Lilaeopsis Novaezelandiae

New Zealand grass plant (Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae) is the best known aquarium Lilaeopsis, forming short tufts of flat, hollow blades that spread along the substrate by runners into a fine green lawn. It is one of the few genuine carpeting plants that will make a decent go of it without pressurised CO2, provided the light is strong enough.

Aquarium care

• Plant in small tufts with the roots buried, spaced two to three centimetres apart.
• Spreads by runners, with new tufts emerging between the planted ones.
• Light is the limiting factor. Strong light keeps it short and thick, weak light leaves it sparse and stretched.
• Root tabs or a nutritive substrate support the runner growth.
• Slow to establish, and a full carpet takes months.
• Keep detritus off the surface so the low blades are not smothered.

Good in bright community tanks with small schooling fish, corydoras, otocinclus and shrimp. Avoid it with substrate-sifting cichlids, goldfish and large loaches, which will lift it faster than it can spread.

Stock rotates, and plants are for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. Browse the live plants collection.