Leaf colourgreen, red
Native range
- Madagascar
rosette background
A big bulb plant from the fast streams of Madagascar, with heavily ruffled dark leaves. In a large tank a single plant fills the back wall.
- Light
- medium
- Difficulty
- easy
- Height
- 20 – 80 cm
- Temperature
- 16 – 33 °C
Parameters
Plant typerosette
Growth ratefast
CO₂ demandlow
Tolerates lightmedium – high
Carbonate hardness7 – 21 °dKH
Placementbackground
Propagationseeds, division +1
Grows emersedno
Appearance
Long strap leaves with a deeply ruffled, almost hammered surface; new leaves come up light green or reddish and darken to deep green with age. Under good conditions the leaves reach 20–80 cm, so the plant needs a tall tank.
Keeping
Easy for its size, with two rules. Bury the bulb only halfway: covered completely, it rots. And keep conditions steady — sudden changes make the leaves melt. It likes some water movement, as in the streams it comes from, and root feeding pays off. After a while it drops all its leaves and rests for a few weeks, then starts again; that is normal, do not throw the bulb away.
Placement
The back of a large tank, alone. In a small aquarium it simply runs out of room.
Propagation
It flowers and sets seed in an aquarium; the seeds are sown on the substrate. Bulbs are usually bought rather than divided.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 1016 of 1249 species in the catalogue — these are the ones people look up most often.
Swordtail GuppiesCobra GuppyBlood Red MollyButterflyfishRed Zebra CichlidJulii CorydorasRed-finned ParotocinclusGastromyzon monticolaEgg-shaped GoldfishFlame TetraGardner's KillifishAfrican TetraKenyi CichlidCuckoo CatfishGolden SwordtailHypsolebias picturatusCommon ZaccoLabeo BicolorGambusiaFlying barbGastromyzon scitulusAlbino Zebra DanioGeophagus BrokopondoZebra Mbuna
Will eat this plant
These species damage plants, especially when their diet is short of vegetable food.
Bengal LoachZebra LoachBurmese Border LoachEmperor BotiaSpined LoachMarbled HeadstanderPellegrin's LeporinusLeporinus striatusFalse Black TetraCommon MetynnisMylossoma duriventreRed Whiptail CatfishMolly sphenopsBalloon MollyLyretail MollyMarble MollyHi-Fin PlatyHawaii PlatyBlue PlatyPintail PlatyBlack PlatyChocolate MollyMoonlight GouramiMelanotaenia parva
Will uproot it
These species dig through the substrate and pull rooted plants out.
Marble LoachPeacock EelForktail LoachGuntea LoachLong-nosed LoachHorseface LoachPearlscaleBlack Moor GoldfishShubunkinPainted PlecoFeatherfin SynodontisReddish Mystus CatfishBlue AcaraAulonocara maylandiAulonocara multicolorAulonocara OrchidGeophagus altifronsGeophagus winemilleriPearlscale CichlidPearl CichlidRedbelly CichlidRed-spotted CichlidChuco godmanniHaplochromis philanderRed ChromideJack Dempsey cichlid