Minute duckweed (Lemna perpusilla) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
Minute duckweed
Family
Araceae (arum family; formerly Lemnaceae)
Origin
Eastern United States and Quebec
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
0.4 cm
Temperature
6–28°C
pH
5–9
Care level
beginner
Lighting
Medium to high light; CO2 not needed
Flow
Still water; strong surface flow breaks it up

Care

Minute duckweed is a small North American duckweed. Our sources give little beyond its range and the general habits of the genus. Duckweeds are tiny floating plants, each a simple flat frond with roots hanging below. They spread mainly by budding new fronds and can cover still water very quickly. In the wider Lemna data, growth is possible at about 6–33 °C and best at about 20–28 °C, at pH 5–9 (best 6.5–7.5). In aquariums duckweed shades the tank, mops up nitrate and phosphate, and feeds herbivorous fish, but it spreads fast and is very hard to get rid of. Scoop out the surplus every week or two and keep it away from strong surface flow, which pushes it into heaps and filter intakes. It comes from a temperate range and suits ponds and coldwater tanks; it should also grow in tropical tanks. The pH figures come from the genus page; the temperature range is our estimate. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemna); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Spreads by budding: each frond produces daughter fronds that break away, so a few fronds soon cover the surface in good light and nutrients. Flowers and seeds are rare in tanks.

Compatibility and tank mates

Goldfish, koi, silver dollars, many cichlids and some gouramis eat duckweed eagerly, which can keep it in check. It suits fry, betta and shrimp tanks, but it clogs filter intakes and is very hard to remove completely once introduced, so think before adding it to a display tank.

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

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