Water Lettuce is a classic, recognizable floating plant, popular in both ponds and aquariums for its resemblance to an open head of lettuce, minus the salad bowl. Shrimp keepers and aquascapers love it for its long, feather-like root systems that drape deep into the water column, offering endless surface area for beneficial biofilm grazing and a haven for timid livestock. It's also a fast grower, acting as a powerhouse nitrate sponge and making it a great biological filter for tanks housing water-parameter-sensitive species. Just keep in mind its dense canopy blocks overhead light fast, so it pairs best with low-light submerged plants like crypts and bucephalandra.
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pistia stratiotes |
| Common Name(s) | Dwarf Water Lettuce, Water Cabbage |
| Family | Araceae |
| Plant Type | Floating Plant / Rosette |
| Height / Size | Leaves 3–6 in. tall | Roots 4–12 in. long |
| Care Difficulty | Easy |
| Light Requirement | Low to High |
| CO2 Requirement | Not Required |
| Placement / Usage | Water Surface Canopy, Nitrate Removal, Shrimp Shelter |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Water Parameters | pH 6.5–7.5 | Temperature 68°F–80°F (20°C–27°C) |
| Propagation Method | Division (Side Shoots / Runners on Stolons) |
| Origin | Pantropical / Cosmopolitan |
1. How do I keep my floating aquarium plants from dying due to filter flow and splashing?
High water turbulence and constant water resting on the leaves are the main causes of rot in floating aquarium plants. Keep surface flow low, or use an airline tubing loop or floating ring to shield your aquarium floaters from direct filter return or bubbling air stones.
2. Can floating plants help control algae and absorb nitrates in a fish tank?
Yes, these aquarium floaters act as incredible biological filters. Because they sit at the surface with direct access to atmospheric carbon dioxide, they grow exponentially faster than fully submerged species, aggressively consuming nitrates, ammonium, and excess nutrients that fuel nuisance algae.
3. Should I trim the hanging roots or thin out excess surface growth?
You can trim long trailing roots with sharp aquascaping scissors to keep your water column neat without harming the mother plant. However, routinely thinning out daughter rosettes forming on side runners is essential to ensure your floating plants do not block all light from reaching submerged plants below.
Overall rating: 3.9180791 / 5 from 354 reviews.
Water Lettuce, a floating plant ideal for ponds and aquariums, is praised for its fast growth, nitrate absorption, and ability to inhibit algae growth. Customers appreciate its large size and healthy appearance, though some have mixed feelings about the roots and leaves.
Review topics: ["shipping","looks","water","issues","size","quality","customer service","packaged","condition","support","deal","plants","light","fit","results","roots","order","leaves","floater","growing","melt","lettuce","specimen","addition","pieces","experience","service","tank","snails","sample"].
"Bought to help shade the bottom plants as they were getting to much light and was causing weird algae growth off leaves and etc. That's on a scheduled reduced timer ( on the lights ). It's been about 8 days and it’s still floating around. But one of two of the petals have melted on the edge. I am hoping that goes away. But if doesn't seem Bothered by my bubbler or airator right in the middle of the tank. It is beautiful aside from melting on the edges. Also it had yellow edges on two peddles when it came in."
"My plant came half dead. Its leaves were half melted and yellow. I was expecting a smaller batch so it was nice to get a large plant but i dont see it holding up for me in its current condition."
"Came perfectly healthy and this was the only place I could find it for my area!"
"Was a little surprised that only one large one came. It did have a small shoot on it so I technically received two. I would purchase again because it had a very long root system, which I wanted for my shrimps. The only downside was that it sat in my tank sideways for over a week. It’s starting to straighten out though."
"Arrived healthy but dird in a few days"
"I ordered 7 plants but received 4 with a couple of tiny plantlets attached which will *eventually* become separate plants but, as they were shipped, they're not yet large enough to separate from the parent plants. For what they cost, I would have expected to receive 7 full-sized plants. The 4 I did receive appear to be healthy and in relatively good shape, though. My previous experiences ordering from BucePlant have been overwhelmingly positive, so this came as a bit of a surprise/disappointment."
"Llegaron un poco marchitas espero que no se mueran"
"My gouramis are going to love these when they fill out a little."
"I have bought the water lettuce on 2 separate occasions. First go was a bit shaky, it melted down to one leaf and a clump of roots no fault of buce only my own as melt is a pretty common thing and the cause was corrected ( too much surface agitation ) and it sprouted 3 new heads and doing fine. The second bunch i bought 3 all in which are doing fantastic and starting new growth after a week. All and all im happy with not only the product but also the fast delivery"
"The plant was dead on arrival"
