plant

Helanthium tenellum (Mart. ex Schult.f.)

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Pygmy chain sword

Helanthium (Echinodorus) tenellum belongs to the category of the smallest Helanthium (Echinodorus) that can be found in nature. It is a plant that naturally lives in emerged and submerged form on the banks of rivers and streams. The Pygmy chain sword can be inserted in the aquarium to form the much desired lawns.

Distribution: this species is native in Alabama, Argentina Northeast, Arkansas, Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Colombia, Connecticut, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Florida, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Illinois, Jamaica, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Southeast, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Nicaragua, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Panamá, Paraguay, South Carolina, Texas, Venezuela, Virginia.

Extinct in: Delaware.

 

Submitted by
Eleonora Pasquariello

Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
Fresh water
Water color
Clear water
Water transparency
High
Concentration of sediments
Low
Water temperature
22-28 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
6,5-8
Conductivity
below 100
GH
5.0-18.0 mg/l
KH
Dissolved Oxygen

Phytology

Plant form
Submersed
Plant type
Rosulate
Plant size
5-10 cm
Plant growth rate
Moderate
Plant light demand
Medium
CO2
Low
Aquarium equipment

Due to its shape and size it is a plant suitable for nano aquariums or medium-sized tanks. This species is best used as a mid- to foreground plant. It is most always utilised as a lawn, since that is its natural growth pattern.

Plant care

Helanthium tenellum needs intense lighting to grow well, and its roots must be placed in a substrate rich in nutrients. To supplement all this, a nutrient supplement must not be missing. CO2 can be used to make this plant grow faster and more robust.

Water care

This species can tolerate soft or hard water and can adapt to pH levels from 6.0 to 8.0 and GH values up to 20 degrees/350ppm.

Bibliography