Bunnie1978

Picked it up from pet shop that doesn't have any aquaria knowledgable people at it. Not labeled either. I actually picked three stems that were not even bunched out of a huge mess of commonly available plants.

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miremonster

You are right, it's a Ludwigia. Looks to me like L. repens.

Bunnie1978

I thought that too, but the coloring should be more red I think for that one. I have very good conditions - red plants are red. This one has light green with a hint of pink on the underside of the leaves. And the stem I got from the store had 1 cm leaves. In my tank, the leaves are upwards of 3+cm. As it gets taller they are getting more pink and bigger. It is growing at an angle also.

Philosophos

It's L. repens. I have a stalk or two of it in a low tech tank, and it's extremely green on the top side of the leaf. I've been keeping this plant since pretty much the first fish tank I've ever had, and it definitely takes this form.

You've got something going on with the tips of it; Co2 or maybe Boron issues? I'm not seeing the yellowing that goes on with most deficiencies that effect tips.

-Philosophos

flashbang009

My ludwiga natans looks exactly like that and has pink coloration on the underside.

Bunnie1978

Thanks... so what's the difference from L. repens and L. natans? That could help me narrow it down. I don't think I have any deficiencies though. All my plants are growing well. The stem was much more green when I got it, but it's now very light green on the top with a hint of pink, and very pink on the underside.

flashbang009

Well before i got my new lights, which specialize in the red and blue spectrum, my ludwigia was exactly how you described it. Now however with the new lights, the tops turn red

Bunnie1978

I was looking at the plant finder.. that didn't help me narrow it down. I have very high light (4 wpg) with 6700k and 10000k. What do you have?

Cavan Allen

No difference. L. repens was originally described based on a specimen of what later turned out to be L. palustris. L. natans was described based on material that really was what we now know as L. repens. Normally, that would make L. repens invalid, but on occasion, exceptions are made because a name has been in such widespread use, and that's what happened here.

So, in a nutshell, L. natans is a no longer used name for the familiar L. repens (why it is still sold by the old name I have no idea). Whew! I hope that explains it.

flashbang009

Well i have a 75 gallon, so i have 2x 6500k Phillips daylight bulbs (32 watts) and 2x 40 watt eco lux "Plant and Aquarium" bulbs (which are the red and blue spectrum)
So i have a little under 2 wpg.