Dwarf lily

Quick facts

Max height

50 cm

Growth rate

moderate

Difficulty

beginner

Placement

midground

Propagation

bulb

Water parameters

Temperature

22–28°C

pH

6.0 to 7.5

Hardness

2 to 18 dGH

Light and nutrients

Lighting

medium

CO2

not required, but boosts growth and color

Substrate

nutrient rich

Feeding

feeds from both water column and roots (liquid ferts plus root tabs)

Substrate

What this plant roots into (or attaches to). The substrate affects both plant nutrition and water chemistry; see each linked page for full effects.

This plant feeds primarily from the water column, so substrate choice matters more for its fish-tank compatibility than for plant nutrition.

With fish

Plant-eating fish

safe with plant-eating fish (tough leaves or unpalatable)

Diggers (corydoras, loaches)

may get uprooted by active diggers

Root-disturbing fish

sensitive to root disturbance, plant where roots stay undisturbed

Habitat

The species commonly sold as 'dwarf aquarium lily' is Nymphaea stellata or a related Nymphaea species from tropical Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia). The plant grows from a bulb and produces broad, reddish to green lily-pad-shaped leaves. Submerged leaves are triangular to arrow-shaped, often deeply red to purple-brown, attached to the bulb on short stems. If allowed to reach the surface, the plant transitions to floating lily pads: round, flat, green-topped, red-bottomed leaves connected by long flexible petioles. The submerged red foliage is the plant's main attraction in aquarium use. In the wild, Nymphaea species grow in still ponds, slow rivers, and floodplain pools across tropical Asia.

Care notes

Plant the bulb with the top third above the substrate. Moderate to high light brings out the deepest red coloring in the submerged leaves. Under low light, leaves tend toward green-brown rather than the vivid reds seen under strong lighting. CO2 is not strictly required but improves growth and color intensity. Iron supplementation (root tabs and/or liquid iron) supports the red pigmentation. The plant naturally wants to send leaves to the surface to form floating lily pads; in an aquarium, these floating leaves shade out everything below. Most keepers trim the petioles of surface-reaching leaves to keep the plant producing the attractive submerged foliage. If you never let it reach the surface, it continues producing compact, colorful submerged leaves indefinitely. Growth is moderate to fast with good light. The bulb stores energy; a new bulb grows vigorously for weeks even in marginal conditions, then slows as reserves deplete. Long-term success requires light and fertilization. Propagation by daughter bulbs or by seed if flowers develop. Temperature: 22–28°C. An eye-catching focal point in the midground of planted tanks. The bulb occasionally produces runners or daughter bulbs, providing natural propagation. Multiple bulbs in a tank can create a dramatic display of red and green submerged foliage. Temperature: 22–28°C. The species tolerates a broad range of water chemistry (pH 5.5-8.0, GH 2-15). A striking centerpiece plant that adds color without requiring the careful stem trimming that red stem plants demand.

Further reading

• How to cycle a fish tank
• Water chemistry for fishkeepers: pH, GH, KH, and what they mean