Echinodorus 'Red Flame'
Echinodorus "Red Flame"
Also sold as Red flame sword
Synonyms Red flame
Echinodorus 'Red Flame' (Echinodorus "Red Flame") is a rosette plant for the midground and the background, growing to about 30 cm (11.8 in) at a moderate pace. It wants 72–82°F (22–28°C), low light and no CO₂, and counts as an easy plant to keep alive.
At a glance
| Type | Rosette plant |
|---|---|
| Light | LowThe least light it survives in, not the light it looks best in. |
| CO₂ | Not neededWhether it survives without added CO₂ — not whether CO₂ would help it grow faster. |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Temperature | 72–82°F (22–28°C) |
| Max height | 30 cm (11.8 in)Grown submersed, left to mature, never trimmed. |
| Growth rate | Moderate |
| Placement | planted in the midground and the background |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
Before it goes in
- Echinodorus 'Red Flame' lives under a plain low-light LED — it does not need a planted-tank lamp to survive.
- It grows without CO₂.
- It feeds through its roots, so in plain sand or gravel it needs root tabs; in an aquasoil it does not.
- Expect it to melt back a few weeks after planting and regrow from the roots — pulling it out at that point is the mistake.
- It only colours up under strong light with CO₂; in a low-tech tank it stays green.
- At about 30 cm (11.8 in) it belongs behind everything shorter — planted at the front it hides the rest of the scape and shades it.
- Its leaves are medium: Goldfish, Electric Yellow Lab and Colombian Ramshorn Snail will eat it.
Echinodorus 'Red Flame': care and setup
Can it grow without CO₂?
Yes. Echinodorus 'Red Flame' does not need CO₂ at all.
How much light does it need?
Low light is enough — and that is the survival line, not the “it looks better” line. Colour is a separate question: it only turns red under strong light with CO₂.
How big does it get?
About 30 cm (11.8 in) tall when it is mature and untrimmed, growing at a moderate pace, after roughly 4 weeks to root in.
Why is it melting?
That is normal for this one. It usually drops its existing leaves a few weeks after planting and regrows from the roots — leave it in place and it comes back.
Will my fish eat it?
Its leaves are medium, so some will: Goldfish, Electric Yellow Lab and Colombian Ramshorn Snail.
What it goes with
- Plants that run on the same light and CO₂, so they can share a tank without one of them being the odd one out: Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis', Water Sprite, Anubias nana 'Petite' and Frogbit.
- Animals that share its temperature range and will not eat or uproot it: Betta, Cherry Shrimp, Angelfish and Bristlenose Pleco.
Often compared with
| Echinodorus 'Red Flame' | Echinodorus 'Aquartica' | Echinodorus 'Fancy Twist' | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Low | Medium | Low |
| CO₂ | Not needed | Not needed | Not needed |
| Max height | 30 cm | 20 cm | 40 cm |
| Difficulty | Easy | Medium | Easy |