Riccia fluitans

Riccia fluitans is a versatile and widely used aquatic plant in aquascaping, known for its bright green color and ability to create lush, carpet-like textures. Commonly referred to as Crystalwort, this floating liverwort naturally grows at the water surface but can also be adapted for submerged use, making it highly flexible in aquascape design.

When kept floating, Riccia fluitans forms dense mats on the surface, providing shade and shelter for fish fry and shrimp. However, it is most famous in aquascaping for being tied or attached to rocks, driftwood, or mesh, where it creates a vibrant, cushion-like carpet in the foreground or midground. Under strong lighting and CO₂ injection, it produces oxygen bubbles (pearling), giving aquariums a lively and dynamic appearance.

This plant thrives in medium to high lighting conditions and benefits greatly from CO₂ supplementation. Without adequate light, Riccia may lose density and begin to break apart. Since it does not have true roots, it absorbs nutrients directly from the water column, making regular liquid fertilization important for maintaining its vivid coloration and healthy growth.

Maintenance can be more demanding compared to rooted plants. Riccia fluitans grows quickly and requires frequent trimming to prevent it from becoming too thick and detaching from its anchor point. If not maintained, lower layers may receive insufficient light and start to decay, causing pieces to float away.

Propagation is simple—just divide the plant into smaller portions and reattach them where desired. Its rapid growth allows aquascapers to quickly achieve a full, lush effect.

Riccia fluitans is an excellent choice for creating bright green highlights, dynamic textures, and a sense of freshness in aquascapes, especially in nature-style layouts.