the frogbit plant

[SeaBidder]

Frogbit is pretty decent as a floating plant. Pros - it's low maintenance and does a great job at providing shade for fish. Cons - it grows super fast and can take over your tank if you don't keep it in check.

[angelica]

I think frogbit is a top choice. It's that one with the trailing roots I've mentioned a few times in this thread - you know, the one with those big shiny leaves in the first post. The fish absolutely love it, and it grows like crazy. When I thin it out, I just move it to the goldfish pond, and they go wild for it, but for a completely different reason, of course.

One thing to watch out for is that it can collect a bit of muck in its roots, but a quick stir every couple of days sorts that out. My first attempt at growing it didn't quite work out - I thought it was the humidity, but then I got some tissue-cultured plants, and they've been doing amazingly well. Everything in that tank started with just a tiny tub of frogbit and some salvinia. Now it's even covering my little 15G flex, and the goldfish get a litre jug full of plants 2-3 times a week. I do give it a bit of a boost with Seachem Flourish Comprehensive at half dose, twice a week.

[SeaBidder]

I think frogbit is a top choice. It's that one with the trailing roots I've mentioned a few times in this thread - you know, the one with those big shiny leaves in the first post. The fish absolutely love it, and it grows like crazy. When I thin it out, I just move it to the goldfish pond, and they go wild for it, but for a completely different reason, of course.

One thing to watch out for is that it can collect a bit of muck in its roots, but a quick stir every couple of days sorts that out. My first attempt at growing it didn't quite work out - I thought it was the humidity, but then I got some tissue-cultured plants, and they've been doing amazingly well. Everything in that tank started with just a tiny tub of frogbit and some salvinia. Now it's even covering my little 15G flex, and the goldfish get a litre jug full of plants 2-3 times a week. I do give it a bit of a boost with Seachem Flourish Comprehensive at half dose, twice a week.

Appreciate the feedback, I've actually gone ahead and ordered some yesterday to test it out. Floating plants seem to work better for me compared to the ones rooted in substrate.

[boomer]

I've found that the true tropical species, Limnobium laevigatum, does significantly better in my experience. Unfortunately, I got stuck with a temperate species, which I've had for around 8-9 years now. Despite this, it's never quite lived up to its potential, likely due to the permanent tropical temperatures in my aquarium.

There are a few plants that resemble Limnobium laevigatum in appearance, which can lead to confusion. For instance, L. spongia is a North American native, while Hydrocharis morsus-ranae is a European plant that's sometimes referred to as Common or European Frogbit. This particular plant is highly invasive and was intentionally introduced to North America in 1932. By 2003, it had spread rapidly throughout parts of southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the northeastern United States. In some states, including California and Washington, "Frogbit" is classified as a noxious weed.

I discovered this distinction after posting some photos of my plants' flowers on another forum. Initially, I had assumed I had purchased the tropical species, as it was labeled as Zorchzon Frogbit. However, after adding the flower photos to the plant's profile, the forum owner received an email from the US Department of Agriculture, pointing out that this plant was a noxious weed and should not be cultivated due to its potential to spread outside. It was through the flowers, which differ between species, that we determined I had the temperate species Hydrocharis morsus-ranae. I've included a photo of my Hydrocharis morsus-ranae in flower, which illustrates how rapidly it reproduces. Although the plants I have now aren't as healthy as they initially were, I suspect this may be due to the temperature issue.

[infold]

That's a stunning plant and the flower in your photo is truly lovely. Definitely one I'd love to have in my own aquarium.

[SeaBidder]

I've found that the true tropical species, Limnobium laevigatum, does significantly better in my experience. Unfortunately, I got stuck with a temperate species, which I've had for around 8-9 years now. Despite this, it's never quite lived up to its potential, likely due to the permanent tropical temperatures in my aquarium.

There are a few plants that resemble Limnobium laevigatum in appearance, which can lead to confusion. For instance, L. spongia is a North American native, while Hydrocharis morsus-ranae is a European plant that's sometimes referred to as Common or European Frogbit. This particular plant is highly invasive and was intentionally introduced to North America in 1932. By 2003, it had spread rapidly throughout parts of southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the northeastern United States. In some states, including California and Washington, "Frogbit" is classified as a noxious weed.

I discovered this distinction after posting some photos of my plants' flowers on another forum. Initially, I had assumed I had purchased the tropical species, as it was labeled as Zorchzon Frogbit. However, after adding the flower photos to the plant's profile, the forum owner received an email from the US Department of Agriculture, pointing out that this plant was a noxious weed and should not be cultivated due to its potential to spread outside. It was through the flowers, which differ between species, that we determined I had the temperate species Hydrocharis morsus-ranae. I've included a photo of my Hydrocharis morsus-ranae in flower, which illustrates how rapidly it reproduces. Although the plants I have now aren't as healthy as they initially were, I suspect this may be due to the temperature issue.

Appreciate the warning, going to double-check my order to see if it specifies the type.

[SeaBidder]

I've found that the true tropical species, Limnobium laevigatum, does significantly better in my experience. Unfortunately, I got stuck with a temperate species, which I've had for around 8-9 years now. Despite this, it's never quite lived up to its potential, likely due to the permanent tropical temperatures in my aquarium.

There are a few plants that resemble Limnobium laevigatum in appearance, which can lead to confusion. For instance, L. spongia is a North American native, while Hydrocharis morsus-ranae is a European plant that's sometimes referred to as Common or European Frogbit. This particular plant is highly invasive and was intentionally introduced to North America in 1932. By 2003, it had spread rapidly throughout parts of southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the northeastern United States. In some states, including California and Washington, "Frogbit" is classified as a noxious weed.

I discovered this distinction after posting some photos of my plants' flowers on another forum. Initially, I had assumed I had purchased the tropical species, as it was labeled as Zorchzon Frogbit. However, after adding the flower photos to the plant's profile, the forum owner received an email from the US Department of Agriculture, pointing out that this plant was a noxious weed and should not be cultivated due to its potential to spread outside. It was through the flowers, which differ between species, that we determined I had the temperate species Hydrocharis morsus-ranae. I've included a photo of my Hydrocharis morsus-ranae in flower, which illustrates how rapidly it reproduces. Although the plants I have now aren't as healthy as they initially were, I suspect this may be due to the temperature issue.

@boomer I've got a pic, no flowers though. Can you make anything out of it? The order just says 'Frogbit' - no specific name.

[angelica]

I've found that the true tropical species, Limnobium laevigatum, does significantly better in my experience. Unfortunately, I got stuck with a temperate species, which I've had for around 8-9 years now. Despite this, it's never quite lived up to its potential, likely due to the permanent tropical temperatures in my aquarium.

There are a few plants that resemble Limnobium laevigatum in appearance, which can lead to confusion. For instance, L. spongia is a North American native, while Hydrocharis morsus-ranae is a European plant that's sometimes referred to as Common or European Frogbit. This particular plant is highly invasive and was intentionally introduced to North America in 1932. By 2003, it had spread rapidly throughout parts of southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the northeastern United States. In some states, including California and Washington, "Frogbit" is classified as a noxious weed.

I discovered this distinction after posting some photos of my plants' flowers on another forum. Initially, I had assumed I had purchased the tropical species, as it was labeled as Zorchzon Frogbit. However, after adding the flower photos to the plant's profile, the forum owner received an email from the US Department of Agriculture, pointing out that this plant was a noxious weed and should not be cultivated due to its potential to spread outside. It was through the flowers, which differ between species, that we determined I had the temperate species Hydrocharis morsus-ranae. I've included a photo of my Hydrocharis morsus-ranae in flower, which illustrates how rapidly it reproduces. Although the plants I have now aren't as healthy as they initially were, I suspect this may be due to the temperature issue.

I think my own experience with frogbit might be down to the type I had. When I first bought it, I just got it from a UK grower who sold it as Zorchzon Frogbit, which was probably Hydrocharis morsus-ranae given it can survive outdoors in winter. Those plants might have been grown outside and then didn't adapt well to the tropical temperatures in my tank. This time around, I made sure to look for Limnobium laevigatum specifically and chose the in vitro option because of my shrimp.

[boomer]

I've taken a look at the photo you posted, Deanasue, and the leaves do resemble those of Limnobium laevigatum, but it's difficult to say for certain without seeing the flowers. As I mentioned earlier, the flowers are a key distinguishing feature among the different species of Frogbit.

I've checked some photos online, but as I said, it's always a challenge to verify the accuracy of plant identification in photos, especially when you don't know the source. Even photos from reputable aquarium plant sellers can be misidentified, although some accredited plant sites like Tropica tend to be more reliable.

In this case, without the flowers, it's hard to say for sure which species you have. If you can get a photo of the flowers when they bloom, that would be a big help in identifying the plant.

[SeaBidder]

I've found that the true tropical species, Limnobium laevigatum, does significantly better in my experience. Unfortunately, I got stuck with a temperate species, which I've had for around 8-9 years now. Despite this, it's never quite lived up to its potential, likely due to the permanent tropical temperatures in my aquarium.

There are a few plants that resemble Limnobium laevigatum in appearance, which can lead to confusion. For instance, L. spongia is a North American native, while Hydrocharis morsus-ranae is a European plant that's sometimes referred to as Common or European Frogbit. This particular plant is highly invasive and was intentionally introduced to North America in 1932. By 2003, it had spread rapidly throughout parts of southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the northeastern United States. In some states, including California and Washington, "Frogbit" is classified as a noxious weed.

I discovered this distinction after posting some photos of my plants' flowers on another forum. Initially, I had assumed I had purchased the tropical species, as it was labeled as Zorchzon Frogbit. However, after adding the flower photos to the plant's profile, the forum owner received an email from the US Department of Agriculture, pointing out that this plant was a noxious weed and should not be cultivated due to its potential to spread outside. It was through the flowers, which differ between species, that we determined I had the temperate species Hydrocharis morsus-ranae. I've included a photo of my Hydrocharis morsus-ranae in flower, which illustrates how rapidly it reproduces. Although the plants I have now aren't as healthy as they initially were, I suspect this may be due to the temperature issue.

Thanks for the insight. I've bought most of my plants from The Plant Factory, but I've also gotten some from this seller before. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how it does. I wish I had a better grasp on aquatic plants like you do.