Tropica Riccardia Chamedryfolia

Riccardia chamedryfolia, commonly known as Mini Pellia or Coral Pellia, is a small liverwort from Europe, Asia, and North America that grows in moist, shaded environments along stream banks and wet rocks. In the aquarium, it forms dense, rounded, dark-green masses of tightly branching thallus with a distinctive texture reminiscent of dense coral or broccoli florets — an appearance quite unlike any other aquarium moss or liverwort.

Mini Pellia is highly valued in the aquascaping hobby for its dark, rich green color and the incredibly dense, textured surface it creates when grown on rocks or driftwood. Its compact, mounding growth habit and jewel-like quality make it a premium material for detail work in high-end aquascape compositions, particularly in Nature Aquarium and wabi-kusa designs.

This liverwort grows slowly compared to common mosses and requires specific conditions: it prefers cool to moderate temperatures, good water quality, moderate light, and benefits from CO2 supplementation. It is sensitive to warm water (above 26°C) and algae overgrowth can be a concern in high-nutrient setups.

Tropica produces quality Riccardia chamedryfolia tissue culture (in vitro) plants for clean, algae-free introduction.

Light: Low to medium light (10–35 PAR). Grows in shade but benefits from moderate indirect light. Direct strong light promotes algae on its surface.

CO2: Optional but beneficial. CO2 injection (10–20 mg/L) improves growth rate and density.

Temperature: Prefers cooler water (15–24°C). Declines above 26°C — not suitable for warm tropical tanks.

Attachment: Attach to rocks or driftwood with aquatic glue or fishing line. Grows dense clumps over surfaces. Trim outer growth to control size.

Maintenance: Moderate. Trim overgrowth. Monitor for algae, which can overtake this slow-growing liverwort in high-nutrient setups. Regular water changes help.

Water Parameters: pH 5.5–7.5, temperature 15–24°C, GH 2–12.