Aquarium enthusiasts’ favorite is the Echinodorus. This resilient plant, distinguished by its broad, lush leaves, infuses any aquarium setup with a hint of natural beauty. It is a prominent element in both small and large tanks due to its eye-catching appearance and vivid green color.
Echinodorus is widely used because of its adaptability. It can tolerate a range of lighting conditions and grows in a variety of water conditions. Because of this, it’s the perfect option for aquarists of all skill levels who want to establish a vibrant underwater habitat.
Apart from its visual allure, Echinodorus is essential for keeping an aquarium in good condition. Its broad leaves offer fish cover, and its roots aid in stabilizing the substrate. Echinodorus is a plant that should not be disregarded if you want to improve the ecosystem in your aquarium or its appearance.
- Species
- Simple
- Demanding
- How to plant
- Reproduction
- Why it doesn"t grow
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Species
47 different species of Echinodorus are used to decorate aquariums. They consist of both hybrid and natural forms.
The table contains a list of the most popular.
Species | Description |
Amazonian | The most common of all species. Grows up to 35-40 cm in aquariums. Its leaves are bright green, narrow and long, forming a dense rosette. Grows evenly throughout the year. |
Echinodorus bleheri | Grows in the central part of South America. Grows up to 40-50 cm in height. Has narrow, pointed leaves that form a dense bush. |
Horizontal | This species is very popular with aquarists. Has an unusual appearance – heart-shaped leaves are located horizontally to the ground, at an angle to the petiole. Grow up to 20-25 cm. |
Speckled | Low-growing species grows up to 20 cm. Has short petioles, with heart-shaped pointed leaves covered with brown specks. Forms a dense rosette. |
Small-flowered | Grows up to 35-40 cm. Looks like a dense bush, with wide elongated leaves, and a short petiole. The leaf blade is dark green with brown veins. |
Tender | This species is also called dwarf. It has bright green elongated leaves without petioles, which form dense rosettes. It reaches 7-10 cm in height. |
Osiris | In aquariums they grow up to 40-50 cm. Forms dense bushes with golden-brown, raspberry or brown-red leaves in young plants, which then turn from olive to dark green. |
Heart-leaved | Can reach 80 cm. Has elongated petioles, with bright green ovoid leaves, with pointed or rounded edges. |
Narrow-leaved | This species has short petioles, with long ribbon-shaped leaves with a pointed tip of light green color. In aquariums it reaches up to 60 cm in length. |
Argentine | The largest and most capricious of all representatives. Grows up to 100 cm in length. Has very dense leaves of dark green color. |
Uruguayan | The maximum size of this species is 40 cm. Has very dense rosettes, in which there can be up to 100 narrow elliptical leaves with wavy edges. Leaf color varies from light green to dark burgundy. |
Aflame | Selective variety, difficult to maintain. It has beautiful dark burgundy leaves on both sides, with wavy edges. In an aquarium it grows up to 30 cm. |
Vesuvius | Another artificially obtained variety. It has narrow ribbon-like leaves, twisted into a spiral. The height of the bush does not exceed 15 cm. |
Maghribinets | Hybrid variety, grows up to 35 cm. It has elongated leaves, with wavy edges. The color varies from light pink to brown shades. |
Ocelot | Bred by selection. The bush grows up to 20 cm, has large, dense leaves with dark red spots. |
Hildebrant | Hybrid of two Echinodorus. Small bushes 15-20 cm, with red-burgundy leaves in young plants, and green in adults. |
Rose | Hybrid. The bush grows up to 10-20 cm in height and 20-40 cm in width. Leaves are narrow, elliptical, light or olive green, sometimes with red spots. |
Ruby | Tall selection form. Reaches 60 cm in height. It has narrow long leaves, red-brown or olive-green depending on age. |
Dark Beauty | Small hybrid, about 20 cm. Young leaves have a bright burgundy color, which darkens with age. |
Python | A selective form, can reach a height of 50 cm. Quite hardy. It has long leaves, green with a brown tint. Young leaves can also be light cherry color |
"St. Elmo"s Fire" | Obtained by crossing Echinodorus. Maximum bush size is 25 cm. It has beautiful oval leaves of bright red color with small inclusions. |
Echinodorus: resilient aquarium plants that seldom become ill and can adjust to a variety of environments. Owing to their wide range of species, plants are typically categorized as needing less care or more.
Simple
The most prevalent species, such as American, rose, horizontal, osiris, speckled, and Uruguayan echinodorus, are included in this group. Although these species are not very picky, a few requirements must be fulfilled:
- Water: temperature 18-26 °C, hardness 5-15, acidity 6.5-7.5.
- Intensive lighting over 0.7 W / l., with 11-14 hours of daylight.
- You will need a nutrient substrate (fine gravel or sand, fraction 3-7 mm).
- Filtration and aeration in the aquarium are mandatory.
- Weekly siphon the soil and replace a quarter of the water.
Demanding
The heart-leaved, tender, Argentine Echinodorus and its selection forms fall under this category. A complete range of macro- and microelements, as well as an additional supply of carbon dioxide up to a concentration of 20 mg/l, are essential for these species.
Insufficient lighting causes small plants to deteriorate, shrink, and even die. On the other hand, limited lighting is necessary for large species to prevent them from becoming above-water forms. For them, daylight should last no more than ten hours. Every other condition is comparable to the others.
How to plant
Large representatives of Echinodorus can be planted in separate pots or at the back wall of the aquarium, while smaller ones can be placed in the middle or around the edges.
Guidelines for sowing seeds:
- First, inspect the plant, carefully remove damaged leaves and roots. Then it must be disinfected for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or rinseed in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (1 hour. l./1 l).
- Dig a small hole in the ground, put a clay ball for better growth, carefully place the root and cover with soil.
Guidelines for growing in pots:
- You will need a small pot 7-8 cm high, in which you need to drill holes.
- Put a mixture of garden soil and small gravel on the bottom, place a ball of clay, then the plant and carefully cover with small gravel or sand.
Every six to twelve months, Echilodorus that is planted in pots needs to be moved into larger tanks due to its rapid growth and robust root system.
Reproduction
Echinodorus in aquariums reproduce in a few ways:
- Seeds. Some selection and hybrid species reproduce exclusively in this way. You can buy seeds or wait for your plant to bloom. They are formed on flowers located above the surface of the water. Then the seeds need to be sown in a separate bowl with sand covered with water at a temperature of 28 ° C. As soon as 3 leaves appear, you can transplant the plant into an aquarium.
- Vegetatively. Simple species of plants reproduce in this way. They form many daughter shoots, from which new bushes develop. Find the outer shoot, carefully cut it from the mother plant and transplant it into another aquarium.
- By dividing the roots. Take out the plant, remove the spoiled leaves and wash well and shorten the roots. Divide the roots so that 4-6 leaves remain on each side, and cut in one motion with a stationery knife or blade. There is no need to treat the cuts with anything.
Why it doesn"t grow
Errors in upkeep and care are the causes of the plant’s poor growth or death:
- insufficient lighting;
- cloudy water, with rare substitutions;
- rare cleaning of the soil, as a result of which the roots of the plant begin to rot;
- insufficient nutrition and CO2 concentration.
Feature | Description |
Common Name | Echinodorus |
Plant Type | Aquatic plant |
Light Requirements | Moderate to high |
Growth Rate | Moderate to fast |
Ideal Temperature | 22-28°C (72-82°F) |
Water pH | 6.5-7.5 |
Care Level | Easy to moderate |
This is the article’s concluding section:
Echinodorus plants are a great way to add greenery and a natural feel to your aquatic setup. They look great in any kind of aquarium. Whether you want a more minimalist look or a lush jungle, there is an Echinodorus for every kind of tank thanks to their wide range of species.
These plants serve a practical purpose as well as an aesthetic one by improving the quality of the water and giving fish somewhere to hide. Echinodorus plants can grow and become a durable focal point in your aquarium with the right maintenance.
Adding Echinodorus to your aquarium is a fulfilling endeavor that improves the aesthetics and well-being of your watery habitat. These plants are a dependable and appealing option for aquarists of all skill levels.
The adaptable and well-liked aquarium plant Echinodorus is noted for its large, lush leaves and capacity to flourish in a range of water types. It’s a great option for novices and seasoned aquarium keepers alike, offering fish a lively and natural habitat that’s also reasonably simple to maintain.