Leaf colourgreen
Native range
- Cambodia
- New Caledonia
- New Guinea
- Northern Territory
- Philippines
- Queensland
- Western Australia
rosette background midground
A vallisneria with ribbon-shaped leaves covered in frequent short transverse streaks ranging from red to dark brown — hence the name 'Tiger'; usually sold as Vallisneria spiralis 'Tiger', but DNA analysis (2008) showed it belongs to V. nana.
- Light
- medium–high
- Difficulty
- very easy
- Height
- 30 – 60 cm
- Temperature
- 15 – 30 °C
Parameters
Plant typerosette
Growth ratefast
Tolerates lightmedium – high
pH6 – 8
Carbonate hardness2 – 21 °dKH
Placementbackground, midground
Propagationrunners
Grows emersedno
Appearance
Light to medium green ribbon-shaped leaves are covered with numerous short transverse streaks ranging from red to dark brown — hence the name. Under strong light the base colour of the leaf can turn reddish-brown. Leaves 0.5–2 cm wide and 30–60 cm long.
Keeping
Very easy, as in the species: growth fast, light medium to bright, CO₂ 10–40 mg/l, temperature 24–29 °C. Propagated by runners.
Trade names
Usually sold as Vallisneria spiralis 'Tiger' or 'Striped', and roughly matches, in leaf width and length, the plants known as V. spiralis. But DNA analysis (2008) showed it belongs to V. nana, widespread in northern and eastern Australia; this is unexpected, since plants known in the aquarium hobby as V. nana usually have leaves only a few millimetres wide — in fact the species is highly variable and includes quite broad-leaved forms as well.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 983 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