Cabomba Aquatica

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Giant Fanwort; Yellow Cabomba

Synonyms

Cabomba aquatica var. lutea

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Guianas, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia

Habitat

Standing and slow-flowing soft, acidic waters such as ponds, ditches, lakes, and quiet river margins, often over fine sediment in tannin-stained water.

Sourcing

Captive-bred

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Growth form

Stem

Max height

4 – 31 in (10 – 79 cm)

Spread

4 in (10 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Background, Midground

Water

Temperature

68 – 82 °F (20 – 28 °C)

pH

6.0 – 7.0

GH

1 – 8 dGH

dKH

up to 7 dKH

PAR

30 – 50 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

High

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich preferred

Feeds from

Both

Fertilizer needs

Medium

Colors

Green, Yellow

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Cuttings

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Care guide

Overview

Reaching up to roughly 31 inches under good light, this stem plant forms a tall, bushy column of finely divided, whorled green leaves suited to background or midground planting. It grows quickly from cuttings, needs strong light and soft, acidic water to stay dense from base to tip, and benefits from regular trimming to prevent legginess.

Care

Fanwort needs strong, unobstructed light to keep its feathery whorls dense from top to bottom; under weak lighting the lower fans thin out and drop first. Keep the water soft and on the acidic side, with stable warmth in the low-to-mid 70s F, since cold snaps below the mid-60s slow growth noticeably. Gentle to moderate flow helps keep detritus from settling in the finely divided leaves, which otherwise invites algae and rot. Regular trimming of the tall stems encourages branching from the cut nodes and keeps the plant from overtopping the tank.

Planting & trimming

Plant healthy stem cuttings 1-2 inches deep into a fine, nutrient-rich substrate, spacing individual stems a couple of centimeters apart so light reaches the lower leaves. A substrate depth of at least 2-3 inches gives the adventitious roots room to anchor, since coarse gravel holds the brittle stems poorly. Trim tops regularly with sharp shears, stripping the lower leaves from cut sections before replanting them to keep the display dense rather than leggy.

Fertilizing

Root tabs pushed into a nutrient-rich substrate support the fine adventitious roots at the stem nodes, though this plant also draws a fair amount of nutrition through the water column. A liquid fertilizer supplying iron and trace elements helps maintain leaf density, especially under higher light where uptake demand rises. Pale, thin, or dropped lower leaves usually signal insufficient light or a nutrient shortfall rather than disease.

Propagation

Propagation is by stem cuttings: cut a healthy top section, remove the lowest leaves, and replant it directly into the substrate to root at the nodes. The remaining mother stem typically responds to trimming by branching from the cut node, producing new side shoots that can later be harvested as fresh cuttings.

Problems

The most common failure is bottom-up leaf loss caused by low light or water that is too hard or alkaline for the plant's soft-water preference. Its dense, feathery foliage traps organic debris and fine sediment easily, which can smother lower leaves and trigger filamentous algae if flow and filtration are inadequate. Brittle stems can snap or uproot with rough handling, so replanting should be done carefully and infrequently.

Sources

1. Cabomba aquatica - Wikipedia
2. Giant cabomba care: light, CO2 and placement · TankBud
3. Cabomba aquatica Aquatic Plant Care | Atlarium
4. How to Grow Cabomba: Step-by-Step Plant Care Guide

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