Vallisneria asiatica (Vallisneria asiatica) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
Asian eelgrass
Family
Hydrocharitaceae (frogbit family)
Origin
East Asia (not confirmed from our sources)
Water
freshwater
Temperature
15–28°C
pH
6.5–8.5
Hardness
5–20 dGH
Care level
beginner
Lighting
Low to medium light; CO2 not needed

Care

Vallisneria asiatica is an East Asian eelgrass listed on Wikipedia's list of freshwater aquarium plants. We could not reach a species page for it; many botanists now include it in Vallisneria natans, which Wikipedia's genus page records from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, India and elsewhere. The twisted-leaf variety biwaensis (corkscrew vallisneria) has its own page. Care is like other Vallisneria. Vallisneria generally prefers neutral to alkaline water, grows best in bright light but copes with moderate light, and does not need CO2. Plain gravel works if an iron-rich fertiliser is added now and then. Plant with the crown (where leaves meet roots) just above the substrate. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallisneria); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Spreads by runners from the base, each producing daughter plants along it. Once a daughter has its own roots, cut the runner and replant it elsewhere. Do not bury the crown when planting.

Compatibility and tank mates

A tough plant that most fish ignore, though goldfish, large cichlids and some herbivores eat the leaves. Diggers uproot young plants. Ideal for livebearer and community tanks; it tolerates slightly brackish water.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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