Floating plants need no planting: place a portion on the surface and it starts to spread. They suit anything from a small nano to a large community aquarium, and most grow quickly, so you can lift out extra growth when the surface gets crowded. Choose from large rosettes to tiny-leaved species, depending on how much cover you want at the top.
Floating Plants
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Tropica Salvinia auriculata (minima) 1-2-Grow!Out of stockFrom £5.29 Regular Price £8.99 Save £3.70
Help and advice on shopping for: Floating Plants
Planting at the water surface
Floating plants grow on the surface with their roots hanging free. They shade the tank, soak up nutrients from the water and give fry and shrimp somewhere to hide. Our floating aquarium plants include water lettuce, Salvinia, red root floater and Riccia, alongside fast-growing hornwort, guppy grass and India fern.
Planning a garden pond instead? Try our floating pond plants.
Looking after floating plants
Thin out surface growth regularly so light still reaches the plants below, and leave a little open water at the top. Floating plants take nutrients straight from the water, so they are a good partner for background and foreground plants in a mixed layout.
Our guide on How To Grow Aquarium Plants covers the basics.