Tici In Vitro Aquatic Plant - Rotala Rotundifolia 'Blood Red'

Tici – Rotala rotundifolia ‘Blood Red’ is a high-color cultivar of the species Rotala rotundifolia widely used in high-tech aquascapes. It is prized for its deep crimson to blood-red coloration, which can appear even without extreme lighting compared with many other red stem plants.

Basic Information

• Scientific name: Rotala rotundifolia ‘Blood Red’

• Common names: Blood Red Rotala, Tici Blood Red

• Plant type: Stem plant

• Family: Lythraceae

• Origin: Cultivar from Southeast Asian Rotala rotundifolia

• Aquarium placement: Midground to background

Appearance

• Leaf color: Bright red → deep blood red

• Leaf shape: Narrow oval leaves

• Stem: Thin red stems

• Height: 20–50 cm depending on trimming and light

When grown well, it forms dense red bushes that create dramatic contrast in planted aquariums.

Growth Requirements

Lighting

• Medium–High light recommended

• Under strong lighting the color becomes intense crimson.

Low light → plant becomes:

• more orange

• or greenish-red

CO₂

• Highly recommended

• With CO₂ injection the plant becomes:

  • denser

  • faster growing

  • deeper red

Nutrients

Requires balanced fertilization:

Macronutrients

• Nitrate (NO₃)

• Phosphate (PO₄)

• Potassium (K)

Micronutrients

• Iron (Fe)

• Trace elements

Important tip:
Lower nitrate levels often intensify the red coloration.

Water Parameters

• Temperature: 22–28 °C

• pH: 5.5–7.2

• Hardness: Soft to moderately hard water

Stable parameters are important because red plants react quickly to fluctuations.

Growth Rate

• Moderate to fast in high-tech tanks

• Can grow 4–6 cm per week under strong light and CO₂.

Regular trimming is required to maintain shape.

Propagation

Propagation is very easy:

1. Cut the top stems with scissors.

2. Remove the bottom leaves.

3. Replant the tops in the substrate.

New side shoots will grow from the trimmed base.

Aquascaping Uses

This plant is commonly used for:

• Red background bushes

• Color contrast areas

• Dutch aquascape plant groups

• Highlight sections in nature aquariums

It pairs beautifully with green plants like:

• Rotala rotundifolia ‘Green’

• Micranthemum tweediei

• Hemianthus callitrichoides

How to Get the Deep “Blood Red” Color

To maximize coloration:

1. Strong lighting (high PAR)

2. Stable CO₂ (~20–30 ppm)

3. Moderate nitrate levels

4. Good iron supply

5. Frequent trimming to keep compact growth

When conditions are ideal, the plant turns deep ruby red from top to bottom.

Common Problems

1. Green or orange leaves

• Cause: Low light or high nitrate.

2. Leggy stems

• Cause: Insufficient light.

3. Bottom leaves melting

• Cause: Poor light penetration or dense planting.

Why Aquascapers Love It

• One of the reddest Rotala varieties

• Grows faster than many red plants

• Easy to propagate

• Creates dramatic red bushes

For many aquascapers it is an alternative to harder red plants like Alternanthera reineckii.

✅ Pro aquascaping trick:
Trim the plant low and replant the tops in layers. After several trims it forms a thick red dome-shaped bush, which looks spectacular in nature aquariums.