duckweed goldfish plant

Duckweed Plant – Introduction To The Duckweed Aquatic Plant

Are you looking to find out more about the Duckweed plant for aquariums? 

In that case, you’ve come to the right place!

The duckweed plant or Lemna minor is an excellent choice for small aquariums. This plant has tiny leaves and short roots which makes it a good pick for aquariums with a capacity of under 29 galllons.

Are you looking to find out more about the Duckweed plant for aquariums? 

This plant grows very quickly which is awesome! Or is it?

In this article, we will go through everything you need to know about the duckweed plant for aquariums including ideal water temperature, pH, etc. in as much detail as we possibly can.

So, without further ado, let’s get started, shall we?

Here we go.

A Quick Introduction to the Duckweed Plant for Aquariums

The Duckweed plant or Lemnaceae is known by many names which also include bayroot and water lens. This tiny floating plant is one of the smallest flowering plants in the world.

The precise source of the first Duckweed plant is nearly impossible to identify. This plant has been found in almost every continent around the globe (with the exception of Antarctica). That being said, no one quite knows where or when Duckweed first appeared.

Duckweed plant is naturally found in various aquatic environments, but this plant thrives in waters with only a little current.

How To Identify Duckweed

Duckweed comes in many different varieties and subspecies. It is a small floating plant that has an under root growth but, seems to lack a true stem. 

The body of the plant is round and often referred to as a “frond”. These fronds are not very large, usually as small as 10 milliliters. The fronds can attach to one another and create a thick blanket of Duckweed along the water’s surface.

Duckweed fronds can be seen in a reddish-purple coloration; however, it is most commonly a pale green coloration. The plant is easy to identify on a water source by its size as well as its “overgrown” appearance.

You can find this plant overrunning the entire surface of wetlands and ponds where the water is still.

However, this isn’t always a good thing.

Since the plant is capable of completely covering the water’s surface, it may cause large-scale fish die-offs due to the lack of oxygen.

Duckweed is one of the best water purifiers that you can invest in for your fish tank.

The notable thing about this plant is that it can easily thrive in nearly any aquarium and has a fast growth rate.

The plant is also an excellent addition for aquariums that have water quality issues.

But, that’s not all!

The duckweed plant is excellent for your aquarium as it helps reduce the growth of algae in your tank. This is because reduced light reaches the aquarium water and the uptake of nutrients is rather quick in a tank containing duckweed.

However, there’s one downside.

Once you plant duckweed in your tank, getting rid of it or removing it completely from the tank will be problem.

Duckweed is an extremely fast growing aquatic plant. In fact, a lot of duckweed in home aquariums are there by accident. 

The plant also clings to everything it touches so, controlling the plant’s growth is something that may be a problem for you.

Duckweed Care 101: How to Take Care of Your Duckweed Plant

In the event that you purposely want to add duckweed to your aquarium then I have good news for you. The duckweed plant for aquariums requires little or no attention and no special requirements.

This plant is very hardy and thrives in almost all kinds of environments---be it soft water, low light, hard water, and high light!

One of the biggest challenges that people face when it comes to duckweed is the fact that it is very difficult to get the plant not to grow and cover the surface of everything that you have in the tank!

If you want the duckweed to grow heavily in your tank, all you have to do is to provide the pant with full spectrum, high quality light while adding trace minerals to the water when you change it.

Since duckweed thrives in still water, make sure that the aquarium’s surface is completely still.

Did you know that even the smallest amount of current slows the plant’s growth down?

This easy to grow plant needs very low maintenance which is excellent. Not just that, growing the plant doesn’t require you to have an expensive set up!

Isn’t that awesome!?

The fish love to hide amongst the plants and use it as cover which means that they enjoy having it around which is another bonus!

Fish and Duckweed: Are They Compatible?

One of the best things about the Duckweed plant is that it is compatible with most small fish. But, the plant can be eaten by hungry cichlids and other herbivore fish.

However, that shouldn’t be a cause of concern!

Duckweed has an excellent rate of growth so, it’ll grow back fast enough.

Aside from that, the plant is packed with protein and other important nutrients which makes it safe for fish to consume. In fact, Duckweed can even be used as a primary source of food for certain fish like the tilapia and goldfish.

If, however, you do wish to cultivate duckweed, it will be best if you keep it in a tank with smaller, non-herbivorous fish.

These fish won’t cause much harm to the plant other than occasionally nibbling on it.

The fish that you should avoid if looking to cultivate the plant include large cichlids, ameca splendens, goldfish, and common plecos.

Summing Up: All you Need to Know About the Duckweed Plant for Aquariums

Did we cover everything that you wanted to know about the duckweed plant? 

Lemna minor or Duckweed is an excellent aquatic plant for small aquariums. This plant has tiny leaves and short roots which makes it a good pick for aquariums with a capacity of under 100 liters.

Duckweed plant is naturally found in various aquatic environments, but this plant thrives in waters with only a little current.

The plant is excellent for your aquarium as it helps reduce the growth of algae in your tank.

Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

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