# Water Lettuce vs. Dwarf Water Lettuce?



## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I'd like a few plants that look like this (layered leaves):









Regular water lettuce

All dwarf pics I've found are flat and resemble frogbits:









Any ideas how big the regular water lettuces get? Suitable for nano tanks or no?


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Regular water lettuce isn't fit for nano tanks since they do get a decent size (5" or so).

Might want to take a look at red root floaters, Phyllanthus fluitans, instead.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

regular water lettuce gets alot bigger than 5 inches. 
I have one in my pond thats at least a foot wide, its roots are about 4 feet long to...
In use regular water lettuce in my tanks and bowls.
I reach in my pond and take out the babies... and let them grow in my tanks.
Once they start getting a little too big I swap them out for other babies in the pond.
They can stay small for quite a while.
I found a small one growing in really shallow pot in my garden center. I've had it for years and it has yet to get any larger. I think its permanently stunted.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I have RRF and Frogbits, I suppose I could use smaller lettuces and trade them out as they get bigger :/ Wish I had a pond. Read they got up to 18"+. I really like the layered leaves that curve up.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

xenxes said:


> I have RRF and Frogbits, I suppose I could use smaller lettuces and trade them out as they get bigger :/ Wish I had a pond. Read they got up to 18"+. I really like the layered leaves that curve up.


My water lettuce resides in a 30 gallon rubbermaid container from walmart. Which is surrounded by dirt, and a layer of stones. And is currently the home to two goldfish.
Its a tub pond with a cute little waterfall.
You could try that.. Its cheap and takes up almost no space. Plus once the plants get going on the sides and in the pond it actually looks real nice.
Theres even room for a water lily. Its nice..
I'll post a picture of a small water lettuce later.
They arent as nice as the big ones but still pretty.


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