Rotala Macrandra

The Absolute Hunger and the Law of Blood (The Iron Nightmare Futile Deaf Mute):

In the presence of extreme light and CO2, the metabolism of Macrandra travels a thousand miles an hour. This means that it will exhaust the nutrients in the water column in a few hours. If nitrates (NO3) and phosphates (PO4) are lacking, the plant will instantly stop growing and the old leaves will develop holes. If Iron and Microelements are lacking, the new leaves will be born white and stunted (iron chlorosis). Obtaining the deep blood red requires a daily fertilization regime balanced to the milligram.

The Curse of the Shadow and the Basal Rot (The Hunger for Light Futile Blind):

A fatal mistake is to plant Rotala macrandra in tight bunches, as is done with more common plants. Its large rosette leaves would cast an impenetrable shadow. The stems in the lower part, deprived of vital light, will rot rapidly (basal rot), and the entire head of the plant will detach, floating in the aquarium. Every single stem MUST be planted at least 3 cm apart, to ensure that the light hits it down to the substrate.