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	ID this plant?
hamstamasta Fingerling Posts: 27 Kudos: 17 Votes: 0 Registered: 19-Feb-2005	My friend has a very pretty dark purple plant growing in her tank, but she can't remember the name of it. It's mostly dark purple on the bottoms of the leaves, with dark green on the tops. The leaves are large, almond-shaped, and ruffled. Anyone know what this is?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
whetu Mega Fish Posts: 900 Votes: 63 Registered: 31-Jan-2003	Does it look like the plant in this pic? If so, my LFS called it "dragon's tongue." I can't remember the scientific name though, sorry. Apparently it's not a true aquatic plant and will rot in the tank after a few weeks or months. *whetu attached this image:*
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
hamstamasta Fingerling Posts: 27 Kudos: 17 Votes: 0 Registered: 19-Feb-2005	No, the leaves are much shorter and rounder
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
Cup_of_Lifenoodles Fish Guru Posts: 2755 Kudos: 1957 Votes: 30 Registered: 09-Sep-2004	Whetu, is that a clown I see darting between the rockwork? He's cute. I can't do a positive ID fo shizzle without a picture, but my guess would be our good old friend ludwigia repens.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
Calilasseia Ultimate Fish Guru Panda Funster Posts: 5496 Kudos: 2828 Votes: 731 Registered: 10-Feb-2003	Aren't Ludwigia stemmed plants??? That looks more like a crown-leaved plant to me. Which says to me either an Aponogeton or a Cryptocoryne thanks to the crinkly leaf edges. http://www.tropica.com/default.asp Go here and check out their illustration of Ludwigia repens. Looks very different from the plant above. On the other hand, the same site's illustration of Aponogeton rigidifolius looks a lot closer to the plant in the photo above. And according to the suppliers, is available in a reddish-leaved form. Another possibility from the same site is Barclaya longifolia. This Link may also prove useful. Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
whetu Mega Fish Posts: 900 Votes: 63 Registered: 31-Jan-2003	Cali, the plant in the pic above is my one, but it's not the one hamsta is looking for an ID on. Noodles, yeah that's my clown loach 'HatuPatu'. He spends a lot of his time standing on his tail in the hole in that rock. He's very cute but very shy.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
Cup_of_Lifenoodles Fish Guru Posts: 2755 Kudos: 1957 Votes: 30 Registered: 09-Sep-2004	EDIT: Like I said, I can't really give a great ID without a picture. Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 27-Feb-2005 22:11
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
Untitled No. 4 Big Fish Posts: 488 Kudos: 452 Votes: 33 Registered: 07-Nov-2004	Hamstamasta, perhaps your plant is this one? Whetu, it looks to me that your plant is this one.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
Calilasseia Ultimate Fish Guru Panda Funster Posts: 5496 Kudos: 2828 Votes: 731 Registered: 10-Feb-2003	That Alternanthera reineckii is strange. The info on the page you linked describes it as a stem plant, yet the growth habit both of the plant in the illustration, and Whetu's plant, looks like a crown-leaved plant. Very odd. It's one I wouldn't mind having a go with at some point, though, because it's very attractive. Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
hamstamasta Fingerling Posts: 27 Kudos: 17 Votes: 0 Registered: 19-Feb-2005	Ah, I found it! It's called a purple waffle plant, and apparently isn't aquatic. Grrr... I want my 3 bucks back!]:\|
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
whetu Mega Fish Posts: 900 Votes: 63 Registered: 31-Jan-2003	Yeah hamsta, doesn't that make you mad?! ] Actually that's exactly what happened to me with my purple plant, and I did return it and they did give me a refund. Fortunately we have good consumer laws here, including a clause that says anything must be "fit for the purpose for which it is sold." I argued that a plant that was sold to be put in an aquarium should really be able to live underwater. Eventually they got sick of me and refunded my money!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
bensaf Fish Master Posts: 1978 Kudos: 1315 Registered: 08-Apr-2004	Cal, There a number of varieties of Reineckii - Liliciana (sp?) , Rosefolia et al. Most of them are bog plants and while they can work underwater they are very difficult to grow sucessfully. Only one variety is really a true aquatic (this the one Noodles described) and is actually quite easy to grow even in moderate light. The top of the leaves are a drab olive green (this why it can do well in moderate light)but the underside is an incredible scarlet color. It's a show off plant always has it's leaves pointing upwards showing off the vibrant red / purple underneath. Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue. Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44


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