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PlantmediumFreshwater

Mayaca Sellowiniana

Mayaca sellowiana

📍 South America and southeastern North America; native to Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and parts of the southeastern United States

Mayaca sellowiana is a delicate, feathery stem plant with fine, needle-like leaves arranged densely along slender stems, giving it a soft, moss-like texture. It creates a lush, wispy appearance ideal for midground or background planting, adding a naturalistic, flowing quality to planted aquascapes. Under good conditions it may produce tiny pinkish-white flowers near the water surface.

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Common Diseases

Melt / Stem Rot

Symptoms

Stems become soft, translucent, and disintegrate; leaves drop rapidly after introduction or following sudden parameter changes

Treatment

Trim affected stems immediately; stabilize water parameters and ensure soft, slightly acidic water; replant healthy tops

Iron / Micronutrient Deficiency

Symptoms

New leaves appear pale yellow or white (chlorosis) while older leaves remain green; stunted growth

Treatment

Dose chelated iron and a comprehensive liquid micronutrient fertilizer; ensure substrate root tabs are present

Thread Algae Infestation

Symptoms

Fine green or black thread algae entangle the delicate leaves, smothering growth and reducing light penetration

Treatment

Introduce Amano shrimp or Otocinclus; reduce photoperiod; improve CO2 and nutrient balance to outcompete algae

Leggy / Sparse Growth

Symptoms

Stems elongate rapidly with wide spacing between leaves; plant loses its dense, feathery appearance

Treatment

Increase light intensity to 70-100 PAR; add CO2 injection; trim and replant tops to encourage bushy regrowth

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Quick Facts

co2
Beneficial but not essential; CO2 injection promotes faster, healthier growth and prevents sparse, leggy stems
light
Medium to High (50-100 PAR); benefits from consistent, strong lighting to maintain dense, compact growth
placement
Midground to Background; rooted in substrate, planted in bunches or small groups
substrate
Nutrient-rich substrate preferred; root tabs beneficial to support steady stem growth
growth rate
Moderate
propagation
Stem cuttings; trim tops and replant healthy cuttings directly into substrate; side shoots also develop along the main stem

Water it likes

ph
5.5-7.0
hardness
1-8 dGH
temperature
68–82°F (20–28°C)

Stats

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Growing in0 tanks