Tonina fluviatilis
Tonina fluviatilis
Also known as Tonina, Tonina sp. 'Manaus'
Care at a glance
- Light
- High light
- CO2
- CO₂ required
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Placement
- Background
- Type
- Stem
- Temperature
- 68–86°F (20–30°C)
- pH
- 5.0–7.0
- Hardness
- 0–8 dGH
- Max height
- 13.8 in (35 cm)
- Spread
- 2 in (5 cm)
- Nutrient uptake
- Water column
- Growth region
- Submersed or emersed
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Origin
- Southern Mexico and Central America through northern South America (Amazon basin), plus Cuba and Trinidad
- Family
- Eriocaulaceae
Overview
A softwater stem plant that needs strong light, injected CO2, and low KH (4 or less) with a low-to-moderate GH to keep its growth points from stunting. It is not a strong root feeder, so steady water-column dosing of iron and micros matters more than substrate, and nitrate/phosphate must never bottom out to zero. Propagate from healthy side shoots a few centimetres long.
In the wild
Found in shallow, slow-moving blackwater streams and pools from southern Mexico and Central America through the northern Amazon basin, often growing as floating or emergent mats. It thrives in the very soft, acidic, tannin-stained water typical of these habitats.
Good to know
Tonina is a monotypic genus (T. fluviatilis is its only species) within the pipewort family, Eriocaulaceae, so it is a botanical relative of Eriocaulon and Syngonanthus rather than a true stem plant like Rotala. Several regional variants circulate with different leaf sizes and occasional variegation. It produces whorls of narrow leaves around an upright stem.
Did you know
Did you know Tonina looks like a stem plant but is really a pipewort? Its genus is monotypic, meaning T. fluviatilis is the single species in the entire genus Tonina.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Glass Aqua Aquascaping plants and planted tank supplies
- Buce Plant Aquatic plants and aquascaping supplies
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
High-light plants · Background plants · Stem plants · Advanced plants
Growing Tonina fluviatilis?
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