🌿 Basic Overview

• Scientific Name: Rotala mexicana “Goias”

• Common Name: Rotala Goias

• Family: Lythraceae

• Origin: Goiás region, Brazil (South America)

• Type: Stem plant

🌱 Appearance

• Stem: Slender and delicate, around 10–25 cm tall.

• Leaves:

  • Very narrow, almost needle-like (1–2 cm long).

  • Arranged oppositely along the stem.

• Coloration:

  • Bright orange to red under strong light and good CO₂.

  • Greenish-yellow in low light or nutrient-poor conditions.

• Overall Look: Forms a fine, soft-textured bush that sways beautifully in the water current.

💧 Tank Conditions

🌾 Growth & Maintenance

• Growth Rate: Medium (can be fast with optimal conditions).

• Form: Compact and bushy when trimmed frequently; vertical and leggy if left untrimmed.

• Pruning:

  • Regular trimming encourages dense lateral shoots.

  • Top portions can be replanted to thicken the cluster.

• Spacing: 1–2 cm between stems for even light distribution.

• Placement: Ideal for midground in smaller tanks or background in nano aquascapes.

🌈 Color Enhancement Tips

To maintain vivid orange-red coloration:

1. Use intense lighting (high PAR value).

2. Provide steady CO₂ injection and good water flow.

3. Keep low nitrates (5–10 ppm) and high phosphates (1–2 ppm).

4. Dose iron and micronutrients regularly.

🧪 Propagation

• Method: Stem cuttings.

• Cut healthy tops and replant them in the substrate.

• Rooting occurs quickly, often within a week in CO₂-rich setups.

🌍 Aquascaping Use

• Excellent for adding warm tones and fine texture to layouts.

• Popular in Dutch-style and Nature aquascapes.

• Combines beautifully with:

  • Rotala rotundifolia (contrast in leaf size)

  • Myriophyllum mattogrossense (similar delicacy)

  • Ludwigia arcuata (color harmony)

• Works well behind low carpeting plants or as a soft mid-background accent.

⚠️ Challenges

• Sensitive to instability in CO₂, light, or nutrients — can stunt easily.

• May drop lower leaves if shaded or deprived of nutrients.

• Demands consistent care for best appearance.

🪴 Quick Summary