Want a lotus that colours up without taking over the tank? Nymphaea micrantha is the dwarf option — a rare West African species whose leaves shift through green, bronze, red and purple depending on your light. It gives you a genuine centrepiece in a tank too small for a full-size lotus.
What You’ll Receive
A healthy, sprouted Nymphaea micrantha bulb with visible leaf growth, carefully selected and packed by Aquarium Plants Factory®.
Important Note:
Nymphaea micrantha is a naturally small lotus species.
The bulb size is tiny by nature, especially compared to larger lotus varieties. This is normal and expected. Despite its small bulb size, the plant is fully viable and will grow and develop normally once planted in a nutrient-rich substrate.
Plant Profile
- Common name — Micrantha Water Lily, Dwarf Red Lotus, Tri-Colour Lotus
- Scientific name — Nymphaea micrantha
- Origin — Tropical West Africa
- Placement — Centrepiece
- Mature height — 8–16 in
- Growth rate — Fast
Care
- Difficulty — Beginner
- Light — High. Strong light is what brings out the red and bronze
- CO₂ — Not required! Colour comes from light and iron, not carbon
- Water — 72–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- Substrate — Required. Heavy root feeder — nutrient substrate or root tabs
- Growth habit — Fully aquatic. Cannot be grown emersed
- Propagation — Bulb offsets, plus plantlets on mature leaves
Grower’s Notes
- It makes plantlets on its own leaves. Micrantha is viviparous — small daughter plants form where the leaf meets the stem. Let one develop a few leaves and roots, then detach and plant it. This is how one bulb becomes a collection.
- Trim the surface leaves to keep it compact. Left alone it sends leaves to the top and shades everything below; cutting those at the base keeps growth submerged and bushy.
- Root tabs are not optional. This is a heavy root feeder, and in inert gravel it stays small and green rather than colouring up.
- Some early leaf melt is normal as the bulb converts to submerged growth. New leaves follow quickly.
Want to go deeper? Read our complete Nymphaea Water Lily Care Guide.
Notes
- Photos are for reference. Colour, leaf shape and growth rate vary considerably with lighting and nutrients.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
Shipping Policy
At Aquarium Plants Factory, we carefully package and ship all orders to ensure plants and livestock arrive healthy and ready to thrive.
Order Processing Time
Most orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment is received.
Orders placed on weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.
Orders containing out-of-stock, pre-order, or backorder items may require additional handling time.
Once your order ships, tracking information will be sent to your email.
Shipping Schedule
Live Plants
Live plant orders ship Monday through Saturday when using United States Postal Service (USPS).
Most plant-only orders ship within 1–3 business days, excluding products that are out of stock, pre-order, or backorder.
Estimated USPS delivery time is 2–5 business days, depending on your location.
UPS Express Shipping
We offer the following UPS expedited shipping options:
UPS 2-Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 2 business days
Please note that UPS 2-Day Air® is not a guaranteed service in the event of carrier delays, weather disruptions, or operational issues.
UPS Next Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 1 business day
This service is guaranteed by UPS according to their service guarantee policies.
UPS expedited orders ship Monday through Wednesday only to ensure packages arrive within the same week and avoid weekend delays.
Please note that orders require 1–2 business days of handling time before shipment.
To help ensure same-week delivery, please place UPS orders on or before Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).
Live Animals Shipping
Live animal orders ship Monday through Wednesday only.
This schedule ensures animals arrive within the same week and do not remain in transit over the weekend.
Handling time for live animal orders typically ranges from 1–5 business days, depending on:
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Weather conditions
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Livestock health
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Shipping destination
Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped.
Free Shipping
We offer Free Shipping on eligible orders over $150 within the contiguous United States.
Estimated delivery time for free shipping orders is 2–5 business days.
If your order contains both live plants and live animals, the shipment may be combined and the appropriate shipping rate will be shown at checkout.
Free Shipping is not available for customers located in:
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Alaska
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Hawaii
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Puerto Rico
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Guam
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U.S. Virgin Islands
Customers in these locations must select Expedited or Express shipping options at checkout.
Delivery Time Estimates
Delivery times shown at checkout are estimates provided by the shipping carrier.
While we work hard to ship orders quickly, delivery times may vary due to factors outside of our control, including:
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Weather conditions
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Carrier delays
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High shipping volumes
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Transportation disruptions
Aquarium Plants Factory is not responsible for shipping delays caused by the carrier.
Delayed or Lost Packages
Occasionally, shipments may take longer than expected.
A package is considered lost only after 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the ship date.
If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we may offer a 50/50 replacement, meaning:
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Aquarium Plants Factory covers 50% of the replacement cost
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The customer covers 50% plus shipping
Address Accuracy
Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address when placing an order.
Please ensure that your address is correct when using payment methods such as:
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Credit / Debit Card
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PayPal
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Apple Pay
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Google Pay
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Amazon Pay
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Shopify Pay
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AliPay
Orders returned due to:
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Incorrect address
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Refused delivery
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Failed delivery attempts
may not be eligible for a refund.
Order Cancellations
If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as soon as possible.
Orders can only be canceled before they have been shipped.
Once an order has been shipped, it can no longer be canceled.
Returns
Due to the sensitive nature of live goods, all sales are final.
We do not accept returns or exchanges for:
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Live plants
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Live animals
For any shipping questions, please contact us before placing your order.
Aquarium Plants Factory
https://www.AquariumPlantsFactory.com
What We Guarantee
24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee — We guarantee that live plants and live aquatic animals will arrive alive. In the rare case of a Dead on Arrival (DOA), you must notify us within 24 hours of the delivery time recorded on the carrier's official tracking page. The guarantee is void after that 24-hour window, as condition can no longer be attributed to transit.
How to Submit a Claim
- Take at least 2 clear, well-lit photos of the affected items in their original, unopened, sealed packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label on the box.
- Email your photos and order number to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com within 24 hours of delivery.
- Do not photograph plants or animals after they have been unpacked, planted, or introduced to your aquarium — once an item enters your aquarium's ecosystem, it is no longer covered.
Approved claims are resolved with a replacement, store credit, or refund at our discretion, under the terms of our Refund Policy. Each item is eligible for one replacement only — replacements are final and we cannot replace a replacement.
Conditions That Void the Guarantee
- Incorrect or incomplete shipping address (vacant address, missing apartment number, or any issue that prevents delivery)
- Packages marked "invalid address," "undeliverable," refused, or returned to sender
- Packages left unclaimed, held at a carrier facility at the customer's request, or not retrieved promptly after delivery — live goods must be brought indoors and unpacked the day they arrive
- Carrier delays, weather events, or delivery exceptions once the package has left our facility
- Shipments to freight forwarders or package-forwarding services
Providing accurate, complete shipping information and monitoring your tracking are essential to keeping your guarantee valid.
Please note: the Live Arrival Guarantee covers arrival only. We cannot guarantee ongoing success — aquarium environment, water quality, nutrients, temperature, lighting, filtration, and CO2 all affect long-term results.
What We Can't Guarantee
- Pest-free plants (potted & bare-root): Although our plants are grown in our own clean greenhouse, we cannot guarantee they are 100% free of snails, algae, or other hitchhikers. We recommend rinsing and quarantining all plants before adding them to your aquarium. Tissue culture (in vitro) plants are the exception — they are grown in sterile lab conditions, are 100% free of pests, algae, and disease, and have never been in contact with any aquarium.
- Pesticide-free plants: We use homemade, organic pest control in our greenhouse and never use copper-based pesticides, which are toxic to invertebrates such as snails, crabs, and shrimp. However, we cannot guarantee plants are entirely pesticide-free — always rinse and quarantine before use in invertebrate tanks.
- Your aquarium's success: We are not responsible for your aquarium inhabitants, including fish, shrimp, snails, and turtles. Please quarantine all plants before use.
- Growth form: Unless specified, we do not guarantee plants will grow emersed or submersed in your particular setup.
Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.
Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.
Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.
Aquatic lily bulb that customers praise for "well packaged" delivery and healthy arrival. Shoppers report rapid leaf growth, with some noting "shooting out a new leaf every day." Initial leaf melting common but recovers quickly. Delicate leaves handle shipping well. Vibrant multi-colored foliage thrives in CO2-enriched tanks. Some noted bulbs smaller than expected.
- It's been shooting out a new leaf every day
- My aquariums are stunning with these rare beauties
- Really recovered well from shipping and has already put out one new leaf
A
I was worried to spend almost $30 for a single plant in my nano tank (10 gallon). It's been planted for just over a week now and it has really recovered well from shipping and has already put out one new leaf and there is another starting. I did remove one melting leaf but was quite surprised at how well it handled shipping as the leaves are very delicate. It looks just like the photos.
A
This my third time ordering and they just keep getting better my aquariums are stunning 🤩 with these rare beauties
A
Absolutely love them I immediately ordered more
M
This is a nicely started young plant that came with several leaves. Definitely recommend. Very beautiful. Can't wait to see it as it establishes and matures. Will post an update later with mature pics.
D
The Nymphea arrived with small leaves already sprouting from the bulb, unfortunately they melted but new leaves sprung immediately. Planted in a tank with root tabs, co2 and doses with fertilizer. The growth and size of the multi colored leaves are very impressive. The colors really pop out even with tannins in the tank. The broad flat pads have been excellent for my Shrimp and Cory’s to graze on. Overall very happy.
B
I’ve nicknamed the plant Fruity Pebbles. :-). All of the bulbs I ordered came with leaves and have been thriving and growing. I have Fluval Stratum substrate and 6.5 pH.
J
Everything arrived well packaged and healthy! Thank you!
R
Very nice quality thank you !
A
Nymphaea Micrantha
J
Nymphaea micrantha bulb received healthy with small leaves. Currently producing larger leave in my tank.
N
The bulb ordered was with leaves. It uarrived exactly as described, well packed and is doing well in my tank.
M
Melted a bit at first. Doing great now!!
J
Even though it's a delicate plant, it took right off and is growing very well.
E
Wonderfully Packaged came in with three small leaves. It’s been shooting out a new leaf every day
S
Although the bulbs are a little smaller than I expected, I'm very excited to have them and watch them grow
C
Came in very nice
T
Hello I was wondering if you have any pictures of this lily when it’s flowered?
Hi Ted! We don't have official bloom photos of this specific batch on hand, but Nymphaea Micrantha produces small, star-shaped flowers (usually white to pale pink) that typically float right at the surface once the plant is mature and settled in. It tends to bloom more reliably in a pond or brightly lit tank with stable warm water and nutrients - it can take some patience indoors, but many customers do get it to flower with time. Let us know if you have any other questions!
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