Leaf colourgreen
rosette midground nano tank foreground
A small sword plant known only from cultivation: a compact rosette of broad leaves, low enough for the front of a tank. It is the same plant sold in shops as a miniature spade-leaf sword.
- Light
- medium–high
- Difficulty
- easy
- Height
- 5 – 20 cm
- Temperature
- 15 – 30 °C
Parameters
Plant typerosette
Growth ratemedium
Tolerates lightmedium – high
pH5 – 7
Carbonate hardness0 – 21 °dKH
General hardness0 – 30 °dGH
Placementmidground, nano tank +1
Propagationplantlets on the inflorescence +3
Grows emersedyes
Appearance
Oval leaves on short stalks in a tight rosette 5–20 cm tall, light green, sometimes with darker spotting. The compactness is what sets it apart from its full-sized relatives.
Keeping
Easy: a nutritious substrate is the main requirement, since like all swords it feeds through the roots. Medium light is enough, carbon dioxide optional. Growth is moderate and the plant keeps its size, so it does not outgrow a small tank.
Placement
The front or middle of the tank, singly or in a small group. It works where a full sword plant would be too big.
Propagation
By young plants on the flower stalk, and by dividing the rhizome.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 841 of 1249 species in the catalogue — these are the ones people look up most often.
ButterflyfishJulii CorydorasRed-finned ParotocinclusGastromyzon monticolaEgg-shaped GoldfishFlame TetraGardner's KillifishAfrican TetraHypsolebias picturatusCommon ZaccoLabeo BicolorGambusiaFlying barbGastromyzon scitulusAlbino Zebra DanioGeophagus BrokopondoHomaloptera bilineataRed-tailed RasboraBoraras naevusLampeye KillifishSpotted Raphael CatfishCorydoras melanotaeniaFestivum cichlidPseudomugil paskai
Will eat this plant
These species damage plants, especially when their diet is short of vegetable food.
Bengal LoachZebra LoachBurmese Border LoachEmperor BotiaMarbled HeadstanderPellegrin's LeporinusLeporinus striatusFalse Black TetraCommon MetynnisMylossoma duriventreRed Whiptail CatfishMoonlight 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 AcaraGeophagus altifronsGeophagus winemilleriPearl CichlidRed-spotted CichlidHaplochromis philanderRed ChromideJack Dempsey cichlid
Cultivars
The same plant with a different look: light, water and care are shared with the species.
Other varieties: Echinodorus × schlueteri, Echinodorus schlueteri 'Leopard', Echinodorus schlueteri Topf