Echinodorus Speckled (Echinodorus Aspersus)

Echinodorus speckled (Echinodorus aspersus) is a herbaceous bush without a stem with heart-shaped leaves collected in a rosette. Cuttings of leaves are the same length as leaf plates; leaves are green with small brown specks. The bush reaches a height of 10 centimeters, in diameter - 20-25 centimeters. Homeland - North and South America.

The leaves of the underwater and above water parts are of the same shape, elongated with a cordate notch at the base and smoothly tapering at the end. At emergent leaves, the end is more pointed. The length of the leaf is 10-12 cm, the width is 5-6 cm, the size of the cutting is from one to two leaf lengths. The 5 main veins are clearly visible. The underwater leaves are often curled.

Echinodorus speckled

When keeping speckled Echinodorus in the aquarium, the optimum temperature is 24-28 ° C, when it drops to 22 ° C, growth slows down significantly. The water should be of medium hardness (at least 6-8 °), neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 7-8). In soft, slightly acidic water, the plant quickly dies. Periodic replacement of part of the water is desirable. The introduction of mineral fertilizers is desirable when there are a small number of fish in the aquarium. Lighting should be bright, with a lack of it, the plant stretches and loses its speckled color. Daylight hours should be at least 12 hours. The soil should consist of a mixture of coarse sand with fine and medium pebbles with an admixture of clay and be abundantly silted. The thickness of the soil layer must be at least 5 centimeters.

This plant can also grow in a humid greenhouse or paludarium. At the same time, it grows up to 25-30 centimeters, a speckled color remains only on young leaves.

In the aquarium, the speckled Echinodorus reproduces only vegetatively, forming flower arrows, at the ends of which 1-2 daughter plants appear, young plants can be separated from the mother after they have 5-6 leaves and the root system is formed. Usually 3-4 plants are obtained.

In an aquarium, Echinodorus is best placed in a group in the middle or foreground.