# Red tiger lotus vs. green tiger lotus?



## webgirl74 (Dec 2, 2009)

I was just at my LFS and saw they had lots of new red tiger lotus in. I've always wanted one but haven't seen them for sale in town and was going to wait until the weather warmed up to mail order one. They also have green tiger lotus...does this have the same light and other requirements as a red tiger lotus? Might get one of each!


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## Rooted (Feb 8, 2010)

Were they selling the plants or the bulbs?


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## blackstar1965 (Feb 8, 2010)

I know I'm a newb to the board, but I noticed no one had answered your question.

I have several variants of Tiger Lotus, and found they all require essentially the same things (water parameters/substrate/ferts/etc). However, I also found that the red/mostly-red variants require more light than the green (which is still quite a lot), and prefer 6-6700K wavelength bulbs, or something with a slight rose colored tint.

The growth of my red lotuses didn't match that of the green until I changed the color spectrum of the bulbs.
On my Osaka 155, I'm currently using a 24" Coralife Lunar Aqualight (w/ Coralife 6700k and 10000k pc bulbs) and a 24" GLO T-5 (with Gisemann PowerChrome 6000 bulbs).


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## NJAquaBarren (Sep 16, 2009)

I have a pair of Reds growing like weeds under 2 T5 HO bulbs. They are very easy to grow and very trouble free.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

I have one green and one red, both are growing pretty well under two T-5NO lights. Great plants.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

Hey do you guys cut the leaves so it grows bushy? Or do you let them go to lilys?


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

F22 said:


> Hey do you guys cut the leaves so it grows bushy? Or do you let them go to lilys?


I have one that is growing very low to the substrate, the "leaves" are smaller, but it sends out quite a bit. The other one I let send some pads to the surface, and the leaves got very big, and grew taller in the tank. With both of these planted together in one side of the tank, they have a stepped look to them. I now trim the pads off, as the surface movement i have keeps pulling them to the side of my tank with the plants that require more light.


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## NJAquaBarren (Sep 16, 2009)

Mine get very big. I trim them periodically by cutting a couple of the largest leaves at the base. I usually let one or two pads reach the surface. Its amazing how much shadow Lotus leaves create. After trimming its like the lights turn on.

They take the trimming well. No ill effects, just keep growing more leaves.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

I've heard\noticed that if you trim very often they don't send the leaves to the top. Makes for a pretty cool plant when all the leaves grow close to the bulb.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

NJAquaBarren said:


> Mine get very big. I trim them periodically by cutting a couple of the largest leaves at the base. I usually let one or two pads reach the surface. Its amazing how much shadow Lotus leaves create. After trimming its like the lights turn on.
> 
> They take the trimming well. No ill effects, just keep growing more leaves.


I think mine get mad at me after trimming, within a day there are three new leaves / pads for every one I trim off lol.


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## Joshism (Nov 26, 2015)

LOL. Hydra. Cut off 1 head and it grows 3 more. I'm thinking about getting the red one for my piranha planted tank that I'm about to start.


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