a bit more finesse - something about trimming the surface-bound shoots to encourage more underwater growth. But don't quote me on that; it's been a few years, and I might be misremembering. Definitely worth doing some more research if you're interested in getting one, though. Both the crinium and tiger lily are beautiful plants, and I'd definitely recommend giving them a try.

I've also kept both crinium and tiger lily bulbs partially buried, never fully submerging them. The tiger lily bulb can be a bit tricky to plant, as it resembles a withered conker, making it difficult to determine the correct orientation.

In contrast, I purchased my crinium as a young plant, so I didn't have to worry about planting the bulb. It immediately thrived and has continued to do well for several years now – I'm struggling to recall the exact timeframe. The long, tendril-like leaves have grown to the point where they reach the surface and intertwine with other plants in my 57-gallon tank.

I'm envisioning my new aquascape in my 90L tank, and I think the onion plant would do well with its bulb partially submerged in the substrate, while the Tiger Lotus sits in a slightly submerged terracotta pot.

Root tabs will be your friend with the tiger lotus, it's a heavy root feeder so make sure to stick one close by. Those roots can get pretty long too.
As for planting, I've found with most bulbs it's best not to bury them, just leave them on the substrate. That way you'll get the highest sprout rate, at least in my experience.

cichlidgirl22 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2025 10:34 pm Root tabs will be your friend with the tiger lotus, it's a heavy root feeder so make sure to stick one close by. Those roots can get pretty long too.
As for planting, I've found with most bulbs it's best not to bury them, just leave them on the substrate. That way you'll get the highest sprout rate, at least in my experience.

Considering the aquascape I have in mind, and since I'll be using a terracotta pot for the tiger lotus, I'm wondering if I should use aqua soil in the pot as well as add root tabs, rather than just using gravel with a root tab.