Rotala macrandra is a very rewarding plant when it is grown under the proper conditions. The leaves are oval, opposite, very thin and delicate but have a deep red coloration. Unlike other Rotala species, this plant does not require nitrogen starvation or very intense light to reach a red coloration. However sub-optimal light will result in greener leaves.

An individual stem may be up to 7cm in diameter, but 3-5cm are more common in planted aquariums. The plant branches easily and grows very fast being frequently covered by pearling. As such this plant can be used to draw the eye in the midground section for larger aquariums, or in the background section in nano aquariums. The plant will not easily breach the surface if left uncut.

Frequent problems observed with this plant are tip stunning (photo2) and green or transparent spots developing on the lower leaves. Stems are also known to melt if overcrowded or CO2 levels are too low.

Photo 1,2: Rotala macrandra from in-vitro Tropica culture. Source : Mihai Zamfir (Allwissend), 2017. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Photo 3: Rotala macrandra, submersed. Source: Dušan Zervan (zervan), 2017. All rights reserved. Used with permission.