Leaf colourred
Native range
- Argentina Northeast
- Bolivia
- Brazil Northeast
- Brazil North
- Brazil South
- Brazil West-Central
- Paraguay
- Uruguay
stem plant red accent background midground Dutch street
A South American marsh plant that spent years in the hobby under an invented name. Under water it stays moderate in size; in the wild it grows two metres tall and its flowers pull in bees.
- Light
- high
- Difficulty
- medium
- Temperature
- 18 – 30 °C
Parameters
Plant typestem plant
Growth ratefast
General hardness0 – 30 °dGH
Placementred accent, background +2
Propagationcuttings
Grows emersedyes
Appearance
Paired leaves on an upright stem, with warm reddish tones under strong light. Underwater growth is far smaller and softer than the coarse marsh form.
Keeping
Moderate demands, with strong light the main one — it is what brings out the colour. Growth is fast and the plant needs regular trimming. It is hard to find: outside a few collections it is barely traded at all.
Placement
The middle or back of the tank, in a group; its even upright habit also suits the ordered rows of a Dutch layout.
Propagation
By cuttings: cut the top and plant it.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 1015 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 BotiaMarbled 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: Hyptis lorentziana Topf