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I've been trying to keep a Red Tiger Lotus alive for months, but it's just not thriving. My tank's got a Fluval Plant 3.0 light, CO2 injection, and I dose Thrive twice a week. Anyone else struggle with this plant?

Red Tiger Lotus can be tricky. What's your substrate like? I've found they need a nutrient-rich base, like ADA Aqua Soil, to really take off. Also, how's your flow? They don't love strong currents.

Yeah, mine melted like crazy at first. I switched to root tabs and cut the CO2 back a bit, and it's finally starting to bounce back. Gonna try upping the light next week.

Mine did the same thing! I thought it was just me. I'm using sand with root tabs, but maybe I need to switch substrates. How long did it take yours to recover?

storm9 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 12:42 pm Yeah, mine melted like crazy at first. I switched to root tabs and cut the CO2 back a bit, and it's finally starting to bounce back. Gonna try upping the light next week.

Interesting. I've had success with lower light and no CO2. Maybe it's about finding the right balance for your setup.

I gave up on Red Tiger Lotus after two tries. Switched to Dwarf Sagittaria and it's been way easier. Sometimes it's just not worth the hassle, you know?

I've had the opposite experience! My Lotus is thriving, but my Anubias Nana is barely hanging on. Go figure. Tank's got a Nicrew light, no CO2, and I use Easy Green. Maybe it's just luck.

floral9 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 3:10 pm I gave up on Red Tiger Lotus after two tries. Switched to Dwarf Sagittaria and it's been way easier. Sometimes it's just not worth the hassle, you know?

Totally get that. I've been there with Monte Carlo. Some plants just don't vibe with certain tanks.

My hardest plant was definitely Pogostemon Helferi. It kept melting no matter what I did. Finally got it to grow by lowering the temp to 72°F and adding more iron. Still not sure why that worked.

Pogostemon Helferi is a finicky one. I've found it needs stable parameters and a lot of light. What's your nitrate level? High nitrates can cause melt in sensitive plants like that.