How much light does Parrot Feather 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 Parrot Feather need CO₂?

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

What water does Parrot Feather want?

18–28 °C, pH 6–7.5, 2–12 dGH. At 10 dGH wide it is one of the more forgiving ranges.

How fast does Parrot Feather grow, and where does it go?

Growth rate: fast. Placement: midground / background. Substrate: substrate required, reaching about 30–60 cm. Difficulty: beginner.

G-02 / 15Freshwater

Parrot Feather大聚藻

Myriophyllum aquaticum · Haloragaceae

Feathery whorls that grow extremely fast and strip nitrogen and phosphate out of the water.

Illustration to come

G-02 / 15 · Parrot Feather Myriophyllum aquaticum

SpecificationsPlant atlas

Name: 大聚藻
Scientific name: Myriophyllum aquaticum
Family: Haloragaceae
Origin: Still and slow water of South America (Brazil, Argentina)
Light: Medium light
PAR: 40–60
CO₂: Optional
Hardness: 2–12 dGH
Growth: Fast
Placement: Midground / Background
Substrate: Substrate required
Height: 30–60 cm
Level: Beginner

Water requirementsFreshwater

Temp.18–28 °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

1It adds five to ten centimetres a week, so in dense planting top it every week or two and replant, or the lower stems go bare.
2Its appetite for nitrogen and phosphate makes it useful while a new tank settles, but do not let it become a green wall.
3New growth whitens without iron, and without carbon the whorls space out and fade.
4It can also be left floating, where the leaves harden and take on a grey-green tone.
5The fragments root readily, so net them all out after trimming; it is invasive in some regions and must never be released into natural water.

Frequently asked questions

How much light does Parrot Feather 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 Parrot Feather need CO₂?: It is optional. Marked "optional": with CO₂ it grows faster and tighter, without it still does fine.
What water does Parrot Feather want?: 18–28 °C, pH 6–7.5, 2–12 dGH. At 10 dGH wide it is one of the more forgiving ranges.
How fast does Parrot Feather grow, and where does it go?: Growth rate: fast. Placement: midground / background. Substrate: substrate required, reaching about 30–60 cm. Difficulty: beginner.