Re: Rotala macrandra question

[Dave Millman <dave at tactics_com>]

At 03:38 AM 3/31/2003, Dominic wrote:

> > Just today I got some rotala macrandra in the mail
> > (thanks Dave Millman!).
>
>Arthue said he got that plant from D. Millman. Then it should be like
>http://www.dlink.org/aqua/image/rotala_mac.jpg
>This is also from him.
>
>I have another Rotala macrandra and it entirely different from the above. 
>And the above is not at all difficult to grow.

OK, here's the story:

I got this plant from Albany Aquarium in Albany California in February 
2002. Since then I have sold it to several stores and mail order dealers, 
and traded it to more than 20 individuals. When I sold some back to Albany 
Aquarium recently, they commented that it was much more red than what they 
had in stock. I looked at what was in their tanks, and sure enough it was 
the same variety, but much less intense in color.

In my tank, it looks just like Dominic's photo above, and grows about 3/4 
inch per day under the right conditions (lots of light and iron and traces 
and nitrate and...). It is even prettier when viewed from under the leaves: 
you see all pink and red, but none of the orange veins visible from the top 
of the leaf. My plant tank is high up, and my viewing chair puts eye level 
just a third of the way up from the gravel, so this is how I see it.

I would be glad to send free cuttings to anyone who will send me a cool 
plant in trade. Otherwise, just PayPal me $5.00 for shipping & handling via 
Priority Mail (USA only). Please contact me off list to arrange details.