Amazon Frogbit Root Length | How Long Can They Get?

Floating plants are a great choice to remove excess nitrates from your aquarium water and provide cover for small fishes. Amazon frogbit is one of the favorites among aquarists due to its large round leaves and long root structure. Long roots create a very unique jungle-style look in the aquarium. The root length of Amazon frogbit can vary a lot based on the tank setup and water conditions.

The roots of a fully grown Amazon frogbit can grow up to a maximum length of 20 inches (approximately 50 cm) in a home aquarium. The length of the root depends on numerous factors like the aquarium height, water nitrate level, water flow rates, etc. In a typical home aquarium, the frogbit root length can vary between 3 inches to 15 inches. However, sometimes it can reach a length of 24 inches in ponds or in the wild.

What determines the Amazon frogbit root length?

Every aquarium is different and an Amazon frogbit’s root length can vary anywhere between 3 inches and 20 inches. There are much confusion and speculation around the main driving factor towards frogbit root length. However, the following are the key factors that contribute to the root length:

Water Nitrate Level

Amazon frogbit is a nitrate-hungry plant and nitrate in the water column is one of the major factors when comes to their root growth. The roots grow shorter if the nitrate and nutrient levels are high in the water column. On the contrary, the roots tend to grow longer if the nitrate levels are low. The general idea is that in an aquarium with low nitrates in the water column, the roots of an Amazon frogbit try to race for the substrate.

Water Flow

Amazon frogbit has a thick root structure compared to most aquarium floating plants. However, it’s still delicate towards high water flow and it generally prefers slow-moving water. In a tank with a high water flow rate, the frogbit roots tend to break off and grow short in length.

Fish Stocking

The types of fish you have in an aquarium can also contribute to how long the plant root can grow. Although there is no direct relation between your fish stocking and frogbit root length, some fish like to nip and sometimes love to eat the frogbit root. In tanks like that, frogbit roots stay small in length.

Aquarium Height

The height of an aquarium can also drive how long can a frogbit root grow. Typically in a pond or high tank, the roots tend to grow longer, especially if the water movement is very low.

Can you trim Amazon Frogbit roots?

With a suitable tank condition, frogbit roots can grow very long and can create a dense jungle look in an aquarium. However, some aquarists like to have a look with smaller roots and hate to see the entire aquarium filled with frogbit roots.

So, is it possible to trim the frogbit root? The answer is Yes. You can trim frogbit roots to the desired length and the plant will start to shoot new roots within 24 hours. However, make sure to keep some roots intact or leave at least 2-3 inches of root under the leaf cluster to make sure it’s still able to absorb the required nutrients.

The roots of an Amazon frogbit grow very fast. So, you might have to keep a weekly trimming schedule if you want to maintain a fixed root length.