🌿 Basic Overview

• Scientific Name: Helanthium bolivianum “Quadricostatus”

• Synonyms: Sometimes referred to as Echinodorus quadricostatus or Echinodorus bolivianus var. quadricostatus

• Common Name: Dwarf Chain Sword, Pygmy Chain Sword

• Family: Alismataceae

• Origin: South America (mainly Brazil, Bolivia, and surrounding regions)

• Type: Rosette plant (foreground to midground carpeting species)

🌱 Appearance

• Leaves:

  • Bright green, narrow, and sword-shaped.

  • Typically 5–15 cm long and 1–2 cm wide.

• Growth Form:

  • Forms a dense cluster of leaves growing from a central rosette.

  • Spreads quickly via runners (horizontal stems) that produce new plantlets.

• Coloration: Vibrant light to medium green; occasionally yellow-green under intense lighting.

• Texture: Smooth, soft, and lush — resembles small Echinodorus species.

💧 Tank Conditions

🌾 Growth & Maintenance

• Growth Rate: Fast; can carpet a tank in weeks under ideal conditions.

• Propagation: By runners — daughter plants grow along stolons and can be separated when rooted.

• Trimming: Minimal — occasional removal of old leaves or thinning of dense patches.

• Spacing: Plant individual rosettes about 2–3 cm apart to allow runners to spread evenly.

• Placement: Foreground to midground in larger tanks; full carpet in smaller aquariums.

🌈 Color & Health Tips

1. Maintain stable lighting (moderate or high) for lush, compact leaves.

2. Provide iron-rich substrate or root tabs for healthy growth.

3. Occasional liquid fertilization with micronutrients enhances leaf color.

4. CO₂ supplementation encourages faster carpeting and stronger runner production.

🧪 Propagation

• Method: Natural runner formation.

• Once new plantlets have a few leaves and roots, gently detach and replant.

• Spreads continuously under good lighting and nutrient conditions.

🌍 Aquascaping Use

• Perfect for foreground carpeting or midground borders.

• Looks excellent in both nature-style and Dutch-style aquascapes.

• Great for contrast with darker green or red stem plants such as Alternanthera reineckii or Rotala rotundifolia.

• Can be used to create lush green meadows or pathway-like layouts.

⚠️ Challenges

• Can grow too fast if not trimmed, crowding other plants.

• Older leaves may yellow in nutrient-poor substrates.

• Needs good light penetration; shaded areas may melt or grow leggy.

🪴 Quick Summary