Tiger lotus (dwarf)

**Mystikboy** · 29th Mar 2012, 21:40

Hi im starting a new scape and though I'm not into rooted plants, I'm very taken with the tiger lotus. Does anyone know where to find the dwarf variant? And if it can fare well in Singapore temperature? I'm using dry ferts and BW growth

**Aquanoob** · 29th Mar 2012, 22:50

I saw the dwarf and normal version at Y618 weeks ago and I bought the normal type. You can check out the shop or call up to check the availability. It is a very good and not demanding plant and it will spur out new leaves very fast.

**Mystikboy** · 29th Mar 2012, 23:00

I see thanks! May I know how you identify the dwarf from the normal? And does it have any Special requirements? I read that it prefers to take up nutrients through its roots. And that iron maintains its red. I'm not using a substrate with any additives so I hope that's not going to be a drawback

**Aquanoob** · 29th Mar 2012, 23:32

I checked with the boss and he told me so. My tiger lotus is doing well in my tank with ada amazonia 2 soil and regular macro and micro fert and occasional seachem iron dose. I don't know whether there is any difference with the dwarf type.

**Mystikboy** · 30th Mar 2012, 07:13

I see thanks so much.
May I ask if you use chiller/co2?

**Aquanoob** · 30th Mar 2012, 08:45

No, my tank is a low tech tank, no co2, no chiller. Only excel, micro, macro ferts added to the tank.

**Royston** · 30th Mar 2012, 08:47

From my experience RTL when presented with a rich substrate & good light will tend to climb & flower. But they can be taught to be dwarf / mini by constant trimming of the leaves once they grow too tall. The ones in the market label as dwarf are either young plantlets, grow in less ideal conditions or already taught not to grow tall however most of the time when they are replanted they will need to be trim again.

**Royston** · 30th Mar 2012, 09:11

My RTL top are the "untrain" about 3weeks old bottom are the seasoned plant more than 1month old.

**Mystikboy** · 30th Mar 2012, 11:33

I see. I went to search and there are two types. One tiger lotus lily (nymphaea marculata) and dwarf lily (nymphaea stellata) the tiger looks really pretty but the dwarf would suit my small tank better I think...
Isit hard to being out a really intense red? I see few tanks achieving that coloration..

**Royston** · 1st Apr 2012, 16:31

Oh maybe I'm with the wrong lotus I'm talking about nymphaea lotus as per indicated in Tropica's website.

**shawnchen** · 4th Apr 2012, 01:16

stellata is not small also, with good fert the leaves can easily hit 20cm in diameter

**Mystikboy** · 4th Apr 2012, 07:13

Wow that's huge. But I hear with regular trimming I can control the size.. Any thoughts on that.?

**Marlinsons** · 6th Apr 2012, 16:18

I have tiger lotus as well. When they are young, they are usually small and looks like the dwarf type. As they mature, the leaves gets larger. If the plants do not have enough light it will grow upwards to the surface to get more light at the same time, it will turn to less red and eventually to green.

I have recently upgraded my old t5ho lights to LED lamp and the leaves starts to return back to the red color now. I am quite happy with the change to LED Lamp.