Growing Staurogyne Repens Emersed

Staurogyne Repens is found in the river Rio Cristalino and originates from Brazil. This type of plant grows on and in between rocks in fast-flowing rivers and does best with full sun in its natural habitat.

As an aquarium plant, staurogyne repens is a versatile plant that grows as carpets and dense bushes, making it a great choice for aquascaping. This plant is excellent for closing gaps between rocks and plants and forming a bush to add variety.

This article discusses staurogyne repens emersed and how to care for them.

Staurogyne repens emersed

Staurogyne repens is a freshwater plant that will help keep your tank clean by removing toxins and nitrate.

Emersed vs. submersed

The emersed form of Staurogyne Repens has reddish-brown stems, while the submersed form is mainly green. Leaf forms vary from plant to plant but are mostly oval-shaped with pointed ends. The roots are typically thin and white on both emersed and submersed plants, but you can’t see them once it is planted. It is a slow-growing plant that reaches a maximum height of 4 inches.

This plant is great for the lower levels of your tank because it forms a carpet over the substrate and provides shelter to bottom-dwelling fish. Since it only grows 2 to 4 inches tall, it leaves plenty of swimming space for your aquarium creatures. Like other plants, it oxygenates the water and removes nitrates.

Planting staurogyne repens

When you first get a staurogyne repens plant, check that the stems are free of damage. They should be firm and either green or slightly brown in color. The plant you purchase should be fully grown or nearly fully grown.

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To avoid overcrowding your tank, only plant a few stems to begin with. Staurogyne repens grows low and wide and will cover more area over time. Plant one stem for every 2 to 3 gallons.

Plant your staurogyne repens half an inch into the sediment. The roots of this plant may attach or grow around decorations, so be careful where you plant it if you plan to move decorations around later.

Don’t plant staurogyne repens under tall decorations because they may cast a shadow over the plant. Also, if you have plants that float on the surface, be sure that they are not above your staruogyne repens. This plant does best in full light and will not grow or remain healthy if it is shaded.

How to care for staurogyne repens

Staurogyne repens is an easy plant to care for. It is resilient, hardy, and requires little maintenance, making it a great choice for beginners.

For best results, plant your staurogyne repens in a 10-gallon tank or larger. Keep the pH levels between 6 and 8.

Your staurogyne repens plant needs a good lighting system for photosynthesis. Leave standard aquarium lights on for about 10 hours a day.

Staurogyne repens does best in strong light, soft to medium-hard water (3 to 10 KH), a temperature between 68 and 86 Fahrenheit, and Co2 added. Planting staurogyme repens on a nutrient-rich substrate will also help your plant thrive by allowing it to develop a dense root system.

In addition to the above, a moist substrate is also best for emersed cultivation. The substrate you plant your staurogyne repens on should allow your plant to root into it. Smaller gravels and sand make good choices for substrates.

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Remember to keep the water in your tank clear by performing regular water changes. This allows light to penetrate the lower levels of your tank.

Your staurogyne repens plant will start to form flowers quickly under the right conditions.

Trimming staurogyne repens

If you want your staurogyne plant to grow more carpet-like, cut the long, upright stems to about 5 cm before planting it. Use the cut-off pieces to propagate the plant if you are looking to grow more.

If you want your plant to grow higher and more dense, let the stems grow upright. You can trim your staurogyne remens plant like a hedge.

The stems grow at different rates, so you don’t have to cut every stem while trimming. Just trim the faster growing ones to recreate the carpet look or keep your plant trimmed neat like a hedge.

How to revive staurogyne repens

If your staurogyne repens is looking unhealthy, add a supplement to the water in your tank. Sagging stems and dull colors signify that your plant is not getting the nutrients it needs. A liquid supplement that contains a variety of nutrients can be just what it needs.

As mentioned before, a nutrient-rich substrate can help your staurogyne repens get the nutrients it needs and help speed up growth.

Does Staurogyne repens need Co2?

You can add carbon dioxide to the tank to revive your staurogyne repens. Be careful with this, because too much Co2 can harm your fish and other aquarium creatures.

What fish to add to a tank with staurogyne repens

A tank with bottom-dwelling fish benefits the most from staurogyne repens. Other fish may eat the leaves of staurogyne repens plants.

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Goldfish, rainbow fish and silver dollars will eat the leaves of this plant. It is also not a good idea to add snails to your tank. When adding fish to your tank, research their eating preferences. Plant eaters can harm your plants.

You can add shrimp to a tank with staurogyne repens as well as tetras, bettas, cherry barbs, swordtails, Corydoras catfish, rasboras, mollies, dwarf gourami, guppies, and danios.

Summary

Staurogyne repens can grow next to just about any other species of plant with no problem.

Is it a carpet plant?

Staurogyne repens are a carpet-like plant that grows slowly in planted aquariums. An emersed staurogyne repens plant grows partially in and partially out of water.

Staurogyne repens water parameters, and light requirement

While they are easy to take care of, they grow the best in certain conditions. The best tank for this plant will be at least 10 gallons, get 10 hours of strong light a day with at least 25-30 par, has a temperature between 68 and 86 degrees, and a pH level between 6 and 8.

How to propagate Staurogyne repens?

You can propagate this plant with the cuttings to increase its growth in your tank. This plant can grow up to four inches and spreads out across the bottom of your tank between rocks and decorations.