Red coloured plant suggestions? - El Natural

Rusalka · 09-06-2008, 05:27 AM

I'm going to attempt to remove my dwarf sagittaria and would love to replace it with a really bright red plant - if possible. Have any other El Natural keepers had any great successes with red leafed plants? I have a forest of rotala rotundifolia that shows a bit of red and a tiger lotus that shows it's red colours after I prune and it gets more light - but i'd love a shot of colour in my tank. Thanks!

Rusalka · 09-07-2008, 06:55 AM

Since I've been doing research on red leafed plants I've become inspired! I'm going to try an el natural 5.5 nano with a "warm" coloured theme (red, orange, yellow and pink leaves). These plants require higher light so I'm going to try using my very sunny skylight and supplement with a CF if neccessary. Any suggestions before I get going?

El Exorcisto · 09-07-2008, 11:36 AM

crypt. wendtii "red" is always a winner

cs_gardener · 09-08-2008, 11:27 AM

Ludwigia arcuata is quick to show red in my low-tech 29, of course it's in front of a south-facing window so it gets a lot of light. L glandulosa is a pretty dark reddish-purple in the same tank. It's not completely a NPT since I dose a bit of gluteraldehyde daily, no other ferts though.

I just bought some C willisi x lucens 'bronze' that has a nice bright orange color and is under 2" tall.

keysturtle · 09-10-2008, 11:13 AM

I just got some Rotala "colorata" that's supposed to be an easy non-CO2 plant. Has a nice purplish-pink tinge.

Rusalka · 09-13-2008, 06:51 AM

Thanks guys - i'll try those out too. On a whim I bought a bunch of red nesaea - which was gorgeous in the LFS tank, but I'm told is also one of the most difficult plants to grow in the hobby! I half expected it to fully melt within a few days - but so far, so good after almost 2 weeks, and it is even sending out new leaves. I have pretty high light, about than 3.2 wpg. So we'll see how is does without co2. Also my kuhli's have adopted it as their new home, very cute. i hope it lasts for their sake!

Does anyone have any favourite brown, or yellow plants in their NPT?

CrownMan · 09-13-2008, 12:43 PM

Cabomba Furcata is worth a try.

E-cubed · 09-13-2008, 07:00 PM

I got some Myriophyllum tuberculatum last week that was a rusty red/orange color, and now that it is in my tank is growing quite well and the new growth is quite red indeed. But, it is not a leafed plant I suppose since the leaves are spiky, and it is a stem plant.

Rusalka · 09-14-2008, 09:15 AM

e-cubed,

that is a great plant and the rusty orange would fit perfectly in my aquascape - except something tells me that the myriophyllum species are have been given a red light in ontario. any canadians know if this is true or not? i don't think i've ever seen it in any tanks here in toronto. darn! thanks for the suggestion.