Want serious red in the foreground without a plant that shoots up and blocks your layout? Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini' is the answer. Unlike the standard form, AR Mini stays low and bushy, holding deep violet and burgundy right at the front of the tank where red does the most work.
What You’ll Receive
Sold as loose bare-root plants, bunched plants, or potted plants:
- Bare-Root Plants: 1–2 small, loose, bare-root plants
- Bunched Plants: 1–2 plants with root bundled with foam and a plant weight
- Potted Plants: 1–2 plants rooted in rockwool and net pot
This listing features young plants grown in a controlled laboratory environment (ex-vitro), offering a clean, pest-free start.
Plant Profile
- Common name — Mini Scarlet Temple, ARM, Telanthera Rosefolia Mini
- Scientific name — Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
- Origin — Cultivated dwarf form; the species is South American
- Placement — Foreground, and the only red that truly works there
- Shipped size — 1-2 small plants, roughly 1-3 in
- Mature height — 3–5 in
- Suits — 5 gallons and up
- Growth rate — Medium
Care
- Difficulty — Intermediate
- Light — Medium to high. Strong light is what keeps it compact rather than leggy
- CO₂ — Recommended, not essential. It will grow without, just slower and greener
- Water — 72–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- Substrate — Required. Root and water column feeder; iron is what deepens the red
- Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed
- Propagation — Cuttings — trim and replant stem tops
Grower’s Notes
- Iron is the color lever, not light alone. If it is growing well but running bronze instead of burgundy, dose iron before you touch anything else.
- Trim it early and often. Every cut triggers side shoots, and a bushy AR Mini comes from pruning rather than waiting — an untrimmed plant goes leggy and thin.
- Lean nitrate pushes red, heavy nitrate pushes green. A heavily fed tank will give you a large healthy plant in the wrong color.
- Expect melt on arrival. AR Mini is sensitive to parameter changes and often drops its first leaves. The stems stay alive — keep conditions stable and new growth comes back redder.
- Want the background version? Standard Alternanthera reineckii reaches 8-16 inches with the same color and care.
Want to go deeper? Read our complete Alternanthera Care Guide.
Notes
- Photos are for reference; color intensity and leaf size vary considerably with lighting, CO₂ and iron availability.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
Shipping Policy
At Aquarium Plants Factory, we carefully package and ship all orders to ensure plants and livestock arrive healthy and ready to thrive.
Order Processing Time
Most orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment is received.
Orders placed on weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.
Orders containing out-of-stock, pre-order, or backorder items may require additional handling time.
Once your order ships, tracking information will be sent to your email.
Shipping Schedule
Live Plants
Live plant orders ship Monday through Saturday when using United States Postal Service (USPS).
Most plant-only orders ship within 1–3 business days, excluding products that are out of stock, pre-order, or backorder.
Estimated USPS delivery time is 2–5 business days, depending on your location.
UPS Express Shipping
We offer the following UPS expedited shipping options:
UPS 2-Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 2 business days
Please note that UPS 2-Day Air® is not a guaranteed service in the event of carrier delays, weather disruptions, or operational issues.
UPS Next Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 1 business day
This service is guaranteed by UPS according to their service guarantee policies.
UPS expedited orders ship Monday through Wednesday only to ensure packages arrive within the same week and avoid weekend delays.
Please note that orders require 1–2 business days of handling time before shipment.
To help ensure same-week delivery, please place UPS orders on or before Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).
Live Animals Shipping
Live animal orders ship Monday through Wednesday only.
This schedule ensures animals arrive within the same week and do not remain in transit over the weekend.
Handling time for live animal orders typically ranges from 1–5 business days, depending on:
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Weather conditions
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Livestock health
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Shipping destination
Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped.
Free Shipping
We offer Free Shipping on eligible orders over $150 within the contiguous United States.
Estimated delivery time for free shipping orders is 2–5 business days.
If your order contains both live plants and live animals, the shipment may be combined and the appropriate shipping rate will be shown at checkout.
Free Shipping is not available for customers located in:
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Alaska
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Hawaii
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Puerto Rico
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Guam
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U.S. Virgin Islands
Customers in these locations must select Expedited or Express shipping options at checkout.
Delivery Time Estimates
Delivery times shown at checkout are estimates provided by the shipping carrier.
While we work hard to ship orders quickly, delivery times may vary due to factors outside of our control, including:
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Weather conditions
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Carrier delays
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High shipping volumes
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Transportation disruptions
Aquarium Plants Factory is not responsible for shipping delays caused by the carrier.
Delayed or Lost Packages
Occasionally, shipments may take longer than expected.
A package is considered lost only after 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the ship date.
If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we may offer a 50/50 replacement, meaning:
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Aquarium Plants Factory covers 50% of the replacement cost
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The customer covers 50% plus shipping
Address Accuracy
Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address when placing an order.
Please ensure that your address is correct when using payment methods such as:
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Credit / Debit Card
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PayPal
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Apple Pay
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Google Pay
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Amazon Pay
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Shopify Pay
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AliPay
Orders returned due to:
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Incorrect address
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Refused delivery
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Failed delivery attempts
may not be eligible for a refund.
Order Cancellations
If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as soon as possible.
Orders can only be canceled before they have been shipped.
Once an order has been shipped, it can no longer be canceled.
Returns
Due to the sensitive nature of live goods, all sales are final.
We do not accept returns or exchanges for:
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Live plants
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Live animals
For any shipping questions, please contact us before placing your order.
Aquarium Plants Factory
https://www.AquariumPlantsFactory.com
What We Guarantee
24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee — We guarantee that live plants and live aquatic animals will arrive alive. In the rare case of a Dead on Arrival (DOA), you must notify us within 24 hours of the delivery time recorded on the carrier's official tracking page. The guarantee is void after that 24-hour window, as condition can no longer be attributed to transit.
How to Submit a Claim
- Take at least 2 clear, well-lit photos of the affected items in their original, unopened, sealed packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label on the box.
- Email your photos and order number to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com within 24 hours of delivery.
- Do not photograph plants or animals after they have been unpacked, planted, or introduced to your aquarium — once an item enters your aquarium's ecosystem, it is no longer covered.
Approved claims are resolved with a replacement, store credit, or refund at our discretion, under the terms of our Refund Policy. Each item is eligible for one replacement only — replacements are final and we cannot replace a replacement.
Conditions That Void the Guarantee
- Incorrect or incomplete shipping address (vacant address, missing apartment number, or any issue that prevents delivery)
- Packages marked "invalid address," "undeliverable," refused, or returned to sender
- Packages left unclaimed, held at a carrier facility at the customer's request, or not retrieved promptly after delivery — live goods must be brought indoors and unpacked the day they arrive
- Carrier delays, weather events, or delivery exceptions once the package has left our facility
- Shipments to freight forwarders or package-forwarding services
Providing accurate, complete shipping information and monitoring your tracking are essential to keeping your guarantee valid.
Please note: the Live Arrival Guarantee covers arrival only. We cannot guarantee ongoing success — aquarium environment, water quality, nutrients, temperature, lighting, filtration, and CO2 all affect long-term results.
What We Can't Guarantee
- Pest-free plants (potted & bare-root): Although our plants are grown in our own clean greenhouse, we cannot guarantee they are 100% free of snails, algae, or other hitchhikers. We recommend rinsing and quarantining all plants before adding them to your aquarium. Tissue culture (in vitro) plants are the exception — they are grown in sterile lab conditions, are 100% free of pests, algae, and disease, and have never been in contact with any aquarium.
- Pesticide-free plants: We use homemade, organic pest control in our greenhouse and never use copper-based pesticides, which are toxic to invertebrates such as snails, crabs, and shrimp. However, we cannot guarantee plants are entirely pesticide-free — always rinse and quarantine before use in invertebrate tanks.
- Your aquarium's success: We are not responsible for your aquarium inhabitants, including fish, shrimp, snails, and turtles. Please quarantine all plants before use.
- Growth form: Unless specified, we do not guarantee plants will grow emersed or submersed in your particular setup.
Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.
Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.
Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.
Customers praised these aquarium plants for vibrant red coloring and healthy arrival. "Deep red tones that add great contrast" under proper lighting and CO₂. Most arrived in excellent condition with strong root systems. Some noted small size and a few reported portions as too small or half-dead upon arrival. Growth is good with proper care, though beginners may experience melting.
- Deep red tones that add great contrast to green plants
- Very nice plant with great root system. Not just a stem clipping
- Several days in the aquarium and absolutely NO sign of melt
A
The plants I ordered got here earlier than expected, were all in great shape, and are doing fine in my tank that I'm dry starting
w
Even though USPS took 3 days to deliver, I expected more, the plants were perfect. I will continue buying.
B
Spot on quality! Tissue culture came in pristine and red. It's also being VERY forgiving for a beginner (me) with red plants. There's been melting as of 2 weeks into them being planted in my tank, however I expected that given they were possibly grown emersed or due to effects from my lack of experience with this plant.
Highly recommend CO2 and a planted LED, as they have definitely grown and, possibly(?), started growing runners (see pics) faster than I otherwise would have expected based on various descriptions of Alternanthera reineckii mini I've read. All-in-all I am happy with this purchase!
A
Nice healthy plants.
Arrived quickly and very well packaged. Healthy and colorful, so far, so good. Hopefully they will do well and thrive in my clawed frog's tank. Happy with purchase
P
Shipping was fast and the plants arrived in great condition-no melt. They were smaller than I thought - but then you really can't judge what a plant looks like in someone else's tank when you don't know the tank size! I wanted to add a little pop of color to my tank and this plant is sure to shine. Nice bright red color. Planted them right away. Very happy for the 'buy2get1free'. I'm looking forward to these plants flourishing in my tank. Would definitely recommend Aquarium Plants Factory.
R
They were on the small side but very healthy. Can’t wait for them to grow. They will be beautiful!
D
This plant bring beautiful color to my aquarium! It arrived quickly and in great condition! Will only buy my plants here now!
S
These plants added the perfect amount of color to my tank! They arrived quickly and in great health!
A
I was a little nervous to order plants off-line since I had never done that before and with Thanksgiving it delayed their shipping and they still arrived mostly pink. I think it will take them a few days to brighten all the way back up.
H
So cute and healthy! Several days in the aquarium and absolutely NO sign of melt. Simply gorgeous and clean! They've been in my aquarium for several days, absolutely ZERO melt! Would recommend APF to ANYONE looking for a good deal on WONDERFUL quality plants.
J
These guys are the star of the show. Holy cow they are red and gorgeous
L
The Alternanthera Reineckii Mini arrived healthy and well packaged. After planting it in my aquarium, it adapted well and started growing new leaves fairly quickly.
The color is very nice under good lighting and CO₂, showing deep red tones that add great contrast to green plants. It stays compact compared to the regular Alternanthera, which makes it perfect for the midground of a planted tank.
Overall, I’m very happy with this plant and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to add red color to their aquascape.
J
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini
K
The plants arrived in great condition plus the colors are just amazing . I'll be buying more 100%
J
Plants arrived in great condition, more of them than I expected.
B
Very nice plant with great root system. Not just a stem clipping. Would definitely trust this seller with a larger order in the future.
K
These are very pretty and great color. I DO wish now that I had gotten them bunched or potted. Fortunately I had materials here that I could make them into three nice bunches and they seem to be doing just fine.
G
Average quality on the minis. But still content. Happy it made it all the way from Cali to Fl
J
Yes, I read the disclaimer L O L just saying, they were still beautiful and almost an unworldly red color when I receive them. If you can keep them in this beautiful condition in your tank, consider yourself lucky but I do not believe they’re gonna stay as vibrant in mine lol. But you’ll never know until you try.
R
I think good but to small for 10 dollars maybe little bigger l would buying again. It's ok
R
it actually came in early. very vivid color.
V
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini
M
Beautiful bright red plants
Packaged with care, delivery was on time
Overall excellent experience. Definitely will use this vendor again
I
They came in red and bushy, so far so good
J
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini
J
If you need a plant, buy from here
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