Humped bladderwort (Utricularia gibba) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
Humped bladderwort, Floating bladderwort
Family
Lentibulariaceae (bladderwort family)
Origin
Very widespread: the Americas, the western Mediterranean, southern Africa, southern India and beyond
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
20 cm
Temperature
15–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Hardness
0–10 dGH
Care level
beginner
Lighting
Medium to high light; CO2 not needed
Flow
Gentle

Care

Utricularia gibba is a small carnivorous bladderwort of still or slow, nutrient-poor water. It has no roots: it forms tangled mats of thread-like stems, usually 20 cm or more long and under 1 mm thick, with short leaf-like segments carrying tiny bladder traps 1–2.5 mm long that suck in minute water animals. Yellow flowers, often veined red-brown, rise on stalks about 20 cm above the water when the mat is supported by plants or substrate in shallow water. It is one of the easiest aquatic bladderworts and is often seen as a weed in cultivation. It can float freely or tangle among other plants, and it can be grown in tanks, bowls or trays of wet peat. It thrives in soft water with few nutrients; heavy fertilising favours algae over it. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. Wikipedia lists it as invasive in places including Hawaii, Australia, Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Singapore, Hungary, Serbia and the United Kingdom. Never release this plant or dispose of it in drains or waterways; it is invasive in some countries. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utriculariagibba); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Grows and fragments on its own; every broken piece becomes a new plant. It also flowers year-round when conditions suit and can set seed.

Compatibility and tank mates

Its traps catch tiny animals, so it may take newly hatched fry and baby shrimp; keep it out of breeding tanks. Adult fish, snails and shrimp are fine. It hitchhikes on other plants and is hard to remove once established.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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