Rotala Indica "Bonsai" (Ammania sp. Bonsai)

Rotala Indica "Bonsai" Token

• Difficulty: Media
• Family: Lythraceae
• Gender: Rotala
• Origin: Asia
• Lighting: Media
• Temperature: 18nd - 30th
• Increase: Slow
• PH: 5.0 – 7.0
• Hardness: 0 – 30
• Co2: recommendable

Characteristics of Rotala Indica "Bonsai"

Rotala Indica is slow growing; under high light, the tips and stems turn reddish. With their thick, straight, sparsely branched stems and rounded leaves, they are best planted in a group in the front or middle of the aquarium. Rotala Indica is particularly suitable for small aquariums, but a large clump of this plant can also look good in a larger aquarium. Good lighting and a good supply of CO2 and nutrients must be guaranteed. Also, R. indica should not be planted in the shade.

There is quite a bit of confusion about the name Rotala Indica in Aquascaping. The reason for this is that, in 1960, Rotala Rotundifolia was imported under the misnomer "Rotala Indica". Even today, the especially reddish forms of the highly variable Rotala Rotundifolia are sold as "Rotala Indica" in stores.

However, the true Rotala Indica is a completely different species that plays a very important role as an aquarium plant. Recently, the plant sold as “Ammannia sp. 'Bonsai' ”has been identified as the true Rotala indica.

Rotala Indica is widely spread in the warmer regions of Asia and is very often found as annual grass in paddy fields. It has been introduced in other regions of land where rice is grown, e.g. Eg in northern Italy.

The emerged and submerged forms of Rotala Indica clearly differ from Rotala Rotundifolia.

Rotala Indica leaves are 0.5-1.7 cm long. Their emerged and submerged shape do not differ much. Another difference between R. Indica and R. Rotundifolia is the margin of the "cartilaginous" leaf: with a strong magnifying glass or under a microscope it can be seen that the margin of the leaf is thicker and more transparent (without chlorophyll). The submerged form of R. Indica has a strictly vertical growth habit, dense foliage, a relatively thick stem and little branching. Under sufficient light, the tip of the bud is reddish.

Rotala Indica is quite slow growing, and in the aquarium it has relatively high demands regarding light intensity and nutrient supply. Its nearly pillar-like vertical shoots are best planted as a larger single group of stems of different lengths in the middle of the aquarium.