Description
Rotala macrandra is an unusually beautiful aquarium plant, but unfortunately it is very demanding. It needs very good light to develop its beautiful red colour, and CO2 addition and soft water are vital to ensure reasonable growth. It is most beautiful in groups, but do not plant individual shoots too close because this will prevent light reaching the lower leaves. To ensure good colour there must be sufficient micronutrients in the water.
Type:
Stem
Origin:
Asia
Country or continent where a plant is the most common. Cultivars arise or are bred in cultivation.
Growth rate:
Medium
Growth rate of the plant compared to other aquatic plants.
Height:
20 – 30+
Average height (cm) of the plant after two months in the tank.
Light demand:
High
The average or medium light demand of an aquarium plant is 0,5 W/L.
CO2 :
High
A medium need in CO2 is 6-14 mg/L. A high demand in CO2 is approx. 15-25 mg/L.
1-2-GROW!
Small plants with great success. 1•2•Grow! Are very young plants cultivated and delivered directly from our laboratory. The plants are guaranteed to be free from snails, algae and pesticides and therefore are totally harmless for sensitive shrimp and fish. The range offers unique plants!
Success with your aquarium depends largely on the proper plant choice. In a 1•2•Grow! cup you buy a myriad of plants which can be divided into small portions and cover a larger area. Plants are compact from the start so you will experience a dense and beautiful growth, if you give them the right fertiliser and CO2 from the start! The range is perfect for small and medium sized aquariums, and your patience will be rewarded…
The range offers several mosses and specialties such as Rotala macrandra, Rotala ‘Bonsai’ and mini versions of traditional varieties such as Alternanthera and Eleocharis.
Carefully take the plant out of the cup and rinse off the growing media under the tap.
Split the plant in 6-8 portions using your fingers or sharp scissors (for small foreground plants).
Plant portions into the substrate using tweezers. Then watch them grow!
Growing Rotala macrandra in a Singapore Planted Tank
Macrandra is the plant most local hobbyists chase for that deep ruby-to-pink gradient, and it is honest of us to say it rewards effort more than patience alone. In our experience here, the variable that decides success is light intensity reaching the canopy, paired with stable, generous CO2. Skimp on either and you get leggy green stems that drop their lower leaves. Treat it as a centrepiece species rather than a fill-in and it transforms the whole layout.
Singapore tap water leans soft and slightly acidic, which actually suits macrandra better than the hard water many overseas growers fight. What our tap supply lacks is a steady micronutrient pool, so iron and trace dosing genuinely matter for that signature colour. Warm ambient tanks at 27-29C push growth fast, meaning you trim and replant often; tissue-cultured 1-2-Grow portions let you spread a clean, pest-free group across the background from day one.
New to this species? Read our Rotala macrandra care guide and pair it with our aquarium CO2 guide before committing. Browse more options in background plants, and see how it sits among other red-plant layouts.
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