Need a floating plant for babies to hide in the roots of

[Bamf Comics]

I just got scammed by an E-Bay seller. Ordered Giant Duckweed with Priority Mail shipping and instead get it arriving 6 days late, shipped the cheaper Ground Advantage option and worse, it's mostly a container filled with that tiny nuisance duckweed I didn't want. It appears I'll now have that one forever since it's impossible to get rid of I suspect now that it's out.

I want small plants that float on the surface with long root systems baby guppies can hide in. What would be some good options for filling small areas thickly? I'm now looking at Salvinia Minima Water Spangles but the pictures are from above and appear to have the roots going out sideways more than down. Any favorites I can order while I start an E-Bay claim with the current crook?

 

[MaloK]

Frogbit ?!?

 

[seangee]

+1 for Frogbit
Make sure you get Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) and not European Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) which is a temperate plant and will probably melt. IMHO its worth paying a bit extra for tissue cultured plants, no hitchhikers and likely better quality. You really don't need much.

 

[seangee]

Oh and if you forget to trim the roots

 

[Bamf Comics]

That fits the description but is it small? The images make it look massive. I've got 8 by 12" floating squares.

 

[Bamf Comics]

Thanks, any other options to consider?

 

[Bamf Comics]

Looking at Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) on E-Bay now. It looks nice. Anything maybe halfway between there and giant duckweed size wise?

 

[seangee]

That fits the description but is it small? The images make it look massive. I've got 8 by 12" floating squares.

Once established you tend to throw out about 50% a week. Just break off the new growth and throw out anything that's too big.

 

[Bamf Comics]

Went with Red Root Floaters for my next try at getting an E-Bay seller to ship what I ordered the way they advertised they would. I'll order the frogbite and spangles with the next round. I'd eventually like to have multiple options reproducing to sell to customers anyway. I asked for a picture of the roots from side or upwards of the spangles and got a copy paste type response about how they'll survive being frozen solid instead of answering the questions.

 

[Colin_T]

Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) is the best floating plant for baby fish and also for Bettas. It has lots of branches that slow or stop the bigger fish going in, grows in most conditions, and if you get too much it can be planted in the substrate where it grows into a lovely light green shrub.

 

[Bamf Comics]

I might add an order of that to the mix. I want to add some more little tubs of plants gradually to the bare spots on the bottom.

 

[Bamf Comics]

The seller for just got back to me with lower view shots so that one's on order now. I would have waited until the Red Root Floaters arrived but since I bugged him I went ahead and ordered now. Here's the 2 pictures he sent me.

50 Pcs Salvinia Minima Water Spangles - Buy 2 Get 1 Free - Perfect for Aquariums​

 

[Bamf Comics]

The more I look at what the first seller shipped the more I think it's just plain pest single root common duckweed with maybe an inclusion or two.

 

[connorlindeman]

Duckweed won't really get long roots either.
I would get some water sprite and float that. It makes a great floating plant.

 

[MattW]

I've used most stems as floating plants. Hornwort and Rotala does well for me. Water lettuce is another option to.