Description

Vallisneria spiralis forms long, narrow green ribbons that rise to the surface and bend along it, creating a constantly moving backdrop. It is smaller and more manageable than nana, which makes it suitable for medium tanks. It tolerates hard water better than most plants, though it has one clear enemy: it cannot cope with excess copper salts or some algae treatments.

Scientific name
Vallisneria spiralis
Position
Rear
Difficulty
Easy
Natural grow
High
Max height
50 cm

🌊 Water parameters

pH
6.5 - 8
GH
5 - 20
Temperature
18 - 28 °C
Current
Low or moderate

Requirements

Light requirements
Medium
Light spectrum requirements
6000 - 8000 (Kelvin)
Require CO2
no
Soil requirements
Inert or nutritious sustrate

Habitats

Sources

  • GBIF
    GBIF Secretariat (2026). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei. Consultado vía GBIF.org, 2026-08. Vallisneria spiralis.

Taxonomy verified.

The aquarium care values (light, substrate, CO2 and water ranges) have no citable source: GBIF supports the taxonomy and distribution, not the cultivation. A source for plants is still to be agreed.