Staurogyne repens is a fresh green, compact and hardy plant for the foreground of the aquarium and it was found in River Rio Cristalino in the southern Amazonas. Its nearest relative in the aquaristic is Hygrophila but Staurogyne is different with its marked compact, low and bushy stature (5-10 cm) and small green leaves (each stem is 3.4 cm wide).
When planting in the aquarium, the longest upright shoots should be cut off and new, horizontally creeping shoots will soon form from the plant basis and gradually colonize the gravel.
At low light, the growth will be more upright and much less side shoots will be formed.
Marsilea hirsuta is a carpet-plant from Australia. A fascinating plant, usually delivered with leaves like a four-leaf clover. After a transitional period it develops different types of leaves, possibly a low form with single leaves like a large Glossostigma, or alternatively develop two, three or four-lobed leaves varying in height (from 2-10 cm), depending on the growth conditions. Whichever form the plant adopts, it forms runners and spreads rapidly round the aquarium.
This cosmopolitan stem plant turns red easier and is smaller than the well-known Ludwigia repens ’Rubin’.
Each stalk becomes 2-4 cm wide and 10-30 cm high. The plant willingly creates side shoots, but cutting increases the amount and the plant becomes even denser. The cut-off shoots quickly generate new roots when planted.
The plant becomes intensely red and grows better, when placed in light and with added CO2.
Cryptocoryne usteriana is one of the taller cryptocorynes and is very easy to grow. Leaves are 3-5 cm wide with an embossed surface; they can easily reach more than 50 cm length. With good light and fertilization, the upper side of the leaves will obtain a dark green or bronze-green colour while the back of the leaves will turn burgundy red.
Propagation is by long runners, and the plant tolerates quite alkaline water very well.
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae is from Southern Thailand where there are limestone mountains, and the water can be very hard. Like many other Cryptocorynes it needs to acclimatise before growth starts in earnest. Leaves becomes 20-60 cm long and the single roset plant becomes 15-20 cm wide.
This American Eleocharis is in a fresh grass green colour and grows to be 20-40cm high. It is basic and low maintenance. Each straw is only few millimeters thick and the plant maintains an open form of growth. It is suitable as a background plant, and can further be planted in front and in the centre of the aquarium, in transparent wads, in order to create depth and perspective. The plant spreads through runners, which occasionally have to be trimmed and maybe planted elsewhere.
Vallisneria spiralis “Red” is a hardy plant suitable for the beginner hobbyist. It makes little demands in the aquarium and can grow fast when conditions are optimal. It also looks the best and adapts the most out of all other Vallis – this is why it’s the only species we sell in the vallis family. Once you see it, you’ll know why.
Leaves are an attractive, dark green/red when grown under optimum conditions. Great for beginners and up. All species of Vallisneria do not tolerate liquid carbon, therefore we do not recommend adding these plants to any tank using liquid carbon. Some hobbyists mistake this plant to have spiral leaves like the name might suggest but it’s actually the opposite and has very straight leaves. The word ‘spiralis’ is the scientific name that refers to the flower stalk that corkscrews as it grows.
Vallisneria sp. Gigantea from Asia is an easy plant that grows fast, suitable for large aquariums. In most aquariums the leaves grow so long that they float on the surface (50-150 cm, 2 cm wide). So the plant needs pruning to stop it taking too much light from plants growing beneath. The leaves are tough and strong, so they are not normally eaten by herbivorous fish. Vallisneria americana is easy to propagate using runners, which are prolific if the bottom is nutritious.
Echinodorus bleheri from South America is undemanding and beautiful, and becomes 20-50 cm tall. A nutritious bottom promotes growth, but the plant needs pruning to prevent it depriving plants underneath of light. Echinodorus bleheri does well even in poorly illuminated aquariums, as it grows towards the light. It is a hardy and easy solitary plant for both beginners and the more experienced with quite large aquariums. It has been sold under the name “Paniculatus”.
Originating from Madagascar the Aponogeton Capouroni Bulb is a beautiful center piece for your tank. This bulb has bright green leaves with undulating margins. the leaves can grow up to 50cm given the right conditions.
This plant grows quickly in the aquarium too under basic conditions. We provide it will very little light and it grows quickly with little water movement. We’ve tried it under faster water movement and it loves that too which means this plant is suitable for beginners and up.
