Ultimate Guide To Keep Salvinia Natans, The Hardy Free-floating Aquarium Plants

Salvinia natans is a popular free-floating aquatic plant used by hobbyists, because it offers many benefits for the tank’ ecosystem. This plant is tough, adapts easily to varying water conditions, and requires minimal care to grow. This makes it the perfect choice for covering your aquarium surface.

Recognized for its rapid growth, Salvinia natans only needs adequate nutrients and lighting to thrive and form thick green mats at the aquarium surface.

This page is the right place for anyone who is looking for how to maintain, cultivate, and take care of Salvinia natans in the planted tanks.

Origin of Salvinia Natans

This floating aquatic plant belongs to the Salviniaceae family. Salvinia is the only genus under this family, and it has 12 species with mostly inhabit tropical regions of Africa and America. The name of ‘Salvinia’ is derived from Antonio Maria Salvini’s name (1633-1729). He is a professor from Greek Florence and helps Micheli in his botanical studies.

Salvinia natans has several common names, including floating moss, floating fern, floating watermoss, and water butterfly moss. At a glance, its appearance resembles that of moss plants when floating on the water.

Salvinia natans can be found throughout most regions of the world with abundant freshwater, humid air, and sunlight. This plant is especially seen in Central Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Habitat of Salvinia Natans

In nature, Salvinia natans usually occupies warm, still, or sluggish freshwater bodies, including streams, ditches, lakes, ponds, and canals. In Southeast Asia, this floating plant usually inhabits rice fields as a nuisance population. Besides that, due to its high adaptability, it can grow in swamps, wetlands, marshes, and slightly acidic water areas. In the wild, it can grow larger and live longer than in an aquarium environment.

Salvinia Natans Characteristics

This floating aquarium plant has three distinct leaves: two float at the water surface, similar to nickel-sized, and the third is submerged, serving as roots. The pouches of air in the leaves help this plant float in the water.

Salvinia Natans leaves blocked the lights from Aquarium Lighting directly. That’s a leaf that is useful for freshwater fish, provides a secure hiding place for breeding. But can interrupts the photosynthesis of many aquatic plants in the Tank. So it would be best if you always did control the growth of this plant in your aquarium.

Floating Freshwater Aquarium Plants “Salvinia Natans or Called Floating Fern”

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It will grow quickly if there are sufficient nutrition and lighting. The Light leaves are a sign of a shortage of nutrients. This Floating fern has small hairs on its leaves; that’s why it can be water-resistant. And its small hairs can help prevent the algae attack in the aquarium. That’s good for a decorative for the open aquarium and will look natural.

Besides being suitable for planted aquariums, Salvinia Natans is good for planting in a water garden or ponds. Different from other moss plants, this plant can’t live emerged. Floating fern is easy to carry, and it’s very suitable for a beginner.

That’s all about Salvinia Natans, that’s plant one of Floating Freshwater Aquarium Plants. Please click here to read about another floating aquatic plant.

Plant Profile

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Pteridophyta
• Class: Polypodiopsida /Pteridopsida
• Order: Salviniales
• Family: Salviniaceae
• Genus: Salvinia
• Origin: Africa, Asia, Central Europe, and South America
• Scientific Name: Salvinia Natans
• Common Name: Floating Moss, Floating Fern, Floating Watermoss, Water Butterfly Moss
• Difficulty: Easy
• Lighting Needs: Medium to High
• Growth Speed: Fast
• Plant Structure: Floating
• Maximal Height: 0.5 – 1 inch
• Maximal Width: up to 1.25 inches
• Temperature: 54 – 86°F
• pH: 6-8
• Suitable for Beginners: Yes
• Can Live Emersed: No