Plant Profiles

Potamogeton octandrus

Potamogeton octandrus
Needle-leaf Pondweed
$12.95

Potamogeton octandrus, the Needle-leaf Pondweed, is a delicate native plant from Australia that makes a great addition to ponds or more advanced aquarium setups. This plant has thin leaves that are translucent and fairly long, giving it an elegant and graceful appearance. In high light conditions, it can develop a stunning orange-red colour, while in medium light it grows green.

This plant looks best when grown in dense stands, so it's a good choice for creating a lush and natural-looking aquarium. It requires moderate to high light and needs additional CO2 to maintain its lower leaves and prevent a leggy look. With proper care and attention, Potamogeton octandrus can create a beautiful and natural-looking dense background in the aquarium. In ponds, it grows best in full sunlight, where it can grow quite fast.

Potamogeton octandrus grows best in temperatures between 15-30°C. It also prefers nutrient-rich substrates, so providing it with a good source of nutrients can help it thrive. Like all Potamogeton species, this plant has the unusual ability to use a very complex process called biogenic decalcification, where in hard, calcium rich but CO2 poor water, the leaves split calcium bicarbonate molecules, use the carbon to grow, and the left over calcium carbonate then precipitates onto the leaf surface. This has the added benefit of providing some snail resistance, giving the leaves a layer of protection.

Potamogeton octandrus is a beautiful but fairly demanding plant that can add a delicate and elegant touch to your aquarium. With its graceful appearance, it makes an interesting choice for biotopes, native ponds and high-tech aquarium setups.

Requirements and information

Temperature:
TropicalWarmCold

Substrate type:
CoarseFine

Substrate nutrients:

Medium

Water nutrients:

Medium

Light demand:

Low

CO2:

Low

Height:

Tall

Growth rate:

Vigorous

Growth habit:

Stem

Difficulty:

Advanced

Native to: