Care Guide
B arclaya longifolia 'red form'
Barclaya Longifolia Red Form
Care at a Glance
Lighting
Medium to high
Growth Rate
Medium
Growth Form
Bulb
Placement
Mid-background
True Aquatic
Yes
Available As
Bare root or bulb
About This Plant
Barclaya longifolia is an easy to grow aquarium plant. Barclaya longifolia has two forms that exist in nature, a red form and a green form. The red form is more sought after in the aquarium plant trade for the added color benefits. Barclaya longifolia is in the same family as waterlilies, but keeps all of its leaves submerged making it more suitable for the aquarium. Native to Southeast Asia, Barclaya longifolia is one of the easiest to grow red aquatic plants. Barclay longifolia is one of only a few plants that will flower completely underwater, and will even set seed there. With a little luck, the seeds may spread around your aquarium, and you may see little baby Barclaya plants sprout and grow! While the plant does develop a bulb with age, young plants have only roots.
Quick-Reference Details
- Common name
- B arclaya longifolia 'red form'
- Scientific name
- Barclaya Longifolia Red Form
- Family
- Nymphaceae
- Native to
- South East Asia
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Requirements
- Not demanding as long as the water isn't too hard
- Lighting
- Medium to high
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Growth form
- Bulb
- Placement
- Mid-background
- True aquatic
- Yes
- Available as
- Bare root or bulb
Difficulty — Advanced
Performs best with strong lighting, CO2 supplementation, and stable water parameters. Not recommended as a first plant.
CO2 & Fertilization
CO2 is optional. Growth improves with supplementation, but the plant survives and stays presentable without it.
Tank Size & Setup
Best in tanks 20 gallons or larger so background stems have room to grow up and be trimmed without overtaking the foreground.
Aquascaping & Placement
Place in the midground between foreground carpets and tall background stems. The structure adds visual depth and shelters small fish and shrimp. Set the bulb on top of the substrate, not buried, until roots take hold. Expect a dormant period after flowering.
Tank-Mate Compatibility
Compatible with the full range of community-tank species — tetras, rasboras, livebearers, corydoras, and most other peaceful freshwater fish do not damage the foliage.
Common Care Issues
Slow initial growth
Most aquarium plants pause for 2-4 weeks after planting while they convert from their nursery-grown emersed form to fully submerged growth. New leaves that emerge underwater will look thinner and slightly different — this is the plant adapting, not a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light does B arclaya longifolia 'red form' need?
B arclaya longifolia 'red form' (Barclaya Longifolia Red Form) prefers medium to high lighting. A standard planted-tank LED fixture run 7-9 hours a day is typical.
Does B arclaya longifolia 'red form' need CO2?
CO2 is optional. Growth improves with supplementation, but the plant survives and stays presentable without it.
Is B arclaya longifolia 'red form' good for beginners?
B arclaya longifolia 'red form' is rated advanced-level. Performs best with strong lighting, CO2 supplementation, and stable water parameters. Not recommended as a first plant.
How fast does B arclaya longifolia 'red form' grow?
Growth rate is medium. Most aquarists trim every 3-4 weeks under standard conditions.
What fish and invertebrates are compatible with B arclaya longifolia 'red form'?
Compatible with the full range of community-tank species — tetras, rasboras, livebearers, corydoras, and most other peaceful freshwater fish do not damage the foliage.