Pistia Stratiotes

Name: Pistia Stratiotes
Brand: WCA
SKU: WCA1600
Price: 6.99 USD
Availability: InStock

$6.99 USD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days from our fulfillment center

Pistia Stratiotes, commonly called Water Lettuce, is a free-floating aquatic plant that is commonly used as an ornamental plant in water gardens, ponds and aquariums. Wedge-shaped, soft green leaves sprout from the center in an overlapping pattern and are covered with water-repellent hairs. Similar to other floating plants commonly used in the aquarium hobby, Pistia Stratiotes is quick growing and can easily cover the surface area of a planted aquarium tank if left to self-propagate without maintenance. Regular pruning should be performed to ensure aquarium plants below are not shaded from the lighting source. Sporting long, feathery roots, Pistia Stratiotes works great in helping to absorb excess nutrients in the water column and preventing algae blooms. Smaller fish and shrimp species also tend to find shelter within this plant's root structure.

Plant Care & Information

Common Name(s)	Water Lettuce
Plant Type	Floating
Care Level	Easy
Lighting	Low to Medium
CO2	Not Required
Growth Rate	Moderate to Fast
Suggested Placement	Floating Plant
Height / Size	1-4"+
Propagation	Separate & Harvest

Aquarium plants can vary in growth form and may require time to transition to your aquarium environment, whether grown submerged or emersed. This transition period is a natural part of establishing healthy, long-term growth in planted aquariums.

From carpeting plants in the foreground to stem plants and larger species used in the midground or background, each plant offers a unique contribution to a balanced and natural aquascape. As plants adapt, it is normal to see minor changes such as leaf melt, color shifts, or new growth patterns as they settle into their new conditions.

We carefully inspect and prepare all live aquatic plants prior to shipping. While we do our best to minimize hitchhikers, we cannot guarantee plants to be completely pest or snail-free unless tissue culture options are selected.

Because live plants are perishable, some signs of transit stress may occur, including leaf loss or cosmetic damage. These are typically temporary and when when healthy roots are present, most plants will recover with proper care.

Want to browse more? Shop all aquarium plants here.

Floating aquarium plants grow along the water’s surface, developing long roots that extend downward into the aquarium. They are commonly used to create natural shade, reduce excess nutrients, and add movement to the upper layer of the aquascape.

Because they sit at the surface, floating plants have direct access to atmospheric CO2 and generally grow quickly under the right conditions. Most varieties prefer moderate to high lighting and calmer water flow, as strong surface agitation can disrupt their growth.

How Our Floating Plants Are Grown
Our floating plants are grown in gently circulating water under higher-intensity lighting. Due to their natural growth habits, plants will vary slightly in size, density, and root length depending on season and conditions.

Floating Aquatic Plant Care & Information

Do you like aquarium floaters? We do! Having them offers plenty of benefits. Aside from looks, floating aquatic plants like Azolla, Salvinia, Frogbit, Red Root Floaters, Water Lettuce or even Duckweed can help improve the quality of your water and make your fish feel a little safer in their tanks. Caring for them comes down to tank maintenance, balancing light, flow and ensuring they have a source of nutrients for healthy growth. Here are some tips to help you grow some healthy floaters!

Azolla - Mosquito Fern Floating Plant | Glass Aqua

How much light do floating plants need?

Since they literally float in natural sunlight—most aquarium floaters grow best with high light. For most tanks kept indoors, moderate to high lighting for 8-10 hours under quality LED fixtures will do the trick. Be mindful though and monitor your plants. Lighting that is too strong or kept on for too long can cause an algae bloom that will be a different issue to tackle.

Do floaters need fertilizers?

Live aquatic plants, in general, help with water filtration. Floaters especially! You’ll notice almost all of them send down long roots that are responsible for absorbing available nutrients in the water to support their growth above the waterline. If you frequently perform water changes or have a tank with a smaller bioload, dosing with a liquid fertilizer that contains macro and micronutrients will ensure your plants don’t become nutrient-deficient. Look for signs of stunted growth or yellowing leaves.

Maintenance and water flow

If you’re doing it right, you’ll know. Floating plants have a reputation for being very fast-growing plants. Whether you love it or hate it, regular thinning is necessary to prevent other aquarium plants from being overly shaded. Allowing overgrowth can result in dense mats that clog filters or hide decaying plant matter that can affect water quality down the line. Provide your floaters with gentle flow—anything too strong can cause damage. Luckily, there are many filter attachments or baffles that are designed to diffuse flow!

Shop all aquarium floating plants

Shipping
Orders are typically processed within 1-2 business days M-F. However, additional time may be required during peak seasons and federal holidays. For orders containing live plants, we exercise extra caution and assess factors such as travel distance and weather to ensure safe transit.

To avoid delays, please ensure all order information is accurate and complete. We cannot offer refunds and are not responsible for orders shipped to incorrect addresses due to errors in provided information. Once an order has been shipped, delivery times are determined by the carrier and are outside of our control. On average, shipments arrive within 2–5 business days, excluding weekends and holidays. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.

Returns
If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery. Approved returns must be shipped back within 14 days of approval. Returned items must be unused, unopened, and in their original packaging. Specific return requirements, if applicable, will be listed on the product’s page. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.

Refunds
No worries, we’ll take care of everything as long as it fits the guidelines above.Most answers to general questions can be found on our FAQ page.