How much light does Creeping Staurogyne need?

Medium light, around 40–60 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ of PAR. Watts are not comparable between fixtures; PAR is. If the manufacturer does not publish PAR, pick one band lower than the tank depth suggests.

Does Creeping Staurogyne need CO₂?

It is optional. Marked "optional": with CO₂ it grows faster and tighter, without it still does fine.

What water does Creeping Staurogyne want?

22–28 °C, pH 6–7.5, 2–12 dGH. At 10 dGH wide it is one of the more forgiving ranges.

How fast does Creeping Staurogyne grow, and where does it go?

Growth rate: slow. Placement: foreground / midground. Substrate: substrate required, reaching about 3–8 cm. Difficulty: beginner.

G-02 / 19Freshwater

Creeping Staurogyne爬地矮珍珠

Staurogyne repens · Acanthaceae

A hard-leaved, shrubby plant that forms a low row of bushes and is hard for fish to uproot.

Illustration to come

G-02 / 19 · Creeping Staurogyne Staurogyne repens

SpecificationsPlant atlas

Name: 爬地矮珍珠
Scientific name: Staurogyne repens
Family: Acanthaceae
Origin: Shallow rocky shallows of the Rio Xingu, Brazil
Light: Medium light
PAR: 40–60
CO₂: Optional
Hardness: 2–12 dGH
Growth: Slow
Placement: Foreground / Midground
Substrate: Substrate required
Height: 3–8 cm
Level: Beginner

Water requirementsFreshwater

Temp.22–28 °C

pH6–7.5

Hardness2–12 dGH

Alkalinity1–8 dKH

Units: temperature in °C, hardness in German degrees (dGH / dKH), marine salinity as specific gravity at 25 °C, volume in litres. These are the values recorded for the species and do not follow the site unit switcher.

Growing notes

1Plant single stems two to three centimetres apart; it grows into a row of low bushes rather than a flat carpet.
2It is slow and takes two or three months to fill in, and replanting it midway sets it back noticeably.
3The three or four centimetre tops can go straight back into the substrate, so trimming thickens the group.
4Iron shortage pales the new leaves, potassium shortage holes the old ones and a lean substrate keeps the leaves small.
5Medium light is enough and strong light keeps the internodes tight; it grows without CO2, though injected CO2 multiplies the side shoots.

Frequently asked questions

How much light does Creeping Staurogyne need?: Medium light, around 40–60 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ of PAR. Watts are not comparable between fixtures; PAR is. If the manufacturer does not publish PAR, pick one band lower than the tank depth suggests.
Does Creeping Staurogyne need CO₂?: It is optional. Marked "optional": with CO₂ it grows faster and tighter, without it still does fine.
What water does Creeping Staurogyne want?: 22–28 °C, pH 6–7.5, 2–12 dGH. At 10 dGH wide it is one of the more forgiving ranges.
How fast does Creeping Staurogyne grow, and where does it go?: Growth rate: slow. Placement: foreground / midground. Substrate: substrate required, reaching about 3–8 cm. Difficulty: beginner.