Lilaeopsis brasiliensis                                                           return to article list
                                                     
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis is an ideal specie of plant for giving your aquarium the effect that of a perfect lawn. The leaves of this wonderful carpeting plant resemble those of the blades of grass you would find on the lawn of a typical English country garden.
The fresh grass green colour this plant offers, certainly adds the element of “ healthy and alive” to the aquarium.

Lilaeopsis in nature

As the scientific name of Lilaeopsis brasiliensis suggests that this specie of Lilaeopsis originates from Brazil in South America. With its place of origin also giving the specie its common name “Brazilian micro sword”.
The genus Lilaeopsis belongs to the large family of plants Apiaceae. This family comprises of about 300 genera containing 3000 different species. Which are mostly flowering herbs with hollow stems. There are at least 15 species that make up the genus Lilaeopsis. These can be found with a geographical distribution from the North to the South of America, along with species found in Australia and New Zealand.
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis as with the other members of its genus can be found carpeting the bank-sides of shallow streams, rivers and ponds. Growing both emersed and submersed into clear bodies of water.
On land Lilaeopsis offers food for grazing animals, while submersed under water it offers many species of fish a perfect spawning medium.
The leaf blades grow to an average height of between 4 and 7 centimetres. And the plant can have a coverage spanning many meters.

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis in the aquarium

Brazilian micro sword offers the aquarium that much desired low-level growth of plant coverage. And under high light conditions that neat and perfect lawn effect can be achieved to its best. Though this plant will also grow well in low to moderately lit aquariums, only the growth rate of this usually slow growing plant will be even slower.
The substrate you provide for this plant is important for the upkeep of its health. The substrate should be nutrient rich or that of nicely mature. Lilaeopsis species grow and spread via creeping rhizomes. From these running rhizomes fine white roots are produced, which the plant uses for both anchorage and the up-take of nutrients. A lack in nutrients will lead to chlorosis of the plants leaves; this is usually shown with the leaves turning yellow in colour.

Requirements

Lighting: High for best results

Temperature: 15-26c

PH: 6-8, 7 ideal

Hardness: soft-hard

CO2: beneficial

Fertiliser: via substrate, and or liquid nutrients



Planting out

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis is usually seen for sale potted and rooted in rock wool or some other media. Here at Living Waters we offer our customers two “easy plant” ways of buying this fantastic aquatic plant specie.

There are no pots to remove
There is no teasing away rock wool from fragile roots
And there is no planting into the substrate

Grass grids

The first way we sell Lilaeopsis brasiliensis is by far the easiest way of introducing a carpeting plant specie to your aquarium. The plant is growing from non-toxic plastic coated metal grids. They measure 10 x 12 centimetres, and are well rooted. All you have to do is place the grids on the surface of your substrate, sit back and allow the plant to grow and spread.

Turfs

The second way we offer Lilaeopsis brasiliensis for sale is by the turf. These are dense mats of rooted rhizomes, measuring aprox 30 x 20+ centimetres. The turfs come already weighted, and so all you have to do is place them in your aquarium and literally sit back and watch the grass grow.

10 x 12cm grid £10.00

Aprox 30 x 20 cm turf £30.00

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