Please help ID this plant

**KaedeGwen** · 22nd Nov 2013, 00:07

They grow very slow and easily targeted by algae..

hope to find out more in order to give it the condition it needs as I find it very pretty..

Thanks for helping!

**David** · 27th Nov 2013, 16:39

Definitely and most likely a Crypto....which species I am not too sure.

**KaedeGwen** · 27th Nov 2013, 18:40

Pardon my ignorance, but this one seems to grow upright stem while crypt doesn't have stem right..?
So confused with this plant and its plagued with algae.. ;( need to save it soon, going to move it to a low light tank.

**bluebubbles** · 28th Nov 2013, 00:23

Originally Posted by KaedeGwen

They grow very slow and easily targeted by algae..

hope to find out more in order to give it the condition it needs as I find it very pretty..

Thanks for helping!

This is called Hygrophila Pinnatifida. It will grow in any directions with stems and branches and will appeared like "weed" if your tank condition is right. Could be another jewel from india. I have mentioned them in my blog, with photos, on 17 Aug 2013.

**comet** · 28th Nov 2013, 08:42

I am not sure if it's really Hygrophila pinnatifida, the magenta color of the leaves is not normal. If the plant had been in a few weeks in your tank, and it remains much the same, most likely is Dragon's Breath, Hemigraphis repanda 'Acanthus'. Which is not a aquatic plant at all. Sometimes sold in pet shop as aquatic plants. I brought this before, not much of growth in water.

**bluebubbles** · 28th Nov 2013, 16:04

Originally Posted by comet

I am not sure if it's really Hygrophila pinnatifida, the magenta color of the leaves is not normal. If the plant had been in a few weeks in your tank, and it remains much the same, most likely is Dragon's Breath, Hemigraphis repanda 'Acanthus'. Which is not a aquatic plant at all. Sometimes sold in pet shop as aquatic plants. I brought this before, not much of growth in water.

I guess the TS has just bought the plants thus it remains in magenta color. Mine was almost the same as his when I bought it at GC with same shape and color. Now it has grown tall and turn green in color with new babies at the root and branch coming out from its stem. The leaves have became thinner though. May be they are the same as dragon breath which sounds so auspicious name.

**Dodofish** · 28th Nov 2013, 22:52

very nice plant. how long can hygrophila grow?

**bluebubbles** · 28th Nov 2013, 23:54

Originally Posted by Dodofish

very nice plant. how long can hygrophila grow?

Intrusive, may even emerge from the water surface. You can search youtube to get a feel of their growth regime.

**TS168** · 29th Nov 2013, 11:03

Hemigraphis repanda 'Acanthus' are garden plant but interesting they are being sold as aquatic plant.

Hygrophila pinnatifida is a aquatic plant, it not easy to grow it well, what i mean "grow well" is not many hobbyist can get it tame to grow low and crawl, and to get it beautiful color. Hygrophila pinnatifida does not have purple color under the leaf. If condition not good, you can't bring out the red color of the leaf and will endup a tall stem plant. It will only be beautiful if you can tame it low and get it best color out.

IMG_1688.jpg
refer to: http://www.aquascapia.com/2012/12/aq...lasgarten.html

For planted hobbyist, this is a good plant to have if you can. Thanks

**KaedeGwen** · 1st Dec 2013, 02:00

Hi all, thanks for all the ideas, it does look very similar to dragon's breath which is a really pretty plant.

I am now trying to keep in hi-tech planted tank, low-tech tank and an enclosed emersed method and see which one is doing well.
Under the high tech tank, it has sprouted some bright green leaflets and roots keep growing too, but it seems to grow upwards.\
It did not melt in any of these setup despite being in there for over 1.5 month already.

Thanks again for all the helps!