Aponogeton boivinianus
Boivin's aponogeton
Vetenskaplig klassificering
Rike:Plantae
Stam:Tracheophytes
Klass:Liliopsida
Ordning:Alismatales
Familj:Aponogetonaceae
Släkte:Aponogeton
Art:boivinianus
IUCN Status:Minst oro
Snabb statistik
Svårighetsgrad
Medel
Miljö
Sötvatten
Temperatur
20°C - 26°C
pH-nivå
6.5 - 7.5
Vattenhårdhet
36 - 215 ppm
Tillväxt
Moderate
Belysning
Medel - Hög
Max höjd
30-60 cm
Placering
Bakgrund
CO2-krav
Låg
Vattenflöde
Medelflöde
Information för akvariebygge
Max höjd
30-60 cm
Placering
Bakgrund
Belysning
Medel - Hög
Tillväxt
Moderate
CO2-krav
Låg
Vattenflöde
Medelflöde
Substrat
Sand
Grus
Jord
Fästmetod
substrate
Oxygen Production
Hög
Waste reduction
High
Om denna art
Grundläggande beskrivning
Boivin's aponogeton is a stunning and large aquatic plant perfect for bigger aquariums. Its most notable feature is its long, broad, dark green leaves which have a unique crinkled or 'hammered' texture, creating a beautiful visual effect as light plays across their surface. Because it can grow quite tall, it is best placed in the background of your tank, where it won't block the view of other inhabitants. This plant grows from a bulb, which is like a small onion that stores all the energy the plant needs to start growing. When you plant it, make sure to leave the top part of the bulb showing above the sand or gravel to prevent it from rotting. It’s a fairly hardy plant but does appreciate a tank with some water movement, mimicking the rivers it comes from in Madagascar. One of the best things about this plant is how it helps keep your aquarium healthy. It’s a workhorse, absorbing waste products from fish and releasing lots of oxygen into the water, which is great for your fish and helps keep the tank clean. While it has a reputation for being a bit more demanding than some other plants, with a good light and a large enough tank, even a determined beginner can have success with this magnificent species.
Detaljerad beskrivning
Aponogeton boivinianus is a captivating centerpiece for the dedicated aquarist, prized for its unique morphological characteristics. The leaves are not only large and lance-shaped but are distinctly bullate, giving them a hammered or quilted appearance that adds significant texture and depth to an aquascape. Their dark, almost translucent green coloration can be intensified with proper iron fertilization. As a true bulb plant, its care cycle is a primary consideration. The bulb, a tuberous rhizome, functions as a significant energy reserve. Proper planting is crucial: the bulb should be placed into a nutrient-rich substrate with the top one-third to one-half exposed to the water column to prevent rot. Because it is a heavy root feeder, supplementing a sand or gravel substrate with root tabs placed near the bulb is highly recommended for vigorous growth. A key aspect of keeping this species is understanding its natural dormancy period. After several months of active growth, the plant may shed all its leaves and appear to die. This is a natural survival strategy. Do not discard the bulb. The plant is simply resting. This dormant phase can last from a few weeks to several months. Some hobbyists leave the bulb in the substrate, while others prefer to remove it and store it in cool, damp sand in a dark place before replanting. This mimics the seasonal changes of its native Madagascan river habitats. For propagation, A. boivinianus will send up a flower stalk to the surface, which can produce viable seeds if pollinated (often self-pollinating in an enclosed aquarium environment). These seeds can be collected and sown in a shallow substrate to cultivate new plants. Given its high nutrient uptake and rapid growth under optimal conditions, it is an exceptional choice for nitrate reduction in heavily stocked tanks. While CO2 injection is not mandatory, its addition will significantly accelerate growth and improve the plant's overall health and vibrancy, especially when paired with high-intensity lighting.
Vetenskaplig beskrivning
Aponogeton boivinianus is a monocotyledonous hydrophyte from the Aponogetonaceae family, endemic to river systems in northern and western Madagascar. Its morphology is well-adapted to its native lotic environment. The plant grows from a tuberous rhizome (bulb) up to 3 cm in diameter, which serves as a perennating organ for carbohydrate storage, facilitating survival through metabolically unfavorable periods, known as dormancy. This dormancy is an ecological adaptation to seasonal variations in its habitat, such as fluctuations in water level, flow rate, or turbidity. The leaves are submerged, petiolate, and arranged in a basal rosette. The leaf blades are lanceolate to strap-shaped, and their most conspicuous feature is a heavily bullate surface. This puckering significantly increases the leaf's surface area, which likely enhances the efficiency of gas exchange (CO2 uptake, O2 release) and light absorption in its underwater environment. Physiologically, A. boivinianus is a robust phytoremediator. Its high rating for nutrient absorption and bioload reduction is indicative of its efficiency as a nutrient sink, readily assimilating dissolved inorganic nitrogen (NH4+, NO3-) and phosphorus (PO43-) from both the water column and, primarily, the substrate via its root system. This rapid nutrient sequestration fuels a relatively fast growth rate and high photosynthetic output. The species' tolerance for a broad range of water hardness (GH 2-12 dGH) and pH (6.5-7.5) suggests adaptability to varied geochemical conditions within its native river catchments. Reproduction is primarily sexual. It produces an inflorescence, typically a single spike, which extends to the water's surface (emersed) to facilitate pollination. In aquarium settings, autogamy is common, leading to the production of viable seeds. These seeds are exalbuminous, and the embryo is protected by a seed coat adapted for aquatic dispersal. Its IUCN Red List status of 'Least Concern' (LC) suggests a stable and widespread wild population, although its aquatic habitat remains susceptible to anthropogenic pressures.
