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Re: Rotala




> I am somewhat puzzled about the growth habit of my Rotala indica.
> 
> I have three different bunches.  Two of them came from the same mail order
> source at the same time as Rotala indica.  One of them came from LFS without
> any ID.
> 
> All of them are in the same tank (75G with 220W PC) and they receive just
> about the same amount of light (directly under the light and not shaded).
> Yet one has deep magenta red colored tops, another one has beautiful pink
> tops and yet another one has light green tops with a hint of pink.
> Otherwise they are identical.  Narrow lanceolate leaves. They grow more
> toward sideways than upright.
> 
> Are their colors supposed to be this variable?  I thought they grew pretty
> upright.  At least the pictures I saw showed upright growth.  Is the sideway
> spread due to a nutrient deficiency or is this their normal growing pattern?

You just got them(?) so give them some time to grow out. They will all be
quite close in color after some time and when you have all new growth. If
this is not an issue you might try looking at how you plant them or the
gravel might be compacted etc or one spot may have more nutrients etc.
Lower NO3's (less than 5ppm but not absent) will "bring the Red out" so to
speak in many plants but certainly all Rotala's. Even at half the light you
have now. This one tends not to well at high NO3 levels.
Regards, 
Tom Barr