Echinodorus Peruensis

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Peruvian Sword; Dwarf Amazon Sword

Synonyms

Echinodorus parviflorus 'peruensis'

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Peru, Bolivia, South America

Habitat

Shallow freshwater marshes, flooded plains, and shaded riverbanks and canals in the Amazon basin

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Growth form

Rosette

Max height

4 – 12 in (10 – 30 cm)

Spread

10 in (25 cm)

Growth rate

Moderate

Placement

Midground, Background

Water

Temperature

72 – 82 °F (22 – 28 °C)

pH

6.0 – 7.5

GH

3 – 10 dGH

dKH

3 – 10 dKH

PAR

30 – 80 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Medium

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich preferred

Feeds from

Roots

Fertilizer needs

Medium

Colors

Green

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Adventitious plantlets, Runners

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Care guide

Overview

Reaching roughly 4 to 12 inches with a spread near 10 inches, this rosette stays more compact than other Echinodorus swords while still filling midground to background space. Lance-shaped green leaves with prominent veins rise from a short petiole, best kept dark and dense under medium to high light. It roots heavily, so a nutrient-rich substrate and regular root tabs matter more than water column dosing.

Care

A compact member of the Echinodorus group, this sword forms a dense rosette of lance-shaped leaves with a short petiole, staying smaller than most of its relatives while still reading as a substantial midground to background specimen. It tolerates a range of lighting but shows the best compact habit and darkest leaf tone under medium to high light, and does fine without CO2 injection though supplementation speeds growth. A nutrient-rich substrate is essential since the plant relies heavily on its thick root system for feeding, and sudden shifts in water chemistry should be avoided since they can trigger leaf melt.

Planting & trimming

Free the roots from any wool or rock-wool packaging before planting and bury only the root mass, keeping the crown of the rosette above the substrate surface. Space individual specimens several inches apart since the rosette spreads considerably as it matures, and expect the plant to send up thin leaves toward the surface if grown emersed, producing small white flowers above the waterline. Trim outer leaves regularly to keep the canopy from shading shorter plants nearby.

Fertilizing

Root tabs pushed into the substrate near the base every three to four months supply the iron and trace elements this heavy root feeder needs, and a mineral-rich aquasoil or clay-based substrate gives it a strong start. Liquid fertilizers help address water column deficiencies but do not substitute for root feeding in this species. Pale new growth or thin, washed-out leaves usually point to insufficient iron or a substrate that has become nutrient-depleted.

Propagation

Established plants produce adventitious plantlets on side shoots or runners that can be separated once they have grown a few of their own leaves and developed visible roots, then replanted directly into substrate elsewhere in the tank. Flowering stalks sent up in emersed culture can also produce plantlets along their length. Division of the mother rosette is uncommon compared to propagation via runners.

Problems

Newly planted specimens can shed several leaves as they adjust, a normal transitional melt that resolves once new roots establish, though it becomes a persistent problem if parameters swing widely. Older, damaged, or algae-covered leaves should be removed at the base to redirect energy into fresh growth and to prevent them from shading the rest of the rosette. Iron or potassium deficiency shows up as pale or yellowing new leaves rather than the older foliage.

Sources

1. Echinodorus parviflorus (E. "peruensis") | Atlarium
2. Echinodorus Peruensis Aquarium Plant - Buce Plant
3. Echinodorus: Echinodorus peruensis

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