# Proserpinaca palustris (Mermaid Weed) leaf shape



## KingKoopa512 (Jan 28, 2016)

Completely fine. Look at mine









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## rpeinhardt (May 2, 2016)

Oh, good! Thanks for putting my mind at ease, KingKoopa!


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## KingKoopa512 (Jan 28, 2016)

No problem 

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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

Lighting will affect how they look. Mine are less spindly and much wider in the leaf.

Also, I'm pretty sure there are two species. The 'Cuba' version is a wider leaf naturally I think.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Size shape and color can vary dramatically depending on conditions. It is also quick to respond to changes, can look very different from one day to the next.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

burr740 said:


> Size shape and color can vary dramatically depending on conditions. It is also quick to respond to changes, can look very different from one day to the next.


Very true. It's my indicator in my tank. Leaves curl down instantly when something is wrong.


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## KingKoopa512 (Jan 28, 2016)

Bstanucci ur mermaid weed looks freaking awesome wish mine looked like that 😢 guess mines not fine after all 

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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

KingKoopa512 said:


> Bstanucci ur mermaid weed looks freaking awesome wish mine looked like that 😢 guess mines not fine after all
> 
> Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk


Yours is all good! Just different conditions. I see nothing unhealthy with yours from that photo. 

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## KingKoopa512 (Jan 28, 2016)

What are your conditions not that can replicate lol 

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## rpeinhardt (May 2, 2016)

burr740 said:


> It is also quick to respond to changes, can look very different from one day to the next.


I've noticed this, too. The new growth on mine was looking pale and gnarly. I diagnosed it as calcium deficiency, threw some crushed oyster shell in the filter and within a couple days those new leaves perked right up. Blew me away.

That's why, when those leaves started looking like they do in the circled photo, I got concerned that the oyster shell had buffered my water up to a pH the plant didn't like or something.

I've really fallen in love with this plant because of how much and how quickly it changes based on the environmental parameters!

Also the fact that it is so slow growing. No need to prune frequently!


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

KingKoopa512 said:


> What are your conditions not that can replicate lol
> 
> Sent from my LG-H634 using Tapatalk


I inject co2 and have high lighting. Even with the fixtures turned down half power it's still got to be high. Modified EI dosing. I personally think it's the lighting that affects the leaf shape more than anything else. 

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## KingKoopa512 (Jan 28, 2016)

Nice jus started dosin pps pro gonna have yo adjusy getting some bba never did hen i was using the seachem line

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## Tinanti (Aug 25, 2005)

The Cuban stuff (also palustris) has leaves that are not as finely divided. Material we have collected locally looks almost like _Myriophyllum_. 

There is also _P. pectinata_, where the leaves are always finely divided, even above water. It's smaller, redder and not as easy to grow.


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## Glass&Grass (11 mo ago)

bsantucci said:


> Lighting will affect how they look. Mine are less spindly and much wider in the leaf.
> 
> Also, I'm pretty sure there are two species. The 'Cuba' version is a wider leaf naturally I think.


are the ones in the back right and front right of the Cuba also cuba? or are they regular? mine look like those two


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