Growing Rotala Rotundifolia (Rotala Rotundifolia) In The Aquarium

Natural habitats this plant are wetlands, paddy-fields in China, Thailand, Laos, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia and Nepal.

It is often confused with Rotala indica. Differences are in structure of their inflorescences. Described species has spike inflorescence, Rotala indica has single flowers in the nodes. Described species has vertical and long stems with opposite, rounded and soft leaves. The submerged leaves are more elongated. Successive pairs of the leaves are arranged at right angles to each other.

Colour of the leaves is variable - mostly with green tops and rusty-green bottoms. They can be even intense red in optimal conditions: lighting about 0.6 W per litre, additional fertilization (iron, carbon dioxide, phosphorus), slightly acidic water hardness with 22°C water temperature and low level of nitrogen compounds. The plant grows to the top and it folds its stems at the water surface in too low lighting. The stems creep on the substrate in strong lighting. The plant needs systematic cutting tops of the stems - about 1/2 or 3/4 the total length of the plant from above. Then it grows horizontally and it develops side shoots. The plant is closed in the dark.

We should plant this species in the middle or at the back of the aquarium.

This is spermatophyte species (it has delicate and pink-violet flowers) but in aquarium we reproduce it vegetatively - by seedlings from cut stems. We should plant a few 5-8 cm seedlings together at distance of 2-3 centimeters.