01
Overview
Pygmy chain sword spreads exactly as its name promises: each plantlet roots and sends the next, until the foreground is a linked colony of grassy stars. Under bright light the leaves blush bronze, giving the meadow seasonal warmth no mown carpet has.
02
Aquascaping use
Use it where you want natural rather than manicured: it fills irregular gaps between stones and drifts around wood organically. It suits Americas-themed biotopes with tetras shoaling above.
03
Planting
Plant plugs a few centimeters apart in fine, nutritious substrate; chains follow the loose soil paths. It fills faster than crypts, slower than true carpets.
Fine nutrient substrate
04
Light & CO₂
Medium light keeps it low and encourages the bronze flush; shade makes it taller and plain green. CO₂ speeds chaining but is optional.
05
Substrate & fertilization
Root feeding drives the runners; tabs through the colony area pay off visibly. Column dosing supports leaf color.
Feeding behavior: Root feeder. Nutrient demand: moderate.
06
Growth, trimming & propagation
Mow untidy tall leaves occasionally and thin dense mats so runners keep moving. Detach chained plantlets to replant elsewhere.
Runner separation
07
Common problems
- !Turns leggy in insufficient light
- !Runner chains invade neighboring zones
- !Old dense mats lift if never thinned
