background plant · easy

Amazon sword: height, light, CO₂ & fish that eat it

Echinodorus grisebachii 'Bleherae' typically grows 7.9–12 in tall (20–30 cm) and grows in the background of a tank. It's rated for low–high light, and injected CO₂ is not needed. Temperature 64–86°F.

How tall it grows

Grows 7.9–12 in · water depth by tank5 gal✕7 in10 gal · 20 longtrim9 in20 high · 40 breeder✓13 in29 gal✓15 in55 · 75 · 125 gal✓18 in180 gal✓22 in

Each bar is roughly the water depth a tank leaves above the substrate. The teal band is the plant's reported height range. ✓ fits, trim means it can reach the surface, ✕ means it typically outgrows the water.

Will it fit your tank?

Check it with your fish →

Quick facts

Grows to
7.9–12 in (20–30 cm)
Height basis
Tropica 2-month avg (listed 20-30+); can exceed 60 cm mature per Aquasabi/Flowgrow
Where it goes
background
Light
low–high light
Injected CO₂
not needed
Growth
fast
Difficulty
easy
Temperature
64–86°F
pH
not published
Hardness
0–30 dGH
Feeds through
roots
Also sold as
Echinodorus bleheri / bleherae (synonyms); traded as Echinodorus rangeri; sold as 'Paniculatus' (misapplied)

Planting tip: Give it at least 10 cm of nutritious substrate and trim outer leaves so it does not shade plants below.

Fish and Amazon sword

Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: plant-eating and digging named in each fish's sources, plus temperature and pH overlap.

Fish that leave it alone and share its water (95)

Common questions

How tall does Amazon sword grow?

Growers report about 7.9–12 in (20–30 cm). Basis: Tropica 2-month avg (listed 20-30+); can exceed 60 cm mature per Aquasabi/Flowgrow.

How much light does Amazon sword need?

It's rated for low–high light. Growers often disagree on light, so this is the full range across our sources.

Does Amazon sword need CO₂?

No. Its sources rate its CO₂ need as low, and it grows without injection.

Which fish eat Amazon sword?

In our database, Convict Cichlid, Common Pleco, Common / Comet Goldfish, Clown Loach, Tinfoil Barb, Buenos Aires Tetra, Kissing Gourami, Yoyo Loach, Fancy Goldfish are flagged as eating live plants. Tough-leaved anubias usually hold up better.

Gear for Amazon sword

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Related guides

Sources

Values come from these pages, in our own words. Where growers disagree, we show the full range. Last reviewed 2026-10-17.