Frogbit
Limnobium laevigatum
Aquatic Plants Difficulty: Very Easy
📖 About this plant
A beautiful floating aquatic plant with round, kidney-shaped green leaves and impressive dangling root systems that provide excellent shelter for fish fry and shrimp. Its roots dangle below the surface, creating an attractive display while absorbing excess nutrients from the water column.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun to partial shade (4-6 hrs)
💧
Water
Fully aquatic (floating)
💨
Humidity
Very high (80-100%)
🌡️
Temperature
18-28°C
🪴
Soil
None required — free-floating on water surface
🧪
Fertilizer
Absorbs nutrients from water, benefits from liquid fertilizer in planted tanks
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Central and South America — Mexico to Argentina
- 📏 Max height
- 2-5 cm above water, 15 cm long roots below
- 📐 Spread
- 10-20 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to fish, sap may cause mild skin irritation
- 🌱 Propagation
- Stolon production — daughter plants form on trailing stems
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic to fish, sap may cause mild skin irritation
Common issues
- Leaves rotting if constantly splashed, Excessive growth blocking aquarium light, Root entanglement with filter intakes, Die-off in very cold temperatures
💡 Care tips
- Small heart-shaped floating leaves with dangling roots below,Excellent natural water filter that absorbs excess nutrients,Provides shelter for small fish and aquatic invertebrates,Remove excess growth to maintain open water surface
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 7 days, fertilizing every 30 days.
