Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red'
Ludwigia palustris
Also sold as Ludwigia sp. Red · Ludwigia Mini Super Red · Ludwigia super red · Super red ludwigia
Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red' (Ludwigia palustris) is a stem plant for the background and the midground, growing to about 30 cm (11.8 in) at a fast pace. It wants 64–82°F (18–28°C), low light and CO₂ if you have it, and counts as a medium-difficulty plant to keep alive.
At a glance
| Type | Stem plant |
|---|---|
| Light | LowThe least light it survives in, not the light it looks best in. |
| CO₂ | RecommendedWhether it survives without added CO₂ — not whether CO₂ would help it grow faster. |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Temperature | 64–82°F (18–28°C) |
| Max height | 30 cm (11.8 in)Grown submersed, left to mature, never trimmed. |
| Growth rate | Fast |
| Placement | planted in the background and the midground |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
Before it goes in
- Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red' lives under a plain low-light LED — it does not need a planted-tank lamp to survive.
- CO₂ is not required, but without it expect slow growth and a thinner result.
- In too little light it stretches: long bare stems between leaves instead of a bushy plant.
- 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.
Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red': care and setup
Can it grow without CO₂?
Yes, but slowly. Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red' is listed as CO₂-recommended, not CO₂-required: without injection it survives and grows, it just takes far longer to fill in.
How much light does it need?
Low light is enough — and that is the survival line, not the “it looks better” line. Below it, this one stretches instead of spreading. 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 fast, after roughly 2 weeks to root in.
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: Water Sprite, Anubias nana 'Petite', Cryptocoryne wendtii 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
| Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red' | Ludwigia arcuata | Ludwigia glandulosa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Low | Medium | Medium |
| CO₂ | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
| Max height | 30 cm | 30 cm | 30 cm |
| Difficulty | Medium | Medium | Medium |