Leaf colourgreen, pink or purple
Native range
- Afghanistan
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- China South-Central
- China Southeast
- East Himalaya
- India
- Malaya
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- West Himalaya
stem plant background midground Conservation status: LC
The stem plant usually handed to beginners: it grows in almost any water, needs no carbon dioxide and forgives mistakes. Its own speed is the only problem — the thicket has to be cut back every few weeks.
- Light
- low–high
- Difficulty
- very easy
- Temperature
- 4 – 35 °C
Parameters
Plant typestem plant
Growth ratevery fast
Tolerates lightlow – high
pH5 – 8
Carbonate hardness2 – 21 °dKH
General hardness0 – 30 °dGH
Placementbackground, midground
Propagationcuttings
Grows emersedyes
Appearance
Upright stems with pairs of soft, oval light-green leaves. In strong light the tops turn pinkish and the leaves stay small and close together; in dim light the stem stretches and the leaves grow thin and far apart.
Keeping
Extremely tolerant: it accepts soft and hard water, warm and cool, dim light and bright. Carbon dioxide and fertiliser only make it grow faster. In some countries it is banned as an invasive weed, so it is worth checking the local rules before buying.
Placement
The back and the middle of the tank, in groups of several stems. Because it grows quickly it makes a good starter plant for a new aquarium: it takes up the nutrients that algae would otherwise use while the tank settles down.
Propagation
Cut a stem into pieces about ten centimetres long and plant them; even a single leaf that falls off often roots by itself. The cut stem branches and gives two new shoots instead of one.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 1008 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
Cultivars
The same plant with a different look: light, water and care are shared with the species.
Other varieties: Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig', Hygrophila polysperma 'White', Hygrophila polysperma 'Broadleaf'