Product description
About the species
Blyxa japonica grows naturally in nutrient-rich shallow pools, swamps and slow-flowing rivers in East and South East Asia. The plant became known in the hobby through Takashi Amano's aquascapes in the 1990s and has been a classic ever since. Its grass-like habit moves easily in the current and gives a lively contrast to stiffer plants.
Facts
• Latin name: Blyxa japonica
• Plant type: Rosette plant
• Origin: Asia
• Height: 10–20 cm
• Growth rate: Medium
• Position: Midground
Light requirement
Medium light requirement. Reckon on around 0.5 W per litre or a modern mid-range LED unit. Too little light gives sparse, stretched shoots and pale leaves, while the right amount keeps the plant compact and richly coloured.
CO₂ & nutrition
Added CO₂ is recommended — Tropica reckons 6–14 mg/l as a medium requirement. The plant can be grown without, but then grows more slowly and loses some of its colour. Supplement with liquid fertiliser weekly and keep iron and potassium levels up.
Planting
Plant the root ball in the substrate so the roots are covered but the crown — where the new leaves emerge — sits just above it. Burying the growth point makes the plant rot. Give it plenty of room, since the leaves spread out in a rosette.
Rinse all the gel off in lukewarm water before planting, otherwise it can cause bacterial cloudiness. The cup holds many small plants — divide them up and plant them in several portions.
Care & propagation
Cut old outer leaves off at the base once they start to look tired, and the rosette stays fresh. The plant propagates itself with daughter plants from the rootstock; separate them from the mother plant once they have their own roots and a few leaves.
Position in the aquarium
Its height makes it a classic midground plant. It works nicely as the transition between low foreground plants and tall background plants, and looks best in a group or around a piece of wood.
Difficulty level
🟡 Moderate — wants stable lighting and regular fertilisation to look its best.
Delivery format
Delivered as 1-2-Grow! — a laboratory-grown cup holding many small plants in nutrient gel. Because the plant is cultivated in vitro it is completely free of snails, algae, planaria and pesticides, which makes it the safest choice for a shrimp aquarium.
Recommendation
A favourite among aquascapers as a midground plant in groups, where the grass-like tufts form soft mounds. Give it a nutrient-rich substrate and preferably CO₂ — in strong light it takes on a bronze-red tone.
