Description
Plant Profile
Common Name: Micro Sword, Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, also known as Micro Sword, is a go‑to pick for aquascapers wanting to recreate a realistic, classic grass lawn look underwater. With its short stems and pale green, blade‑like leaves, this aquarium carpeting plant sends out a web of runners that knit together across the foreground, turning your tank into a neat little yard. It’s a super versatile plant that brings a fresh, tidy texture to any layout, making it a long‑time favorite in both traditional and nature‑style scapes.
Tissue Culture cups ensure your aquascape gets a super clean starting point. Lab‑grown and fully sterile, it arrives without pests, snails, duckweed, or any unwanted algae. It’s the go‑to option for anyone who wants peace of mind when adding fresh greenery to a carefully maintained setup.
Key Features & Benefits
Short, pale green, blade-like foliage forms a realistic, turf-style lawn.
Subterranean runners interlock across an open substrate to form a tight, dense mat.
Resilient species capable of tolerating mild salinity in low-brackish aquariums.
Care & Planting Instructions
Thoroughly wash away the nutrient gel from the roots with your fingers before parting it out into manageable portions and planting.
Plant the tissue culture in small clumps spaced roughly 1.5 to 2 inches apart to give the runners room to spread and fuse into a seamless carpet.
Use a dry start method or Wabi Kusa setup to give its root system plenty of time to firmly anchor into the substrate before you flood the tank.
Provide medium to high lighting and ensure it receives direct light without shading from taller neighboring plants to maintain a compact, low profile.
Provide nutrient-rich aquarium soil and supplement with pressurized CO2 to drastically accelerate its runner expansion and carpet density.
Maintain stable aquarium parameters and avoid drastic shifts in water quality to prevent your new grass from melting.
Master the basics by learning how to properly grow aquarium carpet plants to ensure your new layout fills in quickly, evenly, and stays free of algae.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
Attribute
Specification
Scientific Name
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
Common Name(s)
Micro Sword, Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis
Family
Apiaceae
Plant Type / Taxonomy
Rosette / Carpeting Foreground
Care Difficulty
Medium
Light Requirement
Medium to High
CO2 Requirement
Recommended (Speeds up runner formation)
Placement / Usage
Foreground Carpet
Height / Size
1-2 inches
Growth Rate
Medium
Water Parameters
pH 6.0 – 7.5 | Temperature 68°F – 80°F (20°C – 27°C)
Propagation Method
Separate runners or split dense clumps
Origin
Southeastern South America
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I plant Micro Sword tissue culture?
Use fine tweezers to plant them about 1.5 inches apart into substrate.
2. Does Micro Sword require CO2 to form a lawn?
While Micro Sword can grow without CO2, it spreads relatively slowly in low-tech tanks. Adding pressurized CO2 paired with strong lighting and nutrient-dense soil drastically increases the speed and density of its subterranean runners.
3. Why is my Micro Sword growing tall instead of spreading out?
When Micro Sword receives insufficient light, its blades reach upward toward the water surface to capture light energy. Increasing light intensity will force new leaves to stay short and encourage the plant to send out horizontal runners along the substrate.
