Cardamine Lyrata helps to develop interesting aquascapes in any tank. They are easy to grow and propagate. However, it does not mean to do nothing. Their invasive growth will keep calling you for regular care. This article will address care, how to grow, and build different types of Cardamine lyrata aquarium aquascapes in your tank. Go through the article, as it will open new horizons of aquascaping.
Content Table
Negative Background Aquatic Plants Cardamine Lyrata
Cardamine Lyrata is one of the aquarists’ favorite common East Asian aquatic plants. This plant belongs to the mustard family. Usually, it grows in shallow and slow-moving waters, where it can submerge and emerge. They grow in the wetlands and marshes of Korea, Japan, and China.
It can survive in the water because it has a 20 to 50-cm-long stem. It grows flowers from May to June and reaches the seedling stage in September. It has many names, i.e., Japanese cress, Chinese Ivy, and Bitter Cress.
Sometimes, its fast growth and overshadowing power over other plants make it mean. However, it has beautiful leaves and flowers. For that reason, you can use it as a background plant in your tank.
cardamine lyrata
Chinese Lvy That Can Build a Special Aquascape Style
Although Chinese Lvy is invasive. However, with the wise usage, you can decorate your tank. Here are some of its aquascaping usages.
Usage of Chinese Ivy in Aquascaping
- Cardamine Lyrata has flexible stems. Therefore, they can fill the empty spaces and climb up the walls and hardscapes in the tank. In the midground, they can help with their bushy growth. You can use it as upward-trailing playing in the background. They can also trail around the hardscapes, e.g., wood, stones, etc.
- Chinese Ivy has a flexible stem and helps to create softness around hard scapes. Moreover, you can build natural jungle-style aquascapes in the tank.
- With proper trimming, you can turn it into a foreground carpet. Other than creating carpet, you can also use it to build a transition between phases. To do so, trim the edges and make it softer.
- They can trail upward. You can use this trailing property to build a three-dimensional aquascaping in the tank.
- You can also use them to create a tropical look in the tank, as they can be immersed in the water’s surface. It is suitable for paludariums and Wabi-Kusa setups.
- You can also use it to create a visual balance between thin-leaved plants. Their round leaves complement Rotala, Ludwigia, Vallisneria, etc.
Growth Characteristics
Cardamine Lyrata exhibits some exceptional growth characteristics. Here are some of the salient features.
- They show rapid growth. Therefore, they need frequent trimming.
- They can grow vertically and horizontally. Therefore, you can use them as trailing and carpeting plants.
- If you want to grow a carpet in aquariums, provide it with low to medium light. Medium to high intensity enables compact and dense growth.
- It’s easy to propagate these plants.
- If you want to observe faster growth, inject CO2. However, they don’t require CO2 for a regular growth rate.
- Fe-rich liquid fertilizers promote their growth rate.
- 20–28°C temperature, 6.0–7.5 pH, and soft to moderately hard water are optimal parameters for an ideal growth rate.
How to Build a Special Aquascape?
Here is a step-by-step procedure to build an aquascape with Cardamine Lyrata.
Select the Style
You can build three aquascaping styles with Cardamine Lyrata.
| Style | Inspiration |
| Nature style | Mimics riverbanks and forests |
| Jungle-style | Dense and wild growth |
| Paludariums | Tropical forests, i.e., emerging from the surface. |
Placement
- For creating a soft transition between foreground and midground or carpet effect, grow them in the foreground. However, foreground growth requires frequent trimming.
- Midground growth is suitable for developing a sense of depth and texture in your tank. Pass through the crevices and driftwood lines to build a more effective scene.
- Their trailing growth property creates an astonishing effect in the background.
- You can train their stem for the tropical aquascaping effect in Paludariums.
How to Boost the Impact?
You can boost the plant’s impact with the following things.
- Use intense light to have bright leaves.
- Grow red and spiky contrasting plants, i.e., Rotala, Ludwigia, Vallisneria, etc. These plants will highlight the presence of Cardamine Lyrata.
- Cardamine Lyrata has a trailing growth habit. To maximize the impact, use rocks and driftwood. These plants will spill over or trail on these objects.
Maintenance
- They show a higher growth rate. Therefore, they require proper and frequent trimming.
- Remove the yellow leaves and branches to maintain the fresh look of the plant.
- Use the trimmed stems for propagation in different parts of the tank.
Chinese Lvy
Growing Cardamine Lyrata on Driftwood or Fine Rattan
A combination of hardscape and willow plant, i.e., Cardamine Lyrata, is astonishing. You can achieve this contrast in your tank. Here are a few steps that can help you to do so.
Trailing Medium Selection
Any hardscape with more curves is the most suitable and interesting object. Like a branchy driftwood, fine rattan pieces and spider wood are some suitable trailing hard scapes.
Anchor
Use aquarium-safe glue or fishing line to wrap around the hardscape for a temporary hold. Ensure that the trailing plant’s nodes are in a suitable place. These nodes develop roots after propagation.
Growth Period
After wrapping, it’s time to wait for the growth. Always moisten the node area for efficient plant growth.
Control Over Growth
Regularly trim the plant to control the plant’s growth. Moreover, gently reposition the plant nodes so the plant trails up in the right direction.
Other Growth Factors
- Use medium to high-intensity light for optimal growth.
- Use Fe-rich liquid fertilizer.
- Regularly trim the plant.
cardamine lyrata aquarium
Planting and Reproduction of Cardamine Lyrata in Aquariums
Plantation
Cardamine Lyrata can equally grow in the substrate and on hard scapes.
- Plant the lower node of the stem in the substrate and provide proper lighting. Provide enough horizontal spacing between two plants, as they show bushy and dense growth.
- Use aquarium-safe glue or fishline to tie the plant stem. The plant will grow through the nodes and will anchor the hardscape. Hardscape anchors enable vine growth.
Propagation
It is extremely easy to propagate the Cardamine Lyrata in the aquarium. Here are the propagation steps.
- Cut a 4 to 6-inch-long stem with a few leaves and nodes.
- Plant it in the substrate or anchor it on the hardscape.
- Please provide them with intense light and Fe-rich liquid fertilizer for faster growth.
- It will take a few days to establish its place in the tank.
What to Do When Cardamine Lyrata Emerges?
These are semiaquatic plants, i.e., show submerged and emersed growth. Here are a few signs that will help you know about emersed growth.
- A taller stem is reaching out of the water.
- Leaves are relatively small and hard.
- In emersed conditions, they sometimes grow flowers.
What if You Want Emerging Growth?
If you want emersed growth.
- Allow them to move out of the tank’s water surface.
- Maintain the proper humidity level.
- Cover the top with the lid. It’ll help to trap the moisture in the tank.
What if You Don’t Want It?
- Trim the large stems.
- Focus the light below the waterline, as it encourages horizontal growth.
- Do regular trimming and use the trimmed stems for propagation.
Cardamine Lyrata Care
They are semiaquatic plants that can equally grow in substrate and on hardscapes. Their rapid growth requires care and handling. Here are care tips for the ardamine Lyrata aquarium.
Water Parameters
| Parameter | Values |
| Temperature | 20–28°C |
| pH | 6.0 to 7.5 |
| Water hardness | Soft to moderately hard |
| Water Quality | Clean
Well-filtered Stable water parameters |
Lighting
Medium to highlight intensity for 8 to 10 hours daily is optimal for proper growth. Medium light promotes carpet growth and vice versa. Ensure that every plant is receiving adequate and uniform light. It’ll help in lush and submerged growth.
CO2 and Nutrients
They don’t require any CO2 dose injection. However, a CO2 dose boosts the growth rate and overall health. Keep an eye on the nutrient level and maintain it. You can do fertilization in two ways, i.e., root tabs and liquid fertilizer. A Fe-rich balanced macro and micro-nutrient liquid fertilizer dose provides a better result. Nutrient tabs allow a steady nutrient uptake.
Plantation Technique
You can grow them in two ways, i.e., substrate plantation and hardscape growth. Both of the techniques have been previously discussed.
Maintenance Tips
- Regularly trim the extra branches and yellow leaves.
- Periodically remove the decayed plants and clean the tank to avoid algae growth.
- Regularly check the water parameters, i.e., pH, temperature, water hardness, filtration level, etc.
- Spread the plants in different corners of the tank to avoid overwhelming. Moreover, it will keep your aquascape design always updated.
In Closing
The semiaquatic nature of Cardamine Lyrata makes it an aquarist’s favorite. Cardamine Lyrata aquariums are interesting as they can grow like a bush, carpet, and trail on the wall or other objects. Follow the growth instructions because they can overwhelm the tank due to their invasive growth. Regular trimming and optimal water parameters will help to achieve proper growth.
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