Ludwigia "ruby": drops of red wine in the aquarium

A lush aquarium plant in the color of red wine with oval, pointed at the ends of leaves - this is Ludwigia "ruby". The exotic nature of its unusual shade on the green background of other plants attracts attention, giving birth to a holistic image.

Ludwigia "ruby": referring to a subgroup

The plant can reach a height of up to forty centimeters, its shoots spread along the surface of the water. The intensity of color increases with the height of the ludwigia: from below the shade is less pronounced, and the higher, the brighter and ruby branches and leaves become.

The plant is quite powerful, the stems are strong, and the leaves reach 4 cm in length.

Reached up to the surface of the water, the branches form a floating bright ruby rosette, the leaves are tightly pressed, there are no obvious internodes.

Blossoms ludwigia "ruby" tiny yellow-green flowers, which against a background of bright burgundy leaves is a rather touching picture. The plant was initially assigned to a group of creeping ludwigs (by external similarity and growth rate). For many people this is still crawling ruby, although subsequent studies have shown that this representative of the aquarium flora is more likely to belong to Ludwigia glandulosa, but most likely it is a hybrid. The consequence of this fact was the appropriation of the name Ludwigia aff. (Affinis - close, related) glandulosa.

Ludwigia Rubin: content and care

In general, the plant does not require special care efforts. The temperature background should be between 20 and 25 ° C.

The luminous flux is needed stable and strong enough - from 0.5 W / liter of water in the aquarium (or slightly more). Fulfillment of this requirement will give an intense color to the leaves, and a decrease in the light flux will lead to a complete loss of shade. A small portion of daylight also does not hurt.

A special requirement for the content of ludwigia "ruby" is the volume of water: the plant develops well and pleases the eye with intensity of color, only if the aquarium has at least 80 liters of water.

The food should be stable and contain, in addition to a complex of trace elements, also iron, which will ensure a bright wine color of the leaves. And the introduction of a small amount of clay in the soil will enable ludwigia to develop more quickly.

A natural small siltation of the aquarium is a normal viable environment for it.

Planting

Aquarists need to know that ludwigia "ruby" develops quickly enough, combining with many habitual plants. To put it, in terms of water landscape design, is better in the center of the aquarium against the background of green neighbors, making sure that they have different shades and the shape of the leaves.

Side shoots and aerial roots of ludwigia can quickly fill the space, so they must be periodically removed. This operation is painless for her, and as a result, a new planting material is obtained.

Cuttings can immediately be placed in the sand layer of the aquarium, slightly dampening them.

In case there is a drainage layer in the aquarium, small branches of ludwigia can safely settle down in it and begin to grow. The only condition of life in this situation is the amount of drainage fraction - the less, the better.

If the volume of the aquarium is less than 80 liters, ludwigia can be placed in a special pot, attaching it to the wall of the aquarium and not forgetting the conditions of increased illumination for the plant. In this case, you need to ensure that it does not become too large, because intensive growth can lead to very rapid wilting - the lower leaves begin to rot and then the cuttings fall out.

Reproduction

Multiply the "ruby" can be done in several ways:

• Dividing the side branch into several parts, leaving in each part 3-5 interstices;
• Cutting off any escaping grown upper part, which usually begins to spread along the surface;
• Removing from the main plant grown in the axils of the leaves air roots with a small new ludwigia.

Cuttings can be cut off both into the ground and left on the surface of the water. Roots will appear in either case. Freely floating on the surface of the water, blackies represent a funny sight - a rug begins to form from above, and when viewed from below, bright red small plants that shade the green of the neighbors and even change the natural illumination inside the aquarium are visible, adding a small reddish tinge.

Diseases

Decay of the lower leaves occurs with low illumination of both the aquarium itself and an individual plant. You can save ludwigia by cutting off good parts of twigs and rosettes and letting them over the surface. It is desirable to change the water in this situation, and the lighting should be immediately corrected.

On the leaves can appear holes - this indicates a lack of calcium in mineral fertilizing.

The mud, dirt and high content of carbon dioxide in the aquarium depress the plant. Weekly water changes (at least a third) and permanent aeration - only in such conditions grows Ludwigia "ruby".

The leaves cling to the stem very closely - an alarming symptom, you need to quickly measure the rigidity of water, the indicator can be critical. A PH is considered to be normal from 4 to 7.

Compliance with simple conditions will grow a beautiful plant. And live in the aquarium ludwigia "ruby" will be several years.