Staurogyne repens

🌿 Introduction
Staurogyne repens is a hardy, low-growing plant from the Rio Cristalino in Brazil. Known for its compact form and bright green leaves, it’s a favorite carpeting plant for freshwater aquariums. Easy to manage and adaptable, it spreads into lush patches that provide cover for shrimp and fry while adding a natural look to the foreground.

🌱 Plant Profile

• Type: Stem plant (creeping/carpeting)

• Origin: Brazil (Rio Cristalino)

• Position: Foreground · Midground accent in small tanks

• Growth Rate: Medium

• Lighting: Medium to high

• CO₂: Recommended for dense carpets, but not required for survival

• Height / Spread: 2–4″ (5–10 cm) tall · Spreads laterally across substrate

• Water Parameters: pH 6.0–7.5 · GH 2–12 · KH 1–8

• USDA Zones (emersed growth): 10–11

✅ Care Summary

• Plant stems individually in the foreground about ½–1″ apart.

• Trim regularly to encourage lateral shoots and thicker carpeting.

• With CO₂ and strong light, it forms a dense, vibrant mat; in low-tech tanks, it grows slower and more upright.

• Highly adaptable and beginner-friendly compared to many carpeting species.

• Suitable for emersed growth in humid paludariums and ripariums.

🌿 Q&A

Q: How tall does Staurogyne repens get?
A: Usually 2–4″ tall, though it may grow taller in low light.

Q: Can it carpet without CO₂?
A: Yes, but slower — trimming and moderate light help it spread even in low-tech setups.

Q: Is it good for shrimp tanks?
A: Absolutely. Its dense, low foliage provides shelter and grazing areas for shrimp and fry.

🌍 More about Staurogyne repens
Staurogyne repens is native to the clear waters of Brazil’s Rio Cristalino, a tributary of the Tapajós River in the Amazon basin. It was described scientifically in 1981 but didn’t reach the aquarium world until the mid-2000s, when it began appearing in European aquascaping layouts. Its balance of hardiness and beauty quickly made it a favorite, and it is now considered one of the most reliable foreground plants in modern aquariums.

In its natural habitat, S. repens grows along rocky and sandy banks that flood seasonally. Submerged in the wet season, it creeps outward and anchors itself among stones and leaf litter. During the dry season, it shifts to emersed growth along the riverbanks. This adaptability explains why it thrives both underwater and in paludariums.

Wildlife in the Cristalino region uses these low mats as microhabitats. Juvenile fish and fry find shelter among the stems, while small invertebrates graze on biofilm across its leaves. In aquariums, the same function is mirrored: shrimp and fry benefit from its cover, and dense mats suppress algae growth by outcompeting it for light and nutrients.

In aquascaping history, S. repens became popular as a practical alternative to Hemianthus callitrichoides “Cuba” and Glossostigma elatinoides. Where those classic carpeting plants demanded high CO₂ and intense lighting, S. repens offered a sturdier, more forgiving option — still lush and compact, but capable of thriving in a wider range of tank setups. Its introduction helped open the art of planted tank design to a broader audience of aqua