Salvinia minima, Another one
of my favorite plants. Small, oval, 3/8" joined leaves
covered with tiny hairs that absorb nutrients from the water.
Prefers a lot of light and will help control algae. These
plants are essentially floating ferns. Since they naturally
occur in still waters having high organic content they are
perfect for the bowl or tank. Their root-like structures
which are actually modified fronds that act like nutrient
sponges helping to clean the water like their floating counter
part duckweed.
I have found this plant to be very easy to
grow under florescent lighting with just a touch of water
movement, like that provided by swimming fish or a very
small water pump. In some of my tanks where I have neglected
to provide enough circulation some of the salvinia turns
white and eventually dies. Whether this is some form of
parasite or fungus I am not sure.
 I
will rarely have just one type of plant with a betta. Here
we see my sons betta building it's bubble nest among three
types of plants, salvinia, duckweed and below anacharis.
There is actually a forth plant type called riccia in amongst
the salvinia which I will be writing more about in the future.
 Reminiscent
of frogbit but much smaller. These small pads send feathery
brownish red root like structures into the water to gather
nutrients. Almost inseparable to it's cousin duct weed the
two are rarely seen apart.
 A
close up of the pads. We can just make out the hair like
structures on the top of the pads.
 A
single pad and it's ethereal hairs that are actually capable
of deriving nutrients out of the environment like it's fellow
roots below
 Here
my camera skills have failed to catch the complete beauty
of the root like feathery fronds of the salvinia water fern.
This simple, inexpensive plant is interesting from any angle
and one I hope to have around for a very long time.
Possible sources of salvinia minima:
|
