Tropica Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

Description

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis – The Lush Green Carpet of the South American Rivers 🌱✨

Transform your aquarium into a vibrant underwater meadow with Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, also known as the Micro Sword or Brazilian Micro Sword. This elegant carpeting plant originates from the riverbanks and floodplains of South America, where it forms dense, bright-green mats under shallow, sunlit waters. Its fine, grass-like leaves create a natural lawn effect — ideal for aquascapers aiming for realism, tranquility, and depth.

As one of Tropica’s most beloved foreground plants, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis is both hardy and rewarding. It grows slowly but steadily, spreading by runners to form a low, even carpet that brings your layout to life. Whether you’re creating a lush nature-style scape or a neat, manicured Dutch layout, this plant adds the finishing touch of freshness and texture that turns an aquarium into a true landscape.

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🌿 Why You’ll Love It

• 🌱 Beautiful Natural Carpet: Forms dense, lawn-like mats for a realistic ground cover.

• 💡 Compact and Versatile: Perfect for nano aquariums, mid-size tanks, or foreground detailing.

• 🌤️ Adaptable: Thrives in both low-tech and CO₂-enriched setups.

• 🐟 Safe and Soft: Gentle blades make a perfect playground for shrimp and small fish.

• 🌾 Neat Appearance: Keeps a tidy, uniform look with minimal maintenance.

• ✨ Long-Lasting Impact: A classic, low-profile plant that never goes out of style.

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🌤️ Care & Placement

• Light Requirements: Medium to high. Brighter light encourages compact, horizontal growth and tighter carpeting. Under lower light, leaves may grow taller and sparser.

• CO₂ Supplementation: Not essential, but CO₂ greatly improves growth speed and density. In low-tech tanks, expect slower coverage.

• Substrate: Fine gravel or nutrient-rich soil. Lilaeopsis relies heavily on healthy root development, so fertilized substrate or root tabs are beneficial.

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 20–28 °C

  • pH: 6.0–7.5

  • Hardness: Soft to moderately hard

• Growth Rate: Moderate. Establishes slowly at first but spreads more rapidly once rooted.

• Propagation: Produces runners that creep across the substrate; simply trim and replant to fill gaps.

• Placement: Ideal for foreground or front edges of midground zones. Works beautifully around stones, paths, or open areas in natural layouts.

💡 Pro Tip: Regular trimming keeps the carpet dense and prevents shading of lower blades. To encourage faster spread, gently separate potted plants into smaller clumps before planting — this helps each group establish more evenly.

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🌾 Aquascaping Inspiration

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis is a favorite for nature-style aquascapes, where it mimics riverbanks, grassy fields, or open plains beneath driftwood canopies. Pair it with small rock groupings or rounded pebbles to create realistic underwater meadows. Its vibrant green colour contrasts beautifully against dark substrate, reddish stems, or rich hardscape tones.

In Dutch-style or modern layouts, Lilaeopsis forms clean, minimalist borders that frame stem plants and highlight the geometry of your design. Combined with foreground accents like Anubias nana ‘Petite’ or Cryptocoryne parva, it enhances the feeling of depth and order.

For shrimp or nano aquariums, the soft grassy texture provides ideal shelter and foraging space, turning even small tanks into thriving miniature ecosystems. Over time, the carpet thickens into a lush, velvety mat that gives your aquascape a mature, polished look.

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⚡ Quick Facts

• Scientific Name: Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

• Common Name: Brazilian Micro Sword / Micro Sword Grass

• Origin: South America (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina)

• Type: Foreground carpeting plant

• Light: Medium–High

• CO₂: Optional but recommended

• Growth Rate: Moderate

• Height: 3–7 cm

• Placement: Foreground

• Propagation: Runners

• Ease of Care: Easy–Moderate

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✨ Create your own underwater meadow with Tropica’s Lilaeopsis brasiliensis. Whether you’re crafting a soft, natural scene or a sleek, modern aquascape, this charming carpet plant adds movement, texture, and vibrant life — turning every aquarium into a piece of living art.

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