Echinodorus bleheri

Quick facts

Max height

55 cm

Growth rate

moderate

Difficulty

beginner

Placement

background

Propagation

adventitious plantlets on flower stalks

Water parameters

Temperature

18–30°C

pH

5.5 to 8.0

Hardness

3 to 20 dGH

Light and nutrients

Lighting

medium

CO2

not required, but boosts growth and color

Substrate

nutrient preferred

Feeding

feeds from both water column and roots (liquid ferts plus root tabs)

Substrate

What this plant roots into (or attaches to). The substrate affects both plant nutrition and water chemistry; see each linked page for full effects.

This plant feeds primarily from the water column, so substrate choice matters more for its fish-tank compatibility than for plant nutrition.

With fish

Plant-eating fish

safe with plant-eating fish (tough leaves or unpalatable)

Diggers (corydoras, loaches)

may get uprooted by active diggers

Root-disturbing fish

tolerates fish that disturb roots

Habitat

Native to South America, found in the Amazon basin and surrounding drainages. The species (Echinodorus bleheri) is very closely related to the standard Amazon sword (E. grisebachii/E. amazonicus) and is sometimes considered the same species or a variant. The distinction in the trade is that 'bleheri' typically refers to a form with broader, slightly more robust leaves than the standard Amazon sword. The two are frequently confused and mislabeled. The plant forms a large rosette of broad, bright green leaves from a central crown, with an extensive root system. Named after Heiko Bleher, a famous tropical fish collector. One of the most widely sold aquarium plants in the world. In the wild, swords grow as marginal plants with roots in shallow substrate and leaves extending above the water; fully submerged aquarium specimens produce somewhat narrower, more translucent leaves than emersed-grown plants. The difference is most visible immediately after purchase, when nursery-grown emersed leaves transition to submerged growth over a few weeks.

Care notes

Care is identical to the standard Amazon sword: heavy root feeder needing nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs. Plant the crown at substrate level with roots buried in 5 cm of substrate. Iron and potassium supplementation through root tabs supports healthy green coloring and prevents the yellowing leaves (chlorosis) that plague swords in nutrient-poor gravel. Moderate light is sufficient; the plant doesn't need high light or CO2 to grow well, though both accelerate growth. Mature specimens are large (30–50 cm tall, 30 cm diameter) and dominate smaller tanks. In a 60-liter tank, a single Echinodorus bleheri can become the entire aquascape. Best suited for tanks of 120 L where the scale is proportionate. Propagation by adventitious plantlets on flower stalks. The plant sends up a runner that produces daughter plants at each node; once they develop roots and 4-5 leaves, detach and replant. Trim yellowing older leaves at the base to keep the rosette tidy. Compatible with all community fish. The broad, sturdy leaves resist damage from all but the most determined herbivores. Temperature: 20–28°C. pH 6.0-7.5. One of the most reliable background plants for large community tanks.

Further reading

• How to cycle a fish tank
• Water chemistry for fishkeepers: pH, GH, KH, and what they mean