Staurogyne repens

Quick facts

Max height

10 cm

Growth rate

slow

Difficulty

beginner

Placement

foreground, midground

Propagation

lateral shoots, stem cuttings

Water parameters

Temperature

20–28°C

pH

5.5 to 7.5

Hardness

2 to 15 dGH

Light and nutrients

Lighting

medium

CO2

not required, but boosts growth and color

Substrate

nutrient preferred

Feeding

feeds from both water column and roots (liquid ferts plus root tabs)

Substrate

What this plant roots into (or attaches to). The substrate affects both plant nutrition and water chemistry; see each linked page for full effects.

This plant feeds primarily from the water column, so substrate choice matters more for its fish-tank compatibility than for plant nutrition.

With fish

Plant-eating fish

safe with plant-eating fish (tough leaves or unpalatable)

Diggers (corydoras, loaches)

fine - root system or attachment style handles it

Root-disturbing fish

tolerates fish that disturb roots

Habitat

Native to South America (Brazil), found growing along riverbanks and in shallow water in the Amazon basin. The species (Staurogyne repens) is a compact, creeping plant with small (1–3 cm), bright green, oval leaves on short stems. It grows from a central stem that creeps along the substrate surface, producing upright side shoots that form a dense, low-growing bush (3–8 cm tall). The growth habit is reminiscent of a miniature Hygrophila. S. repens was introduced to the aquascaping hobby around 2008-2010 from Brazilian collections and quickly became popular as a foreground to midground plant that's easier to grow than many carpeting species while still producing a low, dense growth form. The compact, creeping growth form and bright green coloring make it visually similar to a miniature Hygrophila bush, providing a foreground that looks natural and organic rather than the manicured-lawn aesthetic of true carpet plants. Available as tissue culture cups from most aquatic plant producers. The species adapts well to a range of conditions, making it one of the more reliable foreground plants for medium-tech tanks.

Care notes

Easy to moderate. Grows under moderate to high light; under low light, the stems stretch upward and the plant loses its compact, creeping form. CO2 is not strictly required but produces noticeably more compact and bushy growth. Plant small portions 2–3 cm apart, pressing the stems into the substrate. The creeping stems root at each node. Rich substrate and root tabs support the vigorous root system. Growth is moderate; the plant fills in over 4-8 weeks under good conditions. Trim the tops to maintain a uniform height of 3–5 cm; trimming promotes side shooting and creates a bushier, denser growth form. The small, bright green leaves create a natural-looking low foreground that's less formal than a true carpet plant. Temperature: 20–28°C. pH 6.0-7.5. Soft to moderately hard water. S. repens is a good middle ground between demanding carpet plants (HC Cuba, dwarf hairgrass) and taller stem plants: it stays low without extreme light and CO2 demands. Available from most aquatic plant retailers as tissue culture.

Further reading

• CO2 injection for planted tanks: what it costs, what it does, and when to skip it