Yasam - Hygrophila Pinnatifida Easy Care Live aquatic aquarium plant Grown Submerged in Ceramic Ring

Mid to background plant. Growth is moderate, stems 15-40 cm tall and 10-20 cm wide

Hygrophila pinnatifida is a popular epiphyte in aquascaping circles as it can grow well without being planted in substrate - it attaches easily to rocks and wood and its reddish coloration and unique leaf shape serves as good contrast against green plants. It can be used in bunches in the mid ground or attached onto any type of hard scape using super glue or thread or cable ties (that can later on be removed as the plant attaches readily to surfaces).

The unique leaf shape and patterning can be seen clearly in this close-up photograph. Hygrophila pinnatifida is a stem plant that will grow continually upwards towards the water surface. If allowed to reach the water surface it will breach the surface eventually and grow emersed leaves and small purple flowers.

It is an aggressive and fast grower that sends out runners continually; it becomes very wild and can grow quite large with a width of 25cm+ when given rich CO2 & nutrients. This plant can be trimmed aggressively to force it to maintain a smaller size and prevent it from shading other surrounding plants. The runners should be cut regularly if you do not want this plant to spread everywhere in the tank.

Propagation is easy as the plant send out runners very frequently. These will spawn plantlets at regular intervals that can be cut and replanted elsewhere.

Key Success factors

Strong lighting gives better coloration

Avoid extreme water parameters

CO2 injection makes it much easier to grow this plant

Not super picky about nutrient levels but potassium levels should not be allowed to bottom out. High tolerance for lean dosing.

How to get it redder

Stronger light (higher PAR values)

Low nitrates (5ppm & below)

This is one of the plants that exhibit much redder colors under nitration limitation - meaning that the plant grows much redder if it is starved for nitrates. Over-do this and the plant will stunt. However, since it is tolerant of much lower nutrient levels than other plants - other plants will usually stunt first.

how to trim

One of the easiest plants to trim. Cut off the stem above one of the internodes and the plant will spawn smaller plants from the remaining internodes. The runners should be cut regularly if you do not want the plant growing everywhere in the tank. Plantlets can be replanted easily even at small size.