Phyllanthus fluitans (Red Root Floaters)

Phyllanthus fluitans (Red Root Floaters)

🌿 Introduction
Red Root Floaters (Phyllanthus fluitans) are native to South America and admired for their scarlet roots and round floating leaves, which blush pink to deep red under strong light. They add striking surface color and natural shade, making them a favorite for aquascapers who want contrast and nutrient control.

🌱 Plant Profile

• Type: Floating

• Origin: South America (Amazon basin)

• Position: Floating (surface cover)

• Growth Rate: Fast

• Lighting: Medium to high (best red tones in strong light)

• CO₂: Not required

• Height / Spread: Leaves 0.5–1″ (1–2.5 cm); spreads quickly across surface

• Water Parameters: pH 6.0–7.5 · GH 2–12 · KH 1–6

✅ Care Summary

• Place directly on the water surface — no planting needed.

• Avoid strong surface agitation; calm flow keeps leaves healthy.

• Thin or trim regularly to prevent over-shading of submerged plants.

• Hardy and adaptable once established; sensitive to strong currents.

• Excellent cover for shrimp, fry, and bettas.

• Suitable for paludariums in calm water zones with high humidity.

🌿 Q&A
Q: Why are my floaters turning pale green?
A: They need stronger light for red tones. Iron or micronutrient supplements can enhance coloration.

Q: Can I keep them in tanks with strong filters?
A: They prefer calm water. Use a sponge filter, lily pipe, or baffle to reduce disturbance.

Q: Do Red Root Floaters need CO₂?
A: No. They take in carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, so additional CO₂ injection isn’t necessary.

🌿 More About Phyllanthus fluitans
Phyllanthus fluitans is a free-floating plant in the spurge family (Phyllanthaceae). It was first formally described by botanists in the 1800s after being collected from the vast floodplains of the Amazon basin. Unlike many floaters, it has adapted to wide seasonal shifts — thriving in shallow, calm waters during the wet season, then retreating to sheltered backwaters when water levels drop.

In its native range, this plant often forms floating mats alongside frogbit and water hyacinth. Its dense root tangles create microhabitats that shelter juvenile tetras, pencilfish, hatchetfish, and dwarf cichlids. Freshwater shrimp and small invertebrates graze on biofilm among its roots, while the surface shade encourages shy species to emerge from cover. Because of this ecological role, Red Root Floaters are considered a keystone surface plant in certain parts of the Amazon, supporting both fish and insect populations.

In aquariums, these same traits translate into practical benefits: fry protection, reduced algae through nutrient uptake, and a natural “red canopy” effect that enhances the behavior of surface-dwelling fish like bettas and gouramis.

Caption (translated):
“Euphorbiaceae swimmer (Phyllanthus fluitans). You can see the leaves marked by two bumps, edged with a flat rim that adheres to the surface of the water.”

Richard Spruce’s words (as quoted in the French volume):

“Though as far from Salvinia (floating ferns) as the poles are from one another, Phyllanthus fluitans resembled it so much in general appearance that I could hardly believe my eyes in recognizing that it belonged to the flowering plants. This is one of the many cases I have encountered where plants, totally different in the structure of their flowers and fruits, come to resemble one another in their organs and growth form.”