Nesaea Crassicaulis

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Red Ammannia

Synonyms

Ammannia crassicaulis (Guill. & Perr.) Koehne

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Tropical and southeastern Africa, Madagascar

Habitat

Swamps, marshes, rice paddies, and seasonally flooded rivulets and riverbanks in tropical Africa and Madagascar

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Difficult

Growth form

Stem

Max height

4 – 20 in (10 – 51 cm)

Spread

6 in (15 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Background, Midground

Water

Temperature

72 – 82 °F (22 – 28 °C)

pH

6.0 – 7.5

GH

2 – 12 dGH

dKH

0 – 9 dKH

Flow

Moderate

Light

High

CO₂

Required

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich required

Feeds from

Both

Fertilizer needs

High

Colors

Green, Red, Brown, Orange

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Cuttings

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Care guide

Overview

Grows upright in dense background stands, pushing out narrow reddish-brown to burnt-orange leaves along thick stems as it matures. Success depends on strong lighting, pressurized CO2, and heavy root and water-column feeding, without which it fades to green and drops lower leaves. Space stems apart and trim tops every one to two weeks to maintain a full, non-leggy stand.

Care

This stem plant needs strong, unobstructed lighting to keep its lower leaves from dropping and its color from fading toward plain green. It grows best with pressurized CO2 injection and consistent nutrient dosing, since without both algae tends to outcompete it under the bright light it demands. Space stems apart rather than packing them tightly so light and water movement can reach the base, and expect to trim and replant tops every one to two weeks once established.

Planting & trimming

Trim healthy side shoots or stem tops, strip the lowest pair of leaves to expose bare stem, and press the cutting gently into fine gravel or aquasoil without crushing the tissue. Keep new plantings spaced generously so light reaches down between stems as they mature. Replace old, balding lower stems periodically with fresh top cuttings to maintain a full look.

Fertilizing

Provide a nutrient-rich substrate supplemented with root tabs along with regular liquid fertilizer dosing, since this plant is a heavy feeder through both roots and water column. Iron and micronutrient dosing help maintain the reddish-brown coloration on new growth. A lack of light penetration or nutrients typically shows up first as pale, leggy stems and dropped lower leaves rather than nutrient spotting.

Propagation

Propagates readily from cuttings taken from healthy side shoots or stem tops, which root within a few weeks when replanted in the substrate. Regular pruning of established stems encourages branching and a bushier growth habit.

Problems

Insufficient light or CO2 relative to the plant's demand quickly leads to algae fouling the stems and leaves, especially diatoms and green film algae on older growth. Bare, leggy lower stems are a common sign that the plant has been left too long without trimming or that neighboring plants are shading its base. It is frequently mislabeled in the trade and confused with the similar but less demanding Ammannia gracilis.

Sources

1. Ammannia crassicaulis - Tropica Aquarium Plants
2. Nesaea crassicaulis – Care Guide for Vibrant Aquascaping Plants
3. Nesaea crassicaulis care: light, CO2 and placement · TankBud
4. Ammannia crassicaulis - Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database

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