# Floater short roots: Frogbit or water spangles?



## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

First planted tank - I'm looking for a floater for my month-old 20long tank. It's low-tech, low light, no CO2, dirt + black diamond (and it may never really get up and going ARG plants are not doing well and new growth just dies off, but that's another story).

As the tank is only 12" high, and I've put in some plants I'm hoping will grow tall, I'd like a floater where the roots will stay short.

I like the look of frogbit and Salvinia minima (water spangles) from the top. But I think both grow long roots.

Any floaters (other than duckweed; I'm not going there) where the roots stay short?

Thanks!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Salvinia has much shorter roots. Frogbit roots will grow very long

red root floaters and azolla also have relatively short roots.


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## dannifluff (Jul 5, 2015)

Salvinia is great. Frogbit looks lovely, but it's quite difficult to keep in Betta tanks because they generally have to be covered, meaning condensation dripping on the frogbit. When I tried frogbit in my hooded tank it died within a week, however my water spangles have been much better, and the roots aren't long at all compared to the frogbit.


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## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

Salvinia it is! And thanks for the ideas of the other species. (Azolla and Ted root). I hadn't heard of those, and appreciated being able to look them up and learn.


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