Eleocharis creeping

Eleocharis creeping, scientific name Eleocharis fluctuans. Previously, it had a different name – Egleria fluans, until more thorough studies were carried out in 2010, as a result of which the plant was transferred to the genus Eleocharis. It comes from South America, is found mainly in Brazil and Venezuela, where it grows along the banks of rivers and streams, swamps with very soft water.

This herbaceous plant has a fragile erect stem of a reddish-brown hue. The leaves have changed into thin fan-shaped green threads arranged in tiers along the entire length of the stem. It can both take root in the ground and form dense floating accumulations on the surface of the water. Reproduction occurs by dividing the sprout at the base of the node. The separated fragment turns into an independent plant that can be rooted or left to float. The rest gives side shoots, which increases the density of the bush.

In amateur home aquariums it is not used due to the very high requirements for its growth. Creeping Eleocharis needs warm water, intense lighting, the introduction of carbon dioxide and a uniform supply of nutrients. The greatest difficulty is the maintenance of hydrochemical values ​​in a very narrow range from 0° to 3° dGH and up to 6.5 pH. Too hard or alkaline water leads to damage to the plant – growth stops, and the leaves turn black.