Salvinia Minima

Salvinia minima is a small, free-floating aquatic fern known for forming soft green mats across ponds and aquariums. Beyond its beauty, it’s a proven natural water cleaner, prized by aquarists and pond keepers for its ability to improve clarity and reduce excess nutrients.

Why it’s great for goldfish systems

Rapid Nutrient Uptake:
Salvinia minima efficiently absorbs nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate from the water column — nutrients that otherwise fuel algae growth. Under warm, bright conditions (around 77–86 °F), it can double its biomass every 5–10 days, depending on nutrient availability and light intensity.

Boosts Biological Filtration:
Its floating leaves and fine roots provide valuable surface area for beneficial nitrifying bacteria, enhancing biological filtration and stabilizing water quality over time.

Removes Trace Metals and Impurities:
Research confirms that Salvinia minima can absorb dissolved heavy metals such as copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead in low-to-moderate concentrations, making it effective for phytoremediation and gentle water polishing in closed systems.

Goldfish-Friendly Habitat:
Goldfish enjoy the shaded cover it creates at the surface. The roots also provide micro-habitats for fry and small aquatic life, offering shelter and natural refuge in breeding setups or outdoor ponds.

Adaptable & Low Maintenance:
This species thrives in still or gently moving water, tolerating mild surface agitation better than duckweed. It grows well in indoor aquariums with bright overhead lighting and outdoor ponds during warm months. Simply thin the growth occasionally to prevent overcrowding and maintain oxygen exchange.

Important — invasive & legal note:

Salvinia Minima is an invasive aquatic plant outside its native range and can rapidly form dense mats that choke waterways and harm native wildlife. It is illegal to release Salvinia minima into natural waters, and several U.S. states regulate or prohibit its possession, sale, or release. Check your state’s aquatic plant rules before buying or transporting this plant.