TankBud

Red root floater

Phyllanthus fluitans

Also known as Floating spurge

FreshwaterFloatingRunnersSide shoots

Red root floater (Phyllanthus fluitans)
Curtis W.

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
70–82°F
21–28°C
Max height
1.2 in
3 cm
Growth rate
Fast
Placement
Floating
Type
Floating
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
2–12 dGH
Spread
1.2 in (3 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Phyllanthaceae
Origin
South America (Amazon Basin)

Overview

Red root floater is an easy, fast-growing floating plant for the open water of the tank. Most keepers grow it for the deep red its roots and leaves take on.

Did you know

Red root floater has roots that work like a built-in light meter. They deepen from pale pink to blood red as light intensity climbs, so the redder the roots, the brighter your tank is at the surface.

Caring for red root floater

Drop red root floater on the surface and let it spread. It takes its nutrients from the water, so iron-rich liquid fertilizer helps the color. It needs no CO2.

It needs strong overhead light to turn red, and under low light it stays green and leggy. Lean nitrogen deepens the red further. It handles 70 to 82°F (21 to 28°C).

Keep surface flow gentle, because spray and constant agitation rot the leaves and waterlog the plant. It grows fast and spreads by runners and side shoots. Thin it regularly so it does not shade out plants below.

Good to know

Phyllanthus fluitans is one of the few truly aquatic members of the large, mostly terrestrial genus Phyllanthus, in the family Phyllanthaceae. Unlike most floaters in the trade, it is a flowering dicot rather than a fern or monocot. It produces tiny white flowers and occasional seeds. Its red pigment is anthocyanin.

In the wild

Red root floater is native to slow and stagnant tropical waters of South America. In the Amazon Basin it drifts across canals, backwaters and ponds. It forms loose floating mats of round, lily-pad-like leaves around a centimeter wide, with a dense tangle of feathery roots beneath.

Common questions

Does red root floater need to be planted in the substrate?

No. Red root floater floats at the surface and takes its nutrients straight from the water.

Does red root floater need CO2?

No. Red root floater grows well without added CO2.

How much light does red root floater need?

Red root floater needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED.

How do you propagate red root floater?

Red root floater propagates by runners and side shoots. New plants form along its runners and break away to float on their own. Side shoots bud off and float free.

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