Cookies seem to be disabled in your browser, therefore this website will NOT work properly! Please, consider enabling Cookies in order to maximise your user experience while browsing.
Recent discussions at Aqua-Fish+
  1. ja at Comprehensive Care Guide for Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara) – Habitat, Breeding & Tank Setup on
  2. ja at Caring for Rainbow Sharks: Tank Setup, Behavior, and Maintenance Guide on …display more of the recent discussions
  3. ja at Comprehensive Guide to Clown Loach Care: Habitat, Diet, Behavior & Health on
  4. ja at Comprehensive Guide to White Cloud Mountain Minnow Care: Habitat, Diet, and Breeding on
  5. ja at A Comprehensive Guide to Aquarium Air Stones: Usage, Suppliers, and Product Images on
  6. ja at Comprehensive Guide to Caring for and Breeding Electric Blue Haps on
  7. ja at Complete Guide to Growing and Propagating Hygrophila Corymbosa in Aquariums on
  8. PondSealer at Maintainging a garden fish pond tasks on
  9. TheFishWorks at A guide on growing aquarium plants with FAQ, forum and species on
  10. Salviashaman at A guide on caring for Congo tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus) on
Pistia stratiotes

Pistia stratiotes

Scientific name: Pistia stratiotes

Family: Araceae

Usual maximum size in aquariums: 5 - 20 cm (1.97 - 7.87 inch)

014

Recommended pH range for the species: 6.5 - 7

Recommended water hardness (dGH): 4 - 12°N (71.43 - 214.29ppm)

0°C 32°F30°C 86°F

Recommended temperature: 20 - 28 °C (68 - 82.4°F)

Reproduction of the plant: Divisions

Origin (in the wild): Everywhere

How fast these plants grow: Fast

Recommended substrate: Without substrate

Demands on lighting: Bright

Ideal placement in a fish tank: Floating

Common Names

Water Cabbage, Water Lettuce

Planting Area

Pistia stratiotes is a floating plant and should never be planted in the substrate. It thrives best when allowed to float freely on the water surface.

Propagation

This plant propagates through natural division. Daughter plants will separate from the mother plant on their own, requiring no intervention from the keeper. Although Pistia stratiotes does produce flowers, they are typically hidden among the leaves and are often overlooked.

Difficulty

Easy to care for, Pistia stratiotes is well-suited for both beginners and experienced aquarists. However, it is essential to manage its growth carefully to prevent it from overwhelming the tank. In a well-maintained aquarium, this plant reaches around 5-6 cm (2-2.4 inches) in diameter. In outdoor ponds, it can grow up to 60 cm (23.6 inches) in diameter. The plant’s ease of care is offset by its potential to become invasive if not monitored, which can lead to reduced oxygen levels and light availability for other plants.

Short Description

Pistia stratiotes is often labeled as an aquatic weed due to its invasive nature. In the USA, it is known for obstructing waterways and requires regular maintenance to control its spread. In an aquarium, it is crucial to prevent it from covering the entire water surface, as this can significantly reduce gas exchange and block light from reaching submerged plants. Proper disposal of excess plants is important; always place them in a refuse bin rather than discarding them into local waterways.

Did you know?

Please, verify whether your login and password are valid. If you don't have an account here, register one free of charge, please. Click here to close this box.

You have been logged out successfully! This box will close automatically!

Something went wrong during processing your message, please try again!

Your message has been sent, thanks a lot!

Page has been saved, refresh it now, please!

The page has been created, you will now be redirected!

URL already exists!

Path to the photo is not unique!

Really delete this page from the database?

The page has been removed successfully, you will be redirected now!

The page couldn't be deleted!!

Unfortunately this page doesn't allow discussion. Please, find any other page that fits your area of interest as over 99% of our pages allow discussion. The reason why no discussion is allowed here is this page is too general. Thanks a lot for understanding! Click here to search, please!

Really delete this comment from the site?

Really delete this image from the site?

Really delete this image from the site?

Selected comment has been removed successfully!

Selected image has been removed successfully!

Either login or email address is required

Account has been recovered, please check your email for further instructions