Live Aquarium Plants That Float

When you are interested in giving your aquarium a more realistic feel, adding floating plants can change the look completely. Floating plants require a great deal of light and need to be protected from burns caused by the bulb, but they can add visual variety to your tank and help keep the water regulated for your fish. There are many floating plants to choose from when you are shopping for your tank.

  1. Egeria Densa

    • The Egeria densa plant is a fast grower that is perfect for beginners who are just getting used to the idea of greenery in their aquarium. It will absorb nutrients from the water, which will help prevent algae, and it also secretes an antibiotic substance that can help combat blue-green algae. The size that your Egeria densa can attain will be largely dependent on the light and nutrition that you supply it with.

    Ceratophyllum Demersum

    • With whirled leaves and gorgeously branching stems, Ceratophyllum demersum is a floating water plant which is an attractive addition to any aquarium. It requires a large amount of light, but it also produces substances that are toxic to algae. It is a good plant to choose if your tank has a small amount of salinity present in the water.

    Salvinia Natans

    • Salvinia natans is a floating fern that is a quick grower. The leaves can grow quite bushy if they are given enough nutrients, and you may need to trim the plant to make sure that enough light is getting to the plants on the bottom of the tank. It will prevent algae through providing shade to the walls of your tank and by consuming nutrients from the water.

    Pistia Stratiotes

    • Also known as water lettuce, the Pistia stratiotes is quite demanding. It reproduces through the use of runners, and it will require full sun to survive and thrive. It has dense and fleshy leaves and it can easily be bought at water garden supply stores.

    Eichornia Crassipes

    • The Eichornia crassipes or water hyacinth can be kept in an open-top aquarium as long as it has reasonably bright lighting. With thick, waxy leaves and small purple flowers, this is a very lovely aquarium plant. The Eichornia crassipes can get to be about 6 inches in length and, as a fast spreader, will require trimming to stop it from taking over your aquarium.