Helanthium tenellum ("Red")

Pygmy chain sword

Helanthium tenellum ("Red")

Pygmy chain sword

  • Grasslike ground covering plant
  • Very narrow leaves
  • Olive green to reddish coloration
  • Spreads fast through runners
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Foreground group for aquariums

Foreground

Middle ground plant for aquariums

Middle ground

Aquarium plant for nano aquariums

Nano aquarium

Difficulty of the aquarium plant
Difficulty Medium
Growth of the aquarium plant
Growth Medium
Light above the aquarium
Light Medium
Maximum water hardness for this aquarium plant in the aquarium
Water hardness max. Medium
Care height of aquarium plants
Recommended care height 5-10 cm
CO2 in the planted aquarium
CO2 Yes
Discus in the planted aquarium
Discus suitable Yes

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Description

Small foreground plants for aquariums are in short supply, but Helanthium tenellum (= Echinodorus tenellus) is one of the best. The submerged leaves are very narrow and light-, middle-, olive-green to reddish. It differs from the always light green Helanthium tenellum "parvulum" by darker, often reddish coloration and narrower leaves. The runners spread round the aquarium. A true "lawn'' effect appr. 5-10 cm tall is only achieved at high light intensities, so you must make sure larger plants do not overshadow the plant. Plant individual plants a couple of centimetres apart (easiest with tweezers). A nutritious bottom promotes growth.

Helanthium tenellum, the pygmy chain sword, is still also known under its synonym Echinodorus tenellus. It is the smallest known species among the runner-forming sword plants, and rather variable. The variety usually found in trade originates from the American tropics (Brazil?). Its submersed leaves are very narrow, pointed, and of a medium to olive green or even reddish. They grow to a length of 6 to 10 cm, sometimes even longer, and a width of about 1.5 mm. Their widest part lies above the middle, around 2 cm below the tip.
The submersed leaves of another form originating from North America (see Helanthium tenellum "parvulum"), though rarely cultivated today, has always light green leaves that are not as narrow, with around 2 mm width. They have their widest part below the middle.


- To be continued -

Common names Pygmy chain sword
Complete botanical name Helánthium tenéllum (Mart. ex Schult.f.) J.G.Sm.
Family Alismataceae
Genus Helanthium
Difficulty medium
Usage Nano tanks, Foreground, group, Foreground, ground cover
Aquascaping forms a grass-like lawn
Growth fast
pH value 5 - 7
Temperature tolerance 10 - 35°C
Carbonate hardness 0 - 14°dKH
General hardness 0 - 30°dGH
Propagation Runners
Can grow emersed? yes
Source Flowgrow
Common names
Pygmy chain sword
Complete botanical name
Helánthium tenéllum (Mart. ex Schult.f.) J.G.Sm.
Family
Alismataceae
Genus
Helanthium
Difficulty
medium
Usage
Nano tanks, Foreground, group, Foreground, ground cover
Aquascaping
forms a grass-like lawn
Growth
fast
pH value
5 - 7
Temperature tolerance
10 - 35°C
Carbonate hardness
0 - 14°dKH
General hardness
0 - 30°dGH
Propagation
Runners
Can grow emersed?
yes
Source
Flowgrow

How many plants do I need?

How big is the area to be planted? (cm)

General information

Item no.
EAN
Weight
Shipping weight

Questions and answers about Helanthium tenellum ("Red")

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Customer reviews

This item has been rated 5 out of 5 stars
21 Reviews
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5 Stars(21)
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3 Stars(0)
2 Stars(0)
1 Star(0)
Jochen G.
Perfect quality
10th February 2025
Helanthium tenellum ("Red") - in Vitro XL
Helanthium tenellum ("Red") - in Vitro XL

The moss arrived in very good condition and has been taking root very well for me ever since.

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Perfekte Qualität

Das Moos kam in sehr gutem Zustand und wächst seitdem bei mir auch sehr gut an.

Stefanie D.
Great quality
6th December 2024
Helanthium tenellum ("Red") - in Vitro XL
Helanthium tenellum ("Red") - in Vitro XL

Very nice ground cover for my angelfish tank :) :) :)

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Tolle Qualität

Sehr schöner Bodendecker für mein Skalar Becken :) :) :)

Florian T.
Highly recommended
13th August 2024
Helanthium tenellum ("Red") - in Vitro XL
Helanthium tenellum ("Red") - in Vitro XL

There were more than enough plants in the shipping container, which I found very positive... getting them apart, however, was harder ????

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Absolut empfehlenswert

Es befanden sich mehr als ausreichend viele Pflanzen im Transportgefäß was ich sehr positiv fand... schwieriger war hingegen diese auseinander zu bekommen ????

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