Centella Asiatica Live Aquarium Plant – 5 Count, Fresh Water, Beginner

Overview

Transform your aquatic landscape with the vibrant and beneficial Centella Asiatica live plant. Also known as Gotu Kola or Water Pennywort, this versatile aquatic plant is a fantastic addition to any freshwater aquarium. Known for its distinctive round, bright green leaves and creeping growth habit, Centella Asiatica live plant not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your tank but also contributes to a healthier ecosystem. Each order includes 5 individual live plants, ready to be introduced into your fish tank. These plants are grown for their hardiness and adaptability, making them an excellent choice for both novice and experienced aquarists looking to create a thriving underwater environment. Its lush foliage provides shelter for fish and invertebrates, while also helping to oxygenate the water and absorb excess nutrients, promoting a cleaner and more stable aquatic habitat.

The Centella Asiatica live plant is a staple in planted aquariums due to its relatively easy care requirements and attractive appearance. Its ability to thrive in various conditions makes it a forgiving option for those new to aquatic gardening. Whether you’re looking to create a dense carpet, a mid-ground accent, or simply add more greenery, these plants offer flexibility in aquascaping. The plants arrive in a healthy, ready-to-plant condition, ensuring a smooth transition into your tank. Integrate these beautiful and functional plants to foster a balanced and visually appealing freshwater aquarium.

Key Benefits

Adding the Centella Asiatica live plant to your aquarium offers a multitude of advantages for both your aquatic inhabitants and the overall tank health:

• Improved Water Quality: These freshwater aquarium plants actively absorb nitrates and other waste compounds from the water, significantly reducing the frequency of water changes and helping to prevent algae outbreaks. This natural filtration contributes to a cleaner and more stable environment for your fish.
• Natural Habitat & Shelter: The dense foliage of Centella Asiatica live plant provides excellent hiding spots and a sense of security for your fish and other aquatic creatures. This can reduce stress, promote natural behaviors, and even encourage breeding in certain species.
• Enhanced Oxygenation: Through photosynthesis, these live fish tank plants release oxygen into the water, which is vital for the respiration of fish and beneficial bacteria. This natural oxygen production helps maintain a healthy and vibrant aquatic ecosystem.
• Aesthetic Appeal: With its bright green, distinctive round leaves, Centella Asiatica adds a lush, natural beauty to any aquarium. It creates a vibrant green backdrop or a charming foreground, enhancing the visual appeal of your underwater world.
• Easy to Grow: Considered one of the best aquarium plants for beginners, Centella Asiatica requires minimal specialized care. It tolerates a range of water parameters and lighting conditions, making it an ideal choice for those just starting with planted tanks.
• Promotes Biodiversity: A well-planted tank with species like gotu kola aquatic plant encourages a more diverse microbial community, contributing to a robust and resilient biological filtration system within your aquarium.
• Reduces Algae Growth: By competing for nutrients, healthy live plants help to outcompete nuisance algae, keeping your tank cleaner and clearer naturally.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Centella Asiatica live plant is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for beginner aquarists. These plants thrive in a wide range of freshwater conditions, but optimal care will ensure vigorous growth and vibrant health. For lighting, Centella Asiatica prefers moderate to high light. With adequate light, the plant will grow more densely and maintain its striking green color. If lighting is too low, the plant may become leggy. A good quality LED aquarium light, providing 8-10 hours of light per day, is usually sufficient. While CO2 injection is not strictly necessary, providing supplemental CO2 will significantly boost growth and overall plant health, resulting in faster and more robust development of your freshwater aquarium plants.

When it comes to substrate, a nutrient-rich aquarium substrate is highly recommended for rooting plants like Centella Asiatica. If you are using an inert substrate like gravel, consider adding root tabs to provide essential nutrients directly to the plant’s root system. These plants are heavy root feeders, so a good foundation is key. Maintain a water temperature between 68-82°F (20-28°C) and a pH range of 6.0-7.5. Regular fertilization with a comprehensive liquid fertilizer designed for aquatic plants will provide the necessary micronutrients. Trim your Centella Asiatica live plant regularly to encourage bushier growth and prevent it from shading out other plants. Propagation is easy; simply cut a stem with a few leaves and replant it into the substrate. This makes it simple to expand your planted areas or share with fellow aquarists. This is truly one of the most forgiving aquarium plants for beginners.

Size & Details

Each order includes 5 individual healthy Centella Asiatica live plant specimens, carefully selected and prepared for shipping. These plants are typically shipped as cuttings or small rooted plants, ready for immediate planting in your aquarium. The size of each plant can vary, but generally, they will have several healthy leaves and a robust root system, ensuring they establish quickly in your tank. When fully grown, Centella Asiatica can reach heights of 4-8 inches, forming dense clusters or a creeping carpet depending on planting density and trimming habits. The vigorous growth rate means you will see noticeable development within a few weeks under optimal conditions. These live fish tank plants are perfect for creating a lush, natural look in small to medium-sized freshwater aquariums.

These plants are suitable for placement in the foreground, mid-ground, or background of your aquarium, depending on your aquascaping goals. For a carpeting effect, plant the stems closer together. For a taller, bushier look, allow them more space. Expect these plants to adapt quickly to your tank’s environment and begin growing within a week or two of planting. They are shipped in a manner that ensures their vitality upon arrival, providing you with healthy specimens to start or enhance your planted tank. The gotu kola aquatic plant is a resilient species, capable of thriving in various setups.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Centella Asiatica live plant get? A: This plant can grow to a height of 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) in an aquarium. Its growth habit can be bushy or creeping, depending on how often it’s trimmed and its placement in the tank.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: While Centella Asiatica can grow outdoors in certain climates, these specific plants are cultivated as freshwater aquarium plants and are intended for indoor aquatic environments. They thrive submerged in fish tanks.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: The Centella Asiatica live plant prefers moderate to high light conditions in an aquarium. Approximately 8-10 hours of artificial aquarium lighting per day is ideal to promote healthy and dense growth.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, Centella Asiatica is widely considered an excellent choice for aquarium plants for beginners. It is hardy and adaptable to a range of water parameters, making it relatively low-maintenance.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your 5-count order of Centella Asiatica live plant will arrive fresh and healthy, typically as cuttings or small rooted plants, carefully packaged to ensure their vitality during transit.
• Q: How long until it grows significantly? A: Under optimal conditions, including good lighting and nutrients, you can expect to see noticeable growth from your live fish tank plants within 1-2 weeks after planting.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature it can tolerate? A: For best health, the gotu kola aquatic plant thrives in water temperatures between 68-82°F (20-28°C), making it suitable for most tropical freshwater aquariums.
• Q: Can I plant this directly into gravel? A: While it can survive in gravel, the Centella Asiatica live plant will benefit greatly from a nutrient-rich substrate or the addition of root tabs if planted in inert gravel.
• Q: Does this plant require CO2 injection? A: CO2 injection is not strictly required for Centella Asiatica to grow, but providing supplemental CO2 will significantly enhance its growth rate and overall lushness.
• Q: Is this plant safe for all fish and invertebrates? A: Yes, Centella Asiatica is a completely safe and beneficial addition to freshwater aquariums, providing shelter and natural filtration without posing any harm to fish or invertebrates.