Glosso
Glossostigma elatinoides · family Phrymaceae
- Light
- High
- CO₂
- Required
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–12 °dGH
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Height
- up to 3 cm
- Placement
- Foreground
- Root feeder
- Yes
Pros and cons
- The classic foreground for nature-style aquascapes
- Forms a dense 1–2 cm carpet
- Works for both Iwagumi setups and shrimp tanks
- Requires CO₂, bright light, and nutrient substrate
- Without all three, stretches upward instead of carpeting
- Not for beginners
Description
The classic Iwagumi-style carpet foreground. Without CO₂ and bright light it won't form a carpet — it stretches upward in columns.
Care
Bright light (≥0.8 W/L), CO₂, nutrient substrate. Divide and plant in 1×1 cm tufts spaced 2 cm apart.
FAQ
- What if my glosso grows upward instead of carpeting?
- Not enough light. Increase lighting or add CO₂. Under low light it stretches toward the source.
AuthorGoldie Editorial
Goldie editorial team
Practising aquarists with a combined 30+ years of experience · Biologists and editors, fact-checking against FishBase and Seriously Fish · Every piece is reviewed by a qualified ichthyologist before publication
Reviewed byGoldie Science Board
Scientific board — ichthyologists and veterinarians
Ichthyologists and veterinarians with university degrees · Reference FishBase, Seriously Fish and peer-reviewed literature · Sign every reviewed article with their credentials shown
Sources
- Wikipedia: Glossostigma elatinoides · Wikipedia · 2026-05-22