Are Floating Plants Okay?

I have a 20 gal. lightly planted tank. I have an Amazon sword, and two different types of Cryptocoryne plus a tallish plant that came with the tank. Suddenly this week, I find one floating little leaf in my tank. I honestly thought it was a leaf from the Cryptocoryne that had broken off. I was going to take it out, when I found 2 leaves floating...so I waited and now 4 days later, there are 5 of them.

My local fish store has some floating plants that cover a few of their plant tanks. Apparently, I brought something home with me. The weird thing is that I had not added anything new in my tank for about 2 months. Could this have been dormant and now has started to grow?

The photo is a close up of one of them...

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Duckweed. It is the least desirable floating plant in aquariums. They reproduce very fast, get them out while you can.

 

It looks like duckweed to me. I'm not sure about dormant, but I have had duckweed-free tanks suddenly begin floating duckweed, later found as minuscule plants wrapped around other plant roots. Oddly, I've found my RRF do the same after intermittent months of absence - appear wrapped around submerged roots & freed to float again when I move plants around.

Many consider duckweed a nuisance because it grows so very, very rapidly & can cover a tanks surface within days. However, like other floaters, it's fab for keeping nitrates down & many fish like to nibble it. I'd make a few airline tubing rings or a corral to keep some surface area clear for the animals & be prepared to ruthlessly dispose of handsfuls of excess as necessary. I actually like the look of a duckweed tank with scattered rings for surface access & you may too.

Good luck!

 

Keep it if you want, but I agree with chromedome52. It's never too early to get rid of duck weed.

 

If you don't do it now, it will be very hard later.

 

I like duck weed, too much just scoop it out. Easy

 

I don't mind it but I never decided to get it, it snuck in with other plants when I was getting started.