Data sheet Rotala bonsai
German name:
Indian Rotala
Scientific name:
Rotala bonsai
Alternative trade names:
Trade names: Bonsai Ammannia, Rotala indica, Ameletia indica
Origin:
India and Southeast Asia
Light requirements:
medium to very high
Temperature:
18 – 28°C
pH:
5.5 – 7.5
GH:
0 – 30°dGH
CH:
0 – 14°dKH
propagation:
head cuttings
Growth:
slow to medium
Difficulty:
medium
Look:
© Alexander Presler
The thick stalk of the Rotala bonsai grows straight up and does not branch much. The plant is densely leafed and the leaves are small and rounded or oval. The green leaves can turn reddish at the tips of the leaves if there is sufficient light. The leaves and stems can also take on a reddish color if there is a lack of nutrients.
Distribution:
The Rotala bonsai originally comes from India and countries in Southeast Asia such as Japan, Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia and is widespread there. In the wild, the plant is known as an annual paddy field weed. In its areas of origin, the plant also grows on land, where it grows lying down and forms small reddish flowers, which, however, does not occur when kept in an aquarium.
The Rotala bonsai belongs to the plantain family and also shows similarities to the bacopa.
husbandry conditions:
The Rotala bonsai thrives ideally in warm freshwater aquariums with good lighting, for example with powerful LEDs. The plant is suitable for small aquariums and nano aquariums as well as for larger community aquariums. It needs an unshaded, preferably free place. With the addition of CO2 and iron in the form of fertilizer, the plant develops significantly stronger growth.
Layout:
© Alexander Presler
The decorative plant is suitable for the foreground or middle ground of the aquarium. However, individual stems of different heights can also be distributed on all levels, which leads to a better depth effect. In addition, the Rotala bonsai can be used in larger groups for dense planting in the background.
The plant also comes into its own in combination with wood, stones and other decorative elements. If the Rotala bonsai is planted in a dense network, it offers ideal hiding and retreat opportunities.
Care and propagation:
Like most stem plants, the Rotala bonsai does not require any special care. The decisive factors are the husbandry conditions, the lighting conditions and the supply of nutrients. If the Rotala bonsai does not receive enough nutrients, it tends to grow in width rather than in height and develops larger leaves. If the plant receives a lot of nutrients, it develops larger leaves.
The growth height of the plant can be regulated by pruning. For propagation, the upper third of a stalk or shoot can be cut off and replanted. In this way, larger and dense groups of Rotala bonsai can be created.
Particularities:
Despite the rather low growth rate of the Rotala bonsai, the plant can be a good one due to its high nutrient requirements algae killer be. This usually applies to fast-growing aquarium plants in particular, as they continuously absorb many nutrients from the water. This means that there are not enough nutrients left for strong algae growth.