Rotala Mexicana “Goias”

Rotala Mexicana ‘Goiás’ is one of the few red low-growing foreground plants. It is said to originate from the Brazilian state of Goiás. It was identified as a variant of the extremely variable Rotala mexicana. Even though it has been known to the aquarium hobby in Europe for a few years it is only rarely available and is thus a rarity. Newly placed shoots usually grow flat and creep on the substrate. When the population gets denser, more upright stems will develop. You can keep the population low by cutting it back, or let it grow to a wide bush especially nice in the middle ground of the aquarium. The combination of Rotala Mexicana “Goiás” with green stem plants results in a nice colour contrast. This rather small-leaved delicate plant is great for nano tanks.

This plant became known as Rotala sp. ‘Goiás’ in the hobby. Later on it was identified as a member of the very variable, widely distributed species Rotala mexicana zählt.
The submersed habit of R. mexicana ‘Goiás’ is creeping, dense populations also grow upright.