Description
A fast-growing floater with rosettes of rounded leaves and long, feathery trailing roots that shelter fry and shrimp while pulling excess nutrients out of the water. Best suited to bright, outdoor tubs and ponds rather than dim indoor tanks.
What you get: one floating plant similar to the photo — a hand-sized rosette with roughly 8–10 leaves and its trailing roots.
Care at a glance
- Light: bright — ideally some direct or strong artificial light
- CO₂: not required (grows emersed, using atmospheric CO₂)
- Temperature: 20–30°C, not frost-tolerant
- Placement: floating, best in outdoor tubs, ponds or bright setups
- Excellent at absorbing excess nutrients — helps control algae
Available on pre-order: imported to order and ships about 15 days after you order, with dispatch and tracking details by email.
Note: Water Hyacinth spreads rapidly and is invasive in Indian waterways — keep it contained to your tub, pond or aquarium and never release it into natural lakes, rivers or canals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put water hyacinth in my aquarium?
Yes, if the tank is open-top and brightly lit. Rosettes often stand 10–30 cm tall and roots can trail 20–40 cm, so leave headroom. Leaves that press against a lid or a hot light scorch or rot. Under a normal aquarium LED it can survive, but it grows slowly with small, pale leaves and often dwindles. No CO₂ is needed. For a lidded tank, a smaller floater such as Amazon Frogbit is easier.
Will it grow under normal aquarium lights?
It can survive, but it flowers and grows best with bright light or some direct sun — it’s happiest in an outdoor tub or pond.
Are water hyacinths good for fish ponds?
Yes, in a contained pond or tub with several hours of sun. The roots soak up nitrate and phosphate, starving algae, and give fry and small fish shelter and shade. Keep it to about half the surface, as a full mat shades out other plants and cuts oxygen. It can double in two weeks in summer, so thin it often. See our outdoor tub plants guide.
Is it safe to keep with fish and shrimp?
Yes — the trailing roots are a favourite hiding and grazing spot for fry and shrimp.
What are the disadvantages of water hyacinth?
Its main downsides are its need for strong sun and how fast it spreads. It struggles under most indoor aquarium lights and soon outgrows small tubs. In warm weather it needs thinning every week or two, since a full cover shades other plants and cuts oxygen. Yellowing leaves rot and foul the water unless removed. Goldfish and koi may eat the roots, and growth slows below about 18°C.
Why is water hyacinth banned?
Because it is one of the world’s worst invasive weeds, not because it is toxic. Escaped plants can double in about two weeks and smother lakes and canals, blocking light, cutting oxygen, killing fish, blocking boats and clogging irrigation channels. The EU, Australia and several US states ban its sale for this reason. In India it chokes many lakes, so keep it contained and never release it.
Can I release extra plants into a local pond or river?
No — Water Hyacinth is invasive in Indian waterways. Please compost extra plants or share them with other hobbyists instead of releasing them outdoors.
When will my pre-order ship?
Pre-order items ship about 15 days after you order. The plant is hand-packed and sent by courier anywhere in India for a flat ₹99, free on orders of ₹999 or more, and we email dispatch and tracking details. If it arrives dead, send one continuous unboxing video within 4 hours of delivery on WhatsApp or email and we refund or replace it. Photos alone are not accepted.
Learn more in our Water Hyacinth care guide.
Compare light, CO2, growth rate and difficulty for every plant we stock in the aquarium plant care chart.
Why buy from Anubias.in: imported to order (about 15 days on pre-order); ₹99 shipping anywhere in India, free on orders of ₹999 or more; prepaid via UPI, cards or netbanking. Any claim (dead, damaged, wrong plant) needs one continuous unboxing video sent within 4 hours of delivery on WhatsApp (+91 81416 96983) or email (buyanubias@gmail.com); photos alone are not accepted. Read more about buying from Anubias.in.
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