The tiger lotus comes from the water lily family, but is not a native species. Its origin lies in Africa, where it is occasionally exposed to drought, but not to frost. That's why in this country it lives primarily in the aquarium. This is how you keep it species-appropriate.
How do you keep a tiger lotus in an aquarium appropriately?
To keep a tiger lotus in a species-appropriate manner, you need a sufficiently large aquarium with water that is constantly at 23 °C, a slightly acidic pH value, soft water and a CO2 content of 10-40 ml/l. When planting, half of the tuber should be planted in the substrate and, if necessary, fixed with stones.
Ensure warm environment
Tiger lotus develops profusely when the water is constantly around 23 °C. Due to its size of up to 60 cm, it is less suitable for small aquariums. Otherwise, you should plant it in the middle or back area.
Solitary or group planting?
Green tiger lotus sprouts green leaves speckled with red spots, the length of which can be measured at up to 20 cm. It is an eye-catcher both in individual positions and in group plantings. This also applies to the red tiger lotus, whose leaves are red and also have spots. The red version is often planted with green plants because the red then appears even more contrasting.
Plant the tuber the right way up and only about halfway into the substrate. If necessary, you can fix them with larger stones.
Care for optimal growth
When caring for it, you must above all ensure ideal water and light levels in the aquarium:
- the water should be soft
- with slightly acidic pH value
- CO2 content around 10 – 40 ml/l
- the red version needs a lot of light and plenty of nutrients
Occasionally you will need to cut the plants back to prevent them from spreading too much. The roots can also be shortened considerably.
Tip
Plant tiger lotus together with a pot. This means you can easily take it out of the water and put it back again for cutting back. Targeted fertilization is also possible.
Leaves instead of flowers
Tiger lotus does not bloom underwater. When it has formed its floating leaves, it can produce white flowers above the water in an open aquarium. These smell intensely, but only open at night. However, the floating leaves are usually removed as early as possible because once they have unfolded, no new underwater leaves would sprout. This is what is most important in an aquarium.
Tip
The flowers can be used to obtain germinable seeds. You can also simply propagate Tiger Lotus through daughter tubers.
