# Water Lettuce. Is it Growable?



## 10asartin (Mar 28, 2013)

I went to my LFS yesterday to purchase some floating plants for my 20g. Specifically I was looking for duckweed or water lettuce. Unfortunately, they did not have either plant and the lady helping me also said that it is pretty much impossible to grow water lettuce in an aquarium. Is this true? I've seen many tanks with water lettuce and I feel like she didn't really know what she was talking about.

I have the zoomed flora sun bulb in my aquarium and just wanted to know what you guys think.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

I think a lot of people who work at pet stores have no clue about plants lets alone the animals and fish they sell.....


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## lutrafrost (Apr 13, 2013)

I have tons dwarf water lettuce in my two betta tanks, got a single tiny leaf of it for free at my local pet store and it's been multiplying like nuts ever since. I assume normal water lettuce would be the same, but I'm not sure.


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## 10asartin (Mar 28, 2013)

The lady at the LFS claimed to have attempted growing the water lettuce in their store with no success. She said they had even gotten the hydroponic overhead lights to grow it and still no success... She obviously didn't know what she was talking about. I tried to politely tell her I disagreed that water lettuce couldn't be grown, but I don't think she got the hint.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

The bug water lettuce is almost impossible to grow in the home aq...
OFL used to say that dwarf water lettuce is a stunted water lettuce... I'm curious to see someone prove that though. either way, you should be looking for dwarf water lettuce


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## Aluka (Dec 25, 2012)

i have both water lettuce and dwarf water lettuce. I have trouble telling them apart when the water lettuce is young. But they are very distinctively different when full grown. My water lettuce definitely span alot larger and very distinct ridges on the leaf.


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## Naladari (Jan 4, 2013)

My lfs grows it with natural light. It completely covers the top of the aquarium they grow it in. I grow it with natural light and a 40 watt bulb.
I also use aqueon plant food at a half dosage.
All in all I have both melt, rot, and propagation. Varied mixed results. They do tend to drop their roots on me, and my baby snails like to munch on it. Other than that it grows just fine.
I'd recommend a Lilly type plant over the water lettuce though, just personal preference.


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