Duck-Lettuce

The leaves are broad, translucent, and ripple-edged, rising from a central rosette like a small pond lily even though the plant never makes floating leaves. Ottelia alismoides comes from shallow waters across tropical Asia, Africa, and Australia, where it grows fully submerged in still or slow-moving conditions.

It is a fast-growing rosette plant that reaches 30 to 40 cm and works best as a mid-background specimen or in a group. The individual leaves are soft and easily damaged by strong current or large fish, so a quiet tank with gentle flow suits it better than a high-flow setup.

Temperatures of 22 to 26 °C and pH 6 to 7.5 are ideal. It prefers soft to moderately hard water. CO₂ injection is optional — growth slows without it but remains steady. A nutrient-rich substrate, ideally fine sand, helps the root system establish.

It flowers underwater, producing a small translucent blossom at the surface. Seeds develop in pods and can be collected for propagation. The plant also produces side rosettes from the base that can be separated once they have several leaves.