Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus Fluitans) - 4 oz Cup

Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus Fluitans) | 4 Oz Cup

A colorful, fast-growing floating plant, Red Root Floater is ideal for softening harsh lighting, creating natural shade, and adding a pop of red to your aquarium’s surface.

Red Root Floater Overview

Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus fluitans) is a South American floating plant prized for its compact, lettuce-like leaves and striking red roots. The leaves form small rosettes that can range from light green to deep red, especially under stronger lighting. As the plant multiplies, it creates a soft, dappled canopy on the water’s surface.

In the aquarium, Red Root Floater is excellent for:

• Absorbing excess nutrients and helping to control algae
• Providing shade and cover for shy or surface-oriented fish such as bettas, gouramis, guppies, and other livebearers
• Creating a safe overhead “ceiling” for nano fish, fry, and shrimp, helping them feel more secure and encouraging more natural behavior
• Adding visual interest with its contrasting green leaves and crimson roots

Many fish and invertebrates instinctively gravitate toward the protection this plant provides. Bettas and gouramis enjoy resting under the floating leaves, livebearer fry use the root mass as a hiding place, and shrimp will constantly graze on the biofilm that forms around the roots.

Because it floats freely, you can easily move or thin the mat as needed. Propagation is simple: healthy plants naturally produce new daughter plants that break off and spread across the surface.

Caring for Red Root Floater

Under good conditions, this plant displays vivid coloration, with bright red roots and undersides that contrast beautifully with the green tops of the leaves. It does not require intense light to survive, but stronger lighting will bring out deeper red tones.

• Light: Moderate to High (higher light encourages red coloration)
• Temperature Range: 70–86°F
• Placement: Floating
• CO₂: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy
• Growth Rate: Fast

To introduce Red Root Floater, simply place the 4 oz cup contents on the water’s surface. Allow the plants to adjust, avoid strong surface agitation that can flip or sink the leaves, and they will quickly begin to spread. Periodic thinning will keep them from completely covering the surface and blocking too much light from plants below.

Why Buy Red Root Floater from Modern Aquarium

The Red Root Floater offered by Modern Aquarium is carefully selected for health, color, and vigor, making it one of the most rewarding floating plants for both beginners and experienced aquascapers.

• Top Quality Store: Modern Aquarium has been designated by Google as a Top Quality Store and has over 2,000 individual verified reviews from real customers, so you can shop with confidence.
• Live Arrival Guarantee & Fast Shipping: All of our live plants are covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee and are shipped via FedEx 2-Day delivery to help ensure they reach you healthy, vibrant, and ready to grow.
• Trusted Sourcing: Our plants are sourced from some of the best nurseries in Florida and are handled with care from the grower to your aquarium.
• What You See Is What You Get: Every image on our site is a typical representation of the plants we sell—no unrealistic stock photos. Because live plants are natural products, individual specimens will vary in size, fullness, and coloration.

Complete your aquascape by pairing Red Root Floater with other live aquarium plants from our collection—such as background stems or carpeting plants—and finish the look with our selection of driftwood, aquascaping rocks, and botanicals to create a natural, soft-lit environment your bettas, gouramis, guppies, tetras, shrimp, and other tank inhabitants will thrive in.