I agree with TJ. I got one about 13 years ago, and it came in a dish with pebbles and water. I kept it like that for a couple years, but then decided it would be better in soil. It has thrived in soil, and even grew new stalks, which actually are attached to one of the main stalks, but below the soil, so it looks like a seperare stalk. If you choose to keep it in water, you MUST change the water often. I used to change mine every couple of days. Also, water has no nutirituve value, so you need to fertilize it, but because the fertilizer can't leach out, you must be very careful with it. Just look at typical fertilizer dilution. Per gallon, you only need a teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon if you feed every time you water. Now think of that, and think of how much fertilizer you may have put in, even though it was only "a pinch". A pinch is probably good for a quart or 2 of water, depending on what kind of fertilizer you used. I would suggest you pot it up, and keep it out of direct sun, to avoid bleaching it. Mine thrives in lower light levels, with no direct sun. Good luck! Joe

Thank you for your nice compliments. Plant has a lot of meaning to me... Giving to me by my dear Mother, who has now passed. It was just maybe a foot tall when she gave it to me. It fit under the upper kitchen cabinet. Now it has grown to almost 7 ft in height. The stems are flimsy. I have spikes to hold it up. Last night, I cleaned each leaf with water and mild dish soap. Today I gave it new soil and weak diluted miracle gro fertilizer. The roots were red, so I know it's still healthy. Hoping all my efforts does the trick and get Lucky with my Lucky Bamboo not dying.

Hey, i am having somewhat of the same problem, although my bamboo are half the size of what you got there, I'm sure that they are probably not over watered and doesn't look like over fertilization, there is a chance the soil may be too hot on the inside, or might be to much heat, then again it could be one in a million things. How are they doing now? Have they recovered ?, if so what was the issue?.

When was the last time you had watered it? I think you let it get too dry and it started using the bottom leaves. i have very hard and flouridated water and I am just not buying the whole "dey tips are from salts in the water" thing for many different pants. my darcaena warmeckii is fine with the water and as long as I don't wait for drooping from my Spathyphullum, it doesn't get dry tips either. Same goes for my spider plants. the salts may contribute to the problem for many people, but that could also be people who overwater or leave or sitting in a puddle of water, killing root tips and thus causing the plant to sacrifice the tips of its circulatory system. Kind of like how when it's really cold and you may die of hypothermia, your body takes all the valuable warm blood and circulates it more through your core and away from your extremities. Then we get frost bite. Plants get drought or swamp bite.