Egyptian white water-lily

The red form of Nymphaea lotus is one of the few water-lilies that stays manageable in a home aquarium — the leaves rarely reach the surface in tanks deeper than 40 cm, which means it does not block light like larger lily species. Nymphaea lotus is native to tropical Africa, where it grows in slow-moving rivers and seasonal floodplains.

The submerged leaves are reddish-brown with darker speckles, held on stems that grow from a bulb-like tuber. Each leaf is round to slightly oval with a distinct notch at the base. Under strong light the red tones deepen and the leaves lie closer to the substrate. In lower light the stems stretch toward the surface and the leaves turn greener.

A nutrient-rich substrate is important — the tuber is a heavy root feeder and benefits from root tabs placed near the base. The optimum temperature is 22 to 28 °C with pH between 5 and 7.5. CO₂ injection is optional but produces noticeably larger and more colourful leaves.

The lily goes through a rest period where growth stops and the leaves die back. This is normal — the tuber survives and sends out new leaves after a few weeks. Propagation is by bulb offsets that form around the parent tuber. In open tanks the plant may produce white flowers above the surface.