Hygrophila polysperma
Nutrient sponge, use it to outcompete algae in new tanks. Banned/invasive in several US states (check local rules before sourcing).
Dwarf Hygrophila (Hygrophila polysperma) is a stem aquatic plant for the midground to background of a planted tank. It reaches 20–40 cm under good conditions and grows at a very fast rate. Light: low to high. CO₂: optional. Target 20–28 °C, pH 6.0–7.5, and 2–15 dGH. Substrate: Any, water column feeder. Propagate via cuttings (top and side shoots).
Care at a glance
Nutrient sponge, use it to outcompete algae in new tanks. Banned/invasive in several US states (check local rules before sourcing).
Updated 1 min read
Part of our complete guide to the planted aquarium.
Leaves yellowing, pitting, or new growth coming in pale or twisted? Work out what it’s short of in our plant deficiency guide.
The parameters that decide whether dwarf hygrophila fits in your tank.
Acanthaceae
Stem
Midground to Background
Any, water column feeder
Cuttings (top and side shoots)
Marshes and pond edges across tropical Asia
India, Bangladesh, Bhutan
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Weighing it against something similar? Compare Dwarf Hygrophila head to head:
Hard-won lessons from the tank.
BANNED OR INVASIVE in: USA federal lacy weed list, several US states (Alabama, Florida, Texas, etc.), parts of Australia. CHECK YOUR LOCAL REGULATIONS before sourcing. Outside restricted regions, it's a perfect new-tank plant for fighting algae.
What can go wrong and how to spot it.
Failure modes, in order of how dramatic the fix is.
Pale: nitrogen. Pinholes: potassium. Stunted: trace minerals or insufficient light. Adapts to almost any conditions.
Rapid growth outcompetes algae — actually USED to fight algae in new tanks (called a 'nutrient sponge').
The practical routine, read top to bottom.
Heavy column feeder. EI dosing keeps it lush. Iron especially makes 'Sunset' colour pop.
Top the stems weekly — pinch off the top 5 cm with scissors and replant. Side shoots branch from the trimmed node and the plant gets bushier. Don't let stems reach the surface and bend over.
Where it comes from, how it behaves, and the variants you'll see at retail.
Where it lived before it came home.
See where the Dwarf Hygrophila and every other species comes from on the species world map.
Streams and pools throughout South and Southeast Asia. Hardy enough to be invasive in warmer parts of the world.
Grows emersed easily; many wholesalers grow it that way. Emersed leaves are wider and stiffer.
Small white-purple axillary flowers when emersed.
The named cultivars and the lookalikes worth flagging.
'Sunset' (variegated pink/cream new growth, beautiful), 'Rosanervig' (pink veining), 'Ceylon' (broader leaves). All same care.
Often mixed in with H. corymbosa (broader), H. difformis (lacy), H. siamensis. Polysperma is the slim, narrow-leaf, fast variety.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
CO₂ requirement: optional. Light requirement: low to high. Under low-tech conditions the plant grows at a very fast rate.
Dwarf Hygrophila (Hygrophila polysperma) needs low to high light. Run a photoperiod of 6–8 hours; longer photoperiods invite algae unless CO₂ and dosing are dialled in.
Position: midground to background. Substrate: Any, water column feeder It typically reaches 20–40 cm.
Propagation method: Cuttings (top and side shoots). Dwarf Hygrophila is a stem plant.
Target 20–28 °C, pH 6.0–7.5, and 2–15 dGH. Flow tolerance: low to high.
Difficulty: 1/5. Almost unkillable, a solid first-tank choice.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this plant with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
