TankBud

Syngonanthus Belem

Syngonanthus macrocaulon

Also known as Syngonanthus sp. 'Belem', Tonina sp. 'Belem', Syngonanthus anomalus

FreshwaterStemSide shootsCuttings

Syngonanthus Belem (Syngonanthus macrocaulon)
Egleria · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ required
Temperature
64–84°F
18–29°C
Max height
7.9 in
20 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Midground
Type
Stem
pH
4.5–6.5
Hardness
0–5 dGH
Spread
1.6 in (4 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed
Difficulty
Difficult
Family
Eriocaulaceae
Origin
Brazil (blackwater rivers near Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon)

Overview

Syngonanthus Belem is a softwater collector stem plant for the midground of a high-tech tank. It rates difficult.

Did you know

Syngonanthus Belem spent years under the wrong name. It entered the hobby labeled Tonina sp. 'Belem' before botanists moved it to the genus Syngonanthus, and the old trade name still sticks around.

Caring for Syngonanthus Belem

Plant Syngonanthus Belem in an acidic aquasoil, stripping the lower leaves and setting the stems a little apart. It needs high light, injected CO2 and soft water, with GH and KH under 5 and a pH of 4.5 to 6.5.

It feeds through both roots and leaves, so dose the water column regularly and add root tabs. Iron matters most, since it keeps the tops bright green rather than pale.

Syngonanthus Belem grows at a moderate pace at 64 to 84°F (18 to 29°C). Trim only from the bottom and replant the tops, since the dense crown holds the plant's appeal. Expect an adaptation period after any change in water chemistry.

Good to know

Syngonanthus Belem is generally treated as Syngonanthus macrocaulon, a name Kew regards as a synonym of Syngonanthus anomalus. It is a stem-forming pipewort in the family Eriocaulaceae, alongside Tonina and Eriocaulon. It grows upright, with whorls of needle-fine leaves that form a bright green, star-shaped crown.

In the wild

Syngonanthus Belem is native to very soft, acidic blackwater rivers in Brazil near Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon.

Common questions

Does Syngonanthus Belem need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Strip the leaves from the lower part of each stem, then push the stems into the substrate one at a time, a little apart.

Does Syngonanthus Belem need CO2?

Yes. Syngonanthus Belem needs injected CO2 to grow well, and it usually struggles without it.

How much light does Syngonanthus Belem need?

Syngonanthus Belem needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED. In weaker light its stems stretch and drop their lower leaves.

Does Syngonanthus Belem need root tabs?

They help. Syngonanthus Belem takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Syngonanthus Belem?

Syngonanthus Belem propagates by side shoots and cuttings. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and plant it on its own. Cut off the top of a stem and replant it, and the stump left behind grows new shoots.

How tall does Syngonanthus Belem grow?

Syngonanthus Belem grows to about 7.9 in (20 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.

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