Water Spangles

The Plant
Salvinia minima, a small floating fern about 1 to 3 cm across. Fine hairs on the leaves keep water off them. With enough light and nutrients it spreads fast across the surface and shades whatever sits below, so it suits open-top tanks.

Comes as a Tropica tissue culture cup: grown in lab gel, so it arrives free of snails, algae, pests and pesticides. Rinse off the gel, separate the plants and float them.

Plant Care
Origin: North America
Height: 3 to 5+ cm (after about two months)
Light: Medium (0.5 W/L)
CO2: Medium (6 to 14 mg/L)

Planting Tips
Float it on the surface and give it good light and nutrients. Pale leaves usually mean it is short on micronutrients. Because it takes up nutrients and blocks light, it can help hold back algae.

Why Shrimp Keepers Like It
Floating plants soak up nutrients fast and give shy shrimp shade, and shrimp often graze the roots that hang below.

Photos from AquascapeGuide's Etsy shop, used with permission.

Information sourced from AquascapeGuide