For aquarists - both experienced and newcomers - a geterant, the acutifoliate causes only tender feelings. It's no secret that most beautiful aquarium plants are rather capricious: either the soil is not suitable, then the water is not that soft, then it is almost impossible to plant them. Of course, the geterant also has its own specific preferences, which are worth knowing and taking into account, but it does not require any special conditions, it does not cause trouble, the aquarium decorates and landscapes perfectly, it provides fish for refuge, and thanks to its unpretentiousness, its owners leave enough time for admiring their pets. No wonder aquarium fans actively and with ardor recommend this plant to beginners.
Appearance and Origin
Goetheranta acutifolia (Heteranthera zosterifolia in Latin) came to our aquariums from Bolivian and Brazilian swamps. At home, she leads mainly an underwater lifestyle; in our aquariums, it seeks to grow to the surface - and when it reaches its goal, the upper leaves grow brighter, and flowering almost always begins. The main characteristic of geterantera is longevity: in natural conditions (and on the scale of the aquarium), it is able to grow up to half a meter. Its leaves are pale green in color, can reach a length of eight centimeters. At the same time, they are quite wide - 6 cm plates are not unusual. What pleases aquarists the most is the abundant foliage: bare stems that do not decorate the pond too much rarely occur (subject to certain conditions). What else pleases them with the Holly geterantera is a uniform growth. She does not have a period of sleep, does not need rest. In all seasons, the plant is equally lush and increasing in size.
Suitable aquarium
The main point that should not be forgotten: the geteranta is a leaved - a tropical plant. Accordingly, she needs warm water all year round. Suitable conditions for it can be considered tropical "pools", where the temperature is constantly maintained at least 22 degrees Celsius. And even better, so that it does not fall below 22-24 degrees. Even if the indicator is kept at + 20, the holly geteranta feels quite comfortable, although it starts to grow a little slower. But this is the bottom mark: if the water is cooler, the plant begins to drop leaves, the stems turn black, and it dies.
Heteranthera zosterifolia prefers soft water; however, for most aquarium inhabitants this is recommended. Hard water causes dropping of leaves, as a result of which only the tops survive. A slightly acidic environment is more easily perceived, but a neutral one is also quite tolerated. The main thing is to prevent alkalization. Regarding the soil, the plant is quite liberal, since it receives the main nutrition directly from the water through the leaves. Holly also does not need additional nutrition of the geterantera, as well as regular partial replacement of water. Here it will be necessary to focus on the needs of other, more capricious, aquarium plants.
The most good getelife Holly in shallow ponds. In an effort to reach the surface, with a wall height of more than a third of a meter, it begins to lose lower foliage and becomes less aesthetic. But if the depth is 20 centimeters, the plant remains very fluffy and decorative.
Light and its effect on the appearance of the plant
Lighting - this is what is particularly demanding of a holly-leaved geterant. The content, simple in other aspects, is pretty picky about it. If the water area of the "pool" is wide, you will have to create side lighting. If the room as a whole is not bright enough, there will be a need for overhead lighting designed to increase the length of the day. Otherwise, the plant will behave as in hard water: stop growing, lose leaves (especially lower ones) and die over time.
