Samolus parviflorus 'Water Cabbage'
Pale lime rosettes with the shape of a miniature cabbage.
An uncommon North American rosette plant with soft, spoon-shaped leaves in a bright pale green that reads almost yellow against dark substrate. It stays low and compact, spreading slowly by daughter plants into a clean foreground cluster. Farm-raised and converted to submersed growth before shipping.
What it needs to thrive
- Lighting
- Moderate — 40–70 PAR. Higher light keeps the rosette tight and pale-bright.
- Flow
- Gentle flow across the leaves.
- 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
Foreground and lower midground where its pale color contrasts against dark hardscape.
Peaceful and slow-growing — will not overtake neighbors.
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.
