Water lilies are part of a decorative and useful planting in the garden pond or natural swimming pond. However, there are also smaller growing varieties of water lilies that are suitable for growing indoors, for example to provide decorative color in the aquarium.
Which dwarf water lilies are suitable for aquariums?
Dwarf water lilies, such as Nymphaea glandulifera or Nymphaea lotus, are particularly suitable for aquariums because they have sufficient nutrients and temperatures of 20-24 degrees Celsius. Planting is done by not completely burying the tubers in the gravel base and by regularly removing floating leaves.
Reasons for growing water lilies in the aquarium
When growing in an aquarium, in contrast to a garden pond, there is no question as to which species are hardy or not. After all, temperatures in the aquarium are around 20 to 24 degrees Celsius all year round, which is ideal for the growth of tropical water lily species. In addition, the fish that are usually present in the aquarium cause a constant entry of nutrients into the aquarium water. These in turn can serve as a growth basis for the water lily plants used.
Suitable varieties of water lily for growing in an aquarium
If water lilies are to be cultivated indoors, then in contrast to outdoors, growing them in a water-filled pot is less likely to be successful. This is because without extensive lighting measures there is usually far too little light to make the water lily bloom in the room. In the aquarium, on the other hand, the conditions are completely different, as full light is usually provided for up to 16 hours a day. Therefore, small water lily species from tropical regions can also be easily cultivated in the aquarium:
- Nymphaea glandulifera (green dwarf water lily)
- Nymphaea pigmaea alba (White Dwarf Water Lily)
- Nymphaea pigmaea rubra (Red dwarf water lily)
- Nymphaea pimaea 'Helvola' (yellow dwarf water lily)
- Nymphaea lotus (red flowering)
The correct care of the dwarf water lily in the aquarium
The purchased bulbs of the dwarf water lilies should generally not be completely buried in the gravel base of the aquarium, but should still protrude clearly from the substrate. Stones or wooden roots can be used to secure it in one place. The rule of thumb is that the water lilies in the aquarium automatically develop more underwater leaves and fewer floating leaves when the lighting is relatively strong. Conversely, weak lighting leads to increased formation of floating leaves. You should regularly remove floating leaves to prevent excessive shading for the aquarium. While water lilies should usually grow lushly in the garden pond, a particularly compact growth may be desired in the aquarium. You can encourage this by planting the water lily in the aquarium in as narrow a pot as possible.
Tip
When buying a dwarf water lily, pay close attention to the respective care instructions. Some varieties cannot tolerate temperatures above 21 or 22 degrees Celsius. Apparently small temperature differences can make a huge difference when cultivating water lilies in the aquarium.
