Live floating plants

I am looking for some floating plants for my fluval spec iii, but I am new to live plants in aquariums. What are the pros and cons of floating plants? What are some good beginner floating plants?

 

Floating plants aid in nitrate control. They make fish feel more secure by providing a more natural environment, give shrimp a place to hang out, and fry a place to hide.

Floaters of any sort make a valuable addition to every tank.

 

I can't think of any real cons about floating plants, except for that they multiply like crazy... but it's easy to just scoop some out every week to keep everything looking pretty. Frogbit and Duckweed are incredibly easy. I am partial to Frogbit because it's bigger so I find it easier to clean, though it's all about what you're looking for.

Anacharis can also just float freely in the tank. I have some just floating for fun.Grows like crazy and eventually lets down little roots. It's pretty cool. But I think frogbit and duckweed look better, since they are traditional floating plants.

 

This could be a con unless you don't mind it but floaters like duckweed can multiply pretty quickly and be impossibly difficult to get rid of. They also cover the surface of your tank, blocking the light from getting to other plants you may have below.

I personally like water sprite the best as a floating plant.

 

I would like some that resemble a lily pad. I have just a betta in the tank will any of those plants bother him?

 

You're betta will destroy any duckweed if you put it in his tank

 

I think it depends on how much you put in if they will bother him. My betta didn't destroy my duckweed at all when I added it (it has since been removed), but he also couldn't figure out how to get to the surface for air or what was food vs. what was duckweed since the bulk of the surface was covered. Is there a reason specifically that you want floaters? I've found that plants in the tank are far easier to handle than floating plants.

How big is the tank? If you're looking for something more like a lily pad, maybe consider a banana plant?

 

You're betta will destroy any duckweed if you put it in his tank

Mine hasn't yet, and he (and she, different tank) have had it for at least a year.

You could do tiger lotus, available at your big box lfs and various online retailers. Shoots up miniature lilypad like leaves, and even flowers occasionally.

Otherwise, if the surface is calm, water lettuce.

 

Mine hasn't yet, and he (and she, different tank) have had it for at least a year.

You could do tiger lotus, available at your big box lfs and various online retailers. Shoots up miniature lilypad like leaves, and even flowers occasionally.

Otherwise, if the surface is calm, water lettuce.

I tossed some duckweed in my tank and my betta was having a feast

 

Maybe it was craving vegetables. I had a setup with a mystery snail at one point. The betta ate just as much snail-o as the snail did. (Everybody loved that stuff)