Growing Tiger Lotus (Nymphaea Lotus) In The Aquarium

Natural habitats this plant are tropical and equatorial, warm and clean, standing and slow-moving reservoirs in Africa and Asia.

In aquarium we have several multicolour variants of this plant. The most popular are green and red variants. The species has creeping rhizome with rosulate, submersed, large, red or green leaves. These leaves have characteristic dark spots – from red, rusty to black colours. Shape of the leaf blade is ovate with sinuate margins and stem in cleft. The species develops floating leaves too. These leaves are green, circular and larger than submersed leaves. The plant blooms only above the water surface but the seeds ripen in the water. It is self-pollination species. The inflorescence is fully developed only in the night. The calyx is closed during the day.

This is moderately difficult plant. It needs acidic water (pH about 5-7) and strong, intensity light. The plant often develops floating leaves in good water conditions. We should systematic cut these leaves in too small aquarium.

We should plant this species in foreground or middle parts of the tank.

In aquarium we mostly reproduce it vegetatively – by the runners.