MICRO Sword (Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (Foreground Sword aquarium plant)
Want a short foreground plant that will give you a flowing carpet? Here comes Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis... or as the kids on the street call it. Micro Sword.
Lilaeopsis is an easy to keep aquarium. However, that doesn't mean it is an easy to THRIVE aquarium plant.
I first kept Lilaeopsis in college in the "Predirt era" It was kept in a simple gravel substrate but got plenty of light, CO2 and Nutrients. It looked good and maintained well in one place but it never really took off with runners.
While it's common name is "Micro swords" it is not actually a sword, though like a sword, I have found Lilaeopsis is a more heavy root feeder.
So- it is easy to KEEP alive, but it won't give you the carpeting looking you might be looking for without good substrate and higher light. (I would argue that almost ALL carpeting foreground plants will thrive 5x betting with a good substrate like dirt)
What I like about Lilaeopsis is that it has a finer leaf structure than a dwarf sag. It is not as hard as dwarf sag but close. When it does grow it's runners stay closer to the base. Microsword grows more dense that other runner plants.
The short, lighter green grassy look of Lilaeopsis would look great with a darker contrast in the foreground like a crypt or a different shape like Stauro.
On a scale of 1-10, 1 being you could grow it in your toilet, 10 being, dies in the bag on the way home.
Lilaeopsis is a 3.
- Medium to above average lighting
- Good substrate for better carpeting
- Likes CO2 but doesn't need it