Description
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini' Tissue Culture
A compact red-to-purple aquarium plant supplied in clean tissue culture, ideal for adding a strong colour accent without the height of standard Alternanthera reineckii.
Quick Facts
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Scientific name: Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
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Placement: Foreground to midground
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Growth: Slow to moderate
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Light: Medium to high
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CO₂: Recommended for compact growth and stronger colour
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Difficulty: Moderate
Is this for you?
Choose AR Mini when you want a compact red feature plant for an aquascape. It works particularly well in small tanks, grouped around hardscape, or as a contrasting foreground-to-midground accent.
Why choose AR Mini?
Its smaller growth habit makes it easier to use where a full-sized red stem plant would overwhelm the layout. Under stronger light and good nutrition it can develop rich red, pink and purple tones.
Benefits
- Compact red foliage for strong colour contrast
- Useful in nano tanks and detailed aquascapes
- Can be trimmed and replanted to build a dense group
- Tissue culture format starts clean and is ideal for planted aquariums
Care made simple
Separate the plant into small portions and plant with spacing between each clump. Provide a nutrient-rich substrate or consistent fertilisation. Medium-to-high light and added CO₂ will generally produce tighter growth and better colour. Trim established growth to maintain a compact bush.
What You'll Receive
One standard tissue-culture cup. Plant quantity and density naturally vary between cultures.
Pairs perfectly with
Use alongside bright green carpeting plants, dark hardscape and fine-leaved stems to make the red foliage stand out.
NTA Insight
AR Mini is often sold as though it will automatically stay intensely red. In practice, colour and compactness depend heavily on light, nutrition and CO₂. In lower-energy tanks expect greener, taller or less intense growth.
FAQ
Does it need CO₂?
It can survive without injected CO₂ in some setups, but CO₂ is strongly recommended if the goal is compact growth and strong red colour.
How do I plant tissue culture?
Rinse away the culture gel, divide into small portions and plant each portion separately.
Will it stay small?
It is naturally more compact than standard Alternanthera reineckii, but regular trimming and suitable growing conditions are still important.