Say hello to Madagascar lace!

Have you heard of Madagascar lace? This species is morphologically very variable and its forms have until recently been described as separate species. In our opinion it’s a very decorative and impressive plant which will draw the attention of every aquarist.  Let’s meet closer aponogeton madagascariensis!

General characteristics

Madagascar lace comes from Madagascar, hence its name. It occurs in the central, western and eastern parts of Madagascar at altitudes up to 1,800 m above sea level, and in Mauritius and the Big Comoros. Typical habitats are standing waters, up to 1 m deep, with sandy and muddy bottoms, slow and fast upland streams on basalt and quartz rocks. They can also be found on limestone ground. The water where this plant lives is usually poor in ferts but very rich in CO2.  Nevertheless, it’s recommended to use nutrient-packed dirt. Read more about using dirt in planted aquariums HERE.

Firstly, let’s underline that this plant is dedicated mostly to experienced aquascapers.

Planting

The plant is planted one by one, placing the bulb on the substrate rich in plant nutrients. Wait for the roots to develop and then you can separate baby plants from the mother plant to reach a more dense effect.

Trimming

Trim the single leaves right next to the bulb with sharp scissors, especially leaves with brown spots. If you’re looking for more techniques of plants’ trimming, find our article explaining this matter more widely.

CO2 injection

As mentioned previously, the water in which Madagascar lace grows in nature, is very rich in carbon dioxide. It is normal that in nature the levels of CO2 in the water are much higher than in aquariums (this topic was extended in our blog here). However, this species is super demanding and it’s nearly impossible to grow it in artificial conditions without CO2 support. To measure the amount of carbon dioxide injected into the water, it’s worth using a drop checker which you can easily find in our offer.

Lighting

The plant requires moderate lighting: 0,5-1W/l.

Water parameters

Madagascar lace likes water temperature 20-22 ° C, exceptionally up to 25 ° C and periodic fertilization. Maintaining the pH within 6.9, frequent water changes and maintaining crystal purity and a low content of mineral salts (mainly NO2, NO3, PO4) will additionally inhibit the growth of algae.

Summary

To sum up, Madagascar lace is very decorative but very demanding at the same time. If you don’t have daily access to your aquarium, it’s better to plant other valuable species that will surely beautify the tank with no harm to aquarists’ nerves :)