Europe, Asia and Africa, possibly Australasia; introduced in parts of North America
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
20 cm
Temperature
8–24°C
pH
6–8
Hardness
3–15 dGH
Care level
expert
Lighting
Bright light; best grown emersed
Care
The name on the list is a misspelling: the plant is Isolepis setacea, the bristle club-rush. It is a small perennial sedge that forms mats of thin, grooved, erect or arching stems up to about 20 cm tall, with tiny brown flower spikelets near the tips. It grows on many kinds of damp and wet ground, often near the coast. This is a plant of wet ground rather than open water. Our sources say nothing about long-term submerged growth, and related club-rushes sold for aquariums usually decline underwater, so treat it as a marginal: grow it emersed at the edge of a paludarium, bog garden or pond, with only the roots and base wet. It is a temperate plant and does best in cool conditions. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolepissetacea); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.
Breeding
Divide established clumps in spring. It also sets seed freely on damp soil.
Compatibility and tank mates
Not a reliable underwater plant: buy it for paludariums, pond margins or bog gardens rather than as a true aquarium plant.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.
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Items are sold by auction, buy it now or classified advert, by hobbyist and business sellers in the UK.
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