# Dwarf Riccia Fluitans



## Vispilio (May 8, 2008)

I've been working on growing enough of this to outfit a few of my Viv. 

It's much more compact, grows at about the same rate though. 
The dwarf is on the left and norm is on the right.









I'm still working a few kinks out in the grow tubs. One odd thing is that it begins to turn red under high light.


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## Link3898 (Sep 18, 2008)

Very cool! ive been looking for that plant but havent been able to find any... only the normal Riccia fluitans. very interesting that it turns red under high light


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

don't hold out on us, whered you get it?


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## Vispilio (May 8, 2008)

It was miss labeled at a LFS under Riccia Fluitans. That's what I thought it was until it started to grow out.

I have grown enough to finish a couple of vivs I had planned. I wouldn't be opposed to selling what I have left. Though it will take a few weeks to bounce back... I had a slight mishap with the grow tub....


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

pm me with quantity and price


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## Link3898 (Sep 18, 2008)

i second that... 



what are you doing for a grow tub? i am curious to see how your doing it and if your suplimenting with anything


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## Marinarawr (Jan 14, 2009)

Shoot me a pm too if you wouldn't mind. I've always loved the coverage of Riccia but it's just a little too "hairy" for me. The dwarf looks perfect! Nice find .


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## Vispilio (May 8, 2008)

As far as how I grow my Dwarf Riccia... Let me introduce you to the "Light Box"

Rule one of the "Light Box" (Do not look directly into the Light Box) 
Because it will look into you.










Lighting is 400 Watts of CFL, 1 1/2 inch from the surface. Low heat from the bulbs so I could have them closer.
It floats in about 2 inches of water with a ADA Aqua Soil- Amazonia II base.
I dose with Seachem Flourish, and top off with distilled water.
The algae and dead riccia is tended by a small herd of Cherry Red Shrimp.










The problem I spoke of earlier was that I missed to top off by a day, and lost some of the riccia, but thankfully it rebounds fast.

Left before crash, Right a week after crash. The dark spots on the right are actually the red areas of the riccia.










Better pic of that.


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## RachelRiot (Jan 20, 2009)

Sure cool light box. Man the stuff I learn on here is just fascinating. 

The riccia looks great btw.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Not to rain on your parade but I don't think the "red" is what you think it is. That looks a hell of a lot like rot or burn. I don't *think* (could be wrong) that liverworts have the proper chlorophyll or cells to change colors in different light intensities.

It is neat how compact it is though but I could attest that to the way its being grown. Cultural influence plays a big role in the look of plants. I've got some great examples if you need to see.


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## Vispilio (May 8, 2008)

I don't think most Liver Worts can change color through light intensity either. I have some under the same lights as the Crystal Worts. 

I thought it was a burn at first as well. So I started to pull some out. It's hard to tell in the pic but it's not brown, just a dark red. 

To make sure it wasn't rot or a burn I removed some that was red, set it aside. It was still growing red and slowly went back to green. 









Some of it is pink some red, all but the white dead tissue is very much alive.

As for the compact growth the Ricca here was grown under much lower lighting, about 50 watt CFL 65k at about 12 inches away.










Other than the color there hasn't been much change in the growth pattern.


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## Vispilio (May 8, 2008)

Riccia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The lower (ventral) surface has a mid-ventral ridge bearing a single row of multicellular scales on either side of the ridge. The scales are multicellular and violet due to a pigment anthocyanin.

This explains why it's red.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I am not quite sure that explains how it can be seen if they are mid ventral cells. Is the article suggesting that this 1 layer of cells is visible through the dorsal surface when grown under intense lighting? Seems odd.

When you separated the red portions and grew them separated, did you keep them under the same conditions and they still grew back green? Why would that happen?

I never knew that there were so many Riccia species. I guess this could be a completely different species than R. fluitans. I assume these are only identifiable under a microscope? Spore inspection (do aquatic liverworts produce spore?)?

Neat.


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## Vispilio (May 8, 2008)

I not entirely sure why some turn red while others do not. Even in the grow tub only patches will be red, and not all of them close to the lights. But they have only turned red under the intense light in that box.

As far as propagation, I've only seen it from lateral shoots. That's not to say there couldn't be spores. 

I only know of the two Riccia species, the Dwarf and the Standard.


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## DAVIDFBT (Mar 2, 2009)

Nice experiment, put me down on your order for some Dwarf riccia, it would look great in my aquarium too.


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## wjesse (Jan 27, 2008)

How is your Dwarf Riccia coming along? I'd like to order some if you are still offering it.


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## fraser2009 (Jan 4, 2009)

great set up mate i had this stuff consume the waterfall in my viv and keeps the same tight growth pattern on land slow or fast running water. It seemed to do nothing at first then after a month or two it went nuts and makes a nice lump of green


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

did you find this plant at your local aquarium store or did you have to order it??


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## fraser2009 (Jan 4, 2009)

it is much cheaper to get it online i have found from aquarium online shops/ebay


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## Vispilio (May 8, 2008)

I found the Dwarf Riccia mislabeled at a LFS. 
For the time being my reserves are running low. The first time I posted I was cleaned out rather fast. I am trying to find a few ways to grow more faster. I'll keep you posted.


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## merk1_99 (Apr 19, 2009)

I am curious why you are using so much light. I have some floating in my aquarium lit with a 27 watt compact FL and it grows extremely quickly. I have grown it it 8 inches down tied to a rock using the same light with the same results. As far as turning it red, I am not sure about that. I haven't loaded up my tank with all that light. Would love to see how you keep that tub cool enough not to kill the shrimp.


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