The tiger lotus, which comes from Africa, is often cultivated in aquaria in this country. Under good conditions, it grows very luxuriantly in it. The red variant in particular sets high-contrast accents. But life underwater requires a little maintenance.

Tiger lotus is also very popular for the aquarium

Green Tiger Lotus

The Green Tiger Lotus has bright green leaves that are mostly spotted with irregular reddish-brown spots. With a height of up to 50 cm, this plant from the water lily family is ideal for planting in the middle of the pool and in the background. Under water, the green tiger lotus does not form floating leaves, or they are removed at the beginning. In an open tank, on the other hand, white flowers can even appear above the water, but they only open at night and spread their intense scent.

tips

If you keep Green Tiger Lotus short with regular pruning measures, its foliage will develop even more densely.

Ideal keeping conditions in the aquarium

The green tiger lotus is undemanding when it comes to keeping and caring for it:

  • medium illuminance sufficient
  • The ideal temperature is around 23 °C, not higher!
  • nutrient-poor substrate is preferred (preferably pure sand)
  • soft water, rich in CO2 (10-40 mg/l) and slightly acidic
  • permanent, clear water flow

tips

If you want to propagate this tiger lotus yourself, you can use the daughter tubers it has formed.

Red Tiger Lotus

With its growth height of up to 60 cm, you can also plant red tiger lotus in the front and rear area of the tank. The circular underwater leaves are red in color, especially in young plants, which is why young specimens are preferred in the aquarium. They can easily be propagated by offshoots and daughter tubers.

The floating leaves are strong and can be clearly distinguished from the underwater leaves. When they show up, underwater leaves will no longer sprout. This allows the plant to float close to the water surface and also form flowers that open at night. If you don't want flowering, you have to stop the formation of floating leaves early on.

High light requirement and nutrient-rich ground

The care of the red tiger lotus is more demanding, because it requires significantly more light and a nutrient-rich soil. Otherwise, its claims hardly differ from the green tiger lotus.

Is a rest period outside the aquarium necessary?

In its area of origin, the tiger lotus regularly experiences dry periods during which it takes a break. It is controversial whether it also needs a break in an aquarium. Some aquarists take the plant out for a limited time. Others state that they have no problems staying in the water all the time.

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Vegetable garden