Leaf colourwhite markings
Native range
- Amur
- Buryatiya
- China South-Central
- China Southeast
- Chita
- Inner Mongolia
- Japan
- Khabarovsk
- Korea
- Manchuria
- Mongolia
- Primorye
stem plant background midground nano tank
Round leaves on a thin trailing stem, growing in a clover-like pattern, with fine white roots hanging in the water. A marsh plant from East Asia that took well to aquariums, and one of the few that prefers cool water.
- Light
- low
- Difficulty
- easy
- Height
- 20 – 30 cm
- Temperature
- 4 – 27 °C
Parameters
Plant typestem plant
Growth ratefast
CO₂ demandmedium
Tolerates lightmedium – high
pH5 – 8
Carbonate hardness5 – 15 °dKH
General hardness0 – 30 °dGH
Placementbackground, midground +1
Propagationcuttings
Grows emersedyes
Appearance
Round leaves alternate along a soft stem 20–30 cm long; the stem trails rather than stands, and roots appear along it in mid-water. The look is light and airy, unlike most background plants.
Keeping
Easy, with one condition: it dislikes warmth. Above 28 °C the leaves shrink and the stems go leggy, so it suits an unheated or cool tank best. Dim light is enough; carbon dioxide and stronger light keep it low and dense instead of stretched. It can also be left floating, where it shelters fry and shrimp.
Placement
The middle or back of the tank, in a clump rather than as single stems — a group is what makes the trailing habit read. Fits a nano tank as well.
Propagation
By cuttings: cut a piece of stem and plant it, or pull a dense clump apart and split the roots.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 977 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 OrchidPearlscale CichlidPearl CichlidRedbelly CichlidRed-spotted CichlidChuco godmanniHaplochromis philanderRed ChromideJack Dempsey cichlid
Cultivars
The same plant with a different look: light, water and care are shared with the species.
Other varieties: Cardamine lyrata Topf, Cardamine Lyrata Vietnam