Red Valisneria??

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Red Valisneria??
From: Thomas Price <tprice at u_washington.edu>
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 14:12:46 -0800 (PST)
In-Reply-To: <199611082039.PAA26440 at looney_actwin.com>


I have had an interesting experience that I want to relate.  After trading
my valisneria with another reader of this list (we swapped my short val.
for his tall), I had a striking example of phenotypical behavior.  Some of
the val. stems that I planted in my tank turned a lovely deep red.  I
thought at first that these leaves, being longer, were older and turning
brown prepatory to decaying.  However, the leaves are decidedly intact and
red in color.

I have observed this in other plants (e.g., Rotala Indica) when the plants
were moved to a higher light tank.  Although I have a reasonable amount of
light (80w NO FL over a 45gal high tank), I would not have expected this
response.  Also, I have never observed this with val. in several different
tanks.  Another possible cause is that the substrate has laterite, and
is probably different than in the original tank.  Has anyone else seen
this, or does anyone else know the cause for the red coloring? Just
curious.

 Tom
 
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