Scientific Name and Family
Scientific Name: Salvinia minima
Family: Salviniaceae
Description and Requirements
Difficulty: Very Easy / Beginner-friendly
Growth Rate: Fast to Very Fast
Lighting: Medium to High (Thrives and multiplies rapidly under standard to high aquarium lighting).
CO2: Not required (utilizes atmospheric $CO_2$).
Water Parameters
Temperature: 18°C - 30°C (64°F - 86°F). Highly resilient to warm tropical environments.
pH: 6.0 - 7.5
Hardness (GH): Soft to hard (highly adaptable to various water signatures).
Compatibility and Placement
Placement: Strictly a floating plant.
Compatibility: Perfect for shrimp tanks (Neocaridina and Caridina species) and community breeding tanks (Bettas, Guppies, Platies). Its dense, trailing root system acts as a beautiful under-water forest, providing vital security and foraging ground for delicate fry.
Herbivorous Fish: May be consumed by large Goldfish or aggressive plant-eating fish.
Plant Tips & Recommendations
Pro Tip 1: Keep the Tops Dry: The leaves feature unique, water-repellent micro-hairs (trichomes) designed to keep the plant dry. Remind your buyers to avoid heavy water splashing or strong filter turbulence directly over the top of the leaves, as constant wetness can cause them to rot.
Pro Tip 2: Natural Shade Creator: This is the ultimate aquascaping tool for creating dynamic light-and-shadow layouts. It provides excellent cover and security for shade-loving species such as Discus, Tetras, and Bettas.
Pro Tip 3: Heavy Nutrient Exporter: Due to its accelerated growth rate, it is incredibly efficient at clearing excess nitrates from the water column. Advise your customers to regularly scoop out the excess growth to permanently remove locked-in nutrients from the tank cycle.