Echinodorus Ozelot Red
Plant Profile
Echinodorus 'Ozelot Red' is a popular and striking Amazon Sword cultivar featuring unique brownish-red foliage decorated with distinct, dark red spots on new growth. Named after the wild ocelot for its leopard-like speckling, its narrowly elliptic leaves form a bold, sprawling rosette that brings dynamic color and pattern to a planted tank background. Under moderate lighting, new leaves unfurl in deep reddish-brown hues before settling into an olive green with persistent dark splotches. Highly adaptable across varied water conditions and low-tech setups, it stands out as a reliable and low-maintenance choice among aquarium plants for beginners.
Key Features & Notes
- Brownish-red emergent foliage adorned with deep red speckles provides eye-catching color and pattern.
- Sprawling rosette habit offers full background coverage to fill open space in medium to large tanks.
- Undemanding and hardy species that thrives across a wide range of water parameters without mandatory CO2.
Care & Planting Instructions
- Prep the plant by removing it from the pot and clearing all rockwool from the roots.
- Plant the roots deeply into your aquarium soil, keeping the crown of the plant resting just above the substrate line to prevent rot.
- All Echinodorus are heavy root feeders that rely on rich substrate nutrition; placing root tabs near the base supports steady, healthy leaf development.
- Supplemental CO2 injection accelerates growth and encourages denser, fuller foliage, though the plant will still grow steadily in low-tech setups.
- Maintain stable water parameters to prevent leaf shedding during the initial transition period.
- Final size and coloration depend entirely on your specific aquarium conditions; please note that photos are a representation, and individual plants may vary.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Echinodorus 'Ozelot Red' |
| Common Name(s) | Ozelot Red Sword, Red Ozelot Sword |
| Family | Alismataceae |
| Plant Type / Taxonomy | Rosette plant / Cultivar |
| Care Difficulty | Easy |
| Light Requirement | Moderate to High |
| CO2 Requirement | Not required (Optional) |
| Placement / Usage | Background |
| Height / Size | 7–19+ inches |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Water Parameters | pH 5.0–7.0 |
| Propagation Method | Separate new plantlets from the root crown or adventitious shoots |
| Origin | Cultivated cultivar (Species origin: South America) |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I prune an Echinodorus when it grows too large?
Prune older or overgrown outer leaves individually near the root crown using sharp aquascaping scissors. Avoid cutting across leaf blades, as damaged leaf tips will turn brown rather than regrowing.
2. Can this background plant grow in low-tech aquariums without CO2?
Yes, this species thrives in low-tech aquariums without pressurized CO2, provided it receives adequate root supplementation and consistent lighting.
3. Why are the leaves on my new Echinodorus melting or turning yellow?
Sword plants are often grown emersed and shed their old emersed leaves when submerged to adapt to underwater growth. Keep water parameters stable and supply root tabs near the base to support new leaves.