Let me introduce you to one of the easiest floating plants for beginners that ever graced the aquarium.

Meet the Amazon Frogbit. AKA Limnobium laevigatum for the fancy folk.

We sell Amazon Frogbit for cheap for our readers. Check it out in our store.

An easy freshwater aquatic floating plant

The Amazon Frogbit is a gorgeous floating freshwater plant that has super long roots below the water, and a leafy, rounded leaf structure above. Frogbit plants span out runners and reproduce typically by stem fragmentation (where the new “baby” frogbit breaks off from the parent).

The aquarium plant is extremely easy to care for. It’s native to South America and often found in rivers and creeks. Popular as an ornamental plant, the floating plant spans leaves that lie along the surface of the water.

Frogbit’s unique characteristics

Each frogbit plant starts off super small and eventually branch out to three leaves.

If given enough time, they’ll sprout multiple leaves and may even flower in the tank. The leaves range from dark green to the more commonly-colored light green. Juvenile plants are exact clones of mature plants, other than leaf size and leaf number.

Frogbit lighting

Frogbit plants just need some medium to high lighting, which can be done through a basic LED grow light. Since they’re floating plants, they’re naturally closer to the lights. Use full spectrum bulbs for best results.

Flowering Frogbit

Sometimes, they even sprout white flowers upon maturity.

Although this is definitely not common in the household aquarium, they may sprout in ideal conditions. Frogbit can grow up to a whopping 20″ in the aquarium and will fan out across the surface of the water, until they hit the edges.

Surface turbulence

Amazon Frogbit can’t tolerate turbulent water. Make sure you don’t use a HOB filter with these guys, or at least fence them off from the waterfall so they don’t get soaked.

Also, be sure to keep the leaves dry or else they’ll rot. This is why it’s important to keep the leaves completely dry at all times. Be careful of bubblers, waterfalls, or any other areas where the plant may submerge or get topside wet.

Frogbit care

These are one of the easiest beginner plants to care for. Just give them plenty of light, dose once a week with plant fertilizer, and keep their leaves dry. If you notice leaves beginning to change color, prune them so they don’t waste energy and you don’t dirty your water. Or you can let your snails eat them.

No special CO2 machines needed since they’re exposed to the air.

Snails

Most snails tend favorably to this plant and don’t really care for eating it.

However, some snails may eat the bottom part of the plant that sits right at the water line. You can prevent snails from feeding on your Frogbit by providing plenty of food for them or getting some kind of plant-friendly snails that don’t munch on aquatic plants.

Amazon Frogbit propagation

Frogbit will divide quickly. This may lead to O2 depletion in the take, which will pose problems for your fish or other livestock. They may also block any source of lighting for other plants, so be sure to trim them often.

The majority of your plant reproduction takes place by runners branching out and stem fragmentation from the baby plant. Smaller plants will drift off to new locations in the wild.

Benefits of Amazon Frogbit

Frogbit is relatively easy to care for and makes an excellent beginner plant. They’re also very good at sucking up excess nitrates in the water column. With their long roots, they can provide plenty of hiding space for shrimp, fry, and other shy fish.

Buy Amazon Frogbit

So there you have it! Amazon Frobgit is a super easy and straightforward to care for beginner plant. This plant is a simple and gorgeous plant that any aquarist can care for and makes a nice ornamental plant.

We’re currently selling Amazon Frogbit in our store. We’d love to be the beginning of your Frobgit career!