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
A narrow-leaved form of the dwarf hygrophila (Hygrophila polysperma) native to Sri Lanka, in cultivation since 1977; with enough iron the leaves take on a handsome copper tone.
- 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
The narrow, long leaves give a contrast to many other plants. It tends to grow 'leggy' and takes some effort to keep in shape in a layout; midground and background.
Keeping
As for the species: very easy, growth very fast, light from weak to strong, CO₂ 5–40 mg/l, temperature 22–28 °C. It also grows under weak light without CO₂ — then more slowly, and so easier to keep. With enough iron the leaves take on a copper tone. With its mass of side shoots and rapid growth it spreads quickly; such growth can upset the nutrient balance — worth allowing for in a fertilising schedule.
Trade names
It was first sold under the name H. polysperma 'rot' (German for 'red').
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