Bright red plants in the aquarium? Many aquarists have this dream. It doesn't have to remain a dream. In fact, there are aquatic plants that present themselves in the most magnificent shades of red. You can find out more about this in this post.
Hygrophila pinnatifida turns red under UV radiation
How does aquatic plants turn red?
So-called anthocyanins are responsible for the red color. These are red dyes that are created to protect the respective plant from strong UV radiation. They absorb the short-wave UV rays of light and thus prevent damage to the inside of the leaf from these dangerous rays.
Note: This special "effect" can be compared very well with the brown coloring of human skin. The browner your skin, the longer you can sit in the sun without additional UV protection (sunscreen).
Which aquatic plants bring red accents to your aquarium
Here are an overview of examples of easy-care red aquatic plants:
- Red Tiger Lotus
- Rotala rotundifolia
- Ruby red Ludwigia
- Hygrophila pinnatifida
General note: Some red plants are more sensitive than others - they tend to form anthocyanins. "Sensitive" refers solely to the effect of light on the colouration. The more sensitive they react, the less light is needed to make them glow.