Rotala — Sunset & Green Varieties
The color engine of every Dutch scape — pink, orange, and lime in one hedge.
Rotala is the fastest route to color in a planted tank. Under strong light and lean nitrate the tops flush pink through orange, while shaded lower growth stays vivid lime — a natural gradient no other stem plant delivers as reliably. Varieties rotate between rotundifolia 'H'ra', 'Green', and 'Colorata' based on farm availability. Sold as a bundle of submersed-grown stems.
What it needs to thrive
- Lighting
- High — 60–100 PAR for pink and orange tops; green under moderate light.
- Flow
- Moderate flow through the stand to prevent lower-leaf shading and melt.
- Feeding
- Column and root feeder — dose a complete liquid fertilizer weekly; root tabs for heavy substrate rooters.
- Temperament
- Peaceful — shrimp-safe, fry-safe, and grown pesticide-free.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Ideal Tank Size
- 10 gallons and up
- Water Parameters
- 70–80°F · pH 6.0–7.5 · GH 3–10 · KH 1–8 · nitrate 10–25 ppm with a complete liquid fertilizer
Midground to background. Plant densely and top-trim repeatedly to build a solid colored hedge.
Peaceful, fast, and an excellent nutrient sponge during cycling.
Quarantine, dip, and acclimation
Quarantine
Hold all new fish in a bare-bottom 10–20 gallon QT for a minimum of 4 weeks. Observe for flashing, clamped fins, white spots, or breathing changes. Treat preventatively with copper (1.75–2.5 ppm chelated) or tank-transfer method for ich, plus a praziquantel course for flukes. Invertebrates and corals skip QT but go through dip and observation instead.
Recommended coral dip
For every new coral: a 5–10 minute bath in your reef-safe dip of choice (Bayer Complete, CoralRx, or Reef Primer) following label dosage, followed by two clean saltwater rinses. Inspect plugs and bases for flatworms, pyramid snails, and eggs — remove or refrag onto clean plugs before placing in display.
Acclimation
Float sealed bags in your QT or display for 15 minutes to match temperature. Then drip acclimate at 2–4 drops per second for 45–60 minutes until volume has tripled. Net livestock into the tank — never pour shipping water in. Dim the lights for the first 24 hours to reduce stress.
