Water Lettuce
Velvet-green floating rosettes that filter, shade, and soften any tank or pond.
Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is a fast-growing floating plant with soft, ribbed rosettes and trailing roots that provide shelter for fry and shrimp while pulling nitrate and phosphate from the water column. Ideal for open-top aquariums, paludariums, and outdoor ponds where its shade dampens algae blooms and diffuses harsh lighting.
What it needs to thrive
- Lighting
- Moderate to bright, indirect — thrives in full sun outdoors
- Flow
- Low surface flow; avoid strong spray bars that wet the crown
- Feeding
- Root feeder — absorbs nutrients directly from the water column
- Temperament
- Peaceful — safe with all fish, shrimp, and inverts
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Ideal Tank Size
- 5+ gallons or any pond
- Water Parameters
- 72–84°F, pH 6.0–7.5, soft to moderately hard water
Quarantine, dip, and acclimation
Quarantine
Hold all new fish in a bare-bottom 10–20 gallon QT for a minimum of 4 weeks. Observe for flashing, clamped fins, white spots, or breathing changes. Treat preventatively with copper (1.75–2.5 ppm chelated) or tank-transfer method for ich, plus a praziquantel course for flukes. Invertebrates and corals skip QT but go through dip and observation instead.
Recommended coral dip
For every new coral: a 5–10 minute bath in your reef-safe dip of choice (Bayer Complete, CoralRx, or Reef Primer) following label dosage, followed by two clean saltwater rinses. Inspect plugs and bases for flatworms, pyramid snails, and eggs — remove or refrag onto clean plugs before placing in display.
Acclimation
Float sealed bags in your QT or display for 15 minutes to match temperature. Then drip acclimate at 2–4 drops per second for 45–60 minutes until volume has tripled. Net livestock into the tank — never pour shipping water in. Dim the lights for the first 24 hours to reduce stress.