Pothos
Epipremnum aureum
Also known as Devil's Ivy, Money Plant, Epipremnum aureum
Plantae›Tracheophyta›Liliopsida›Alismatales›Araceae
Epipremnum aureum is the pothos, or devil's ivy, a climbing aroid from Mo'orea in French Polynesia that is now grown as a houseplant worldwide. In an aquarium it is kept emersed: cuttings root in the tank water while the leaves stay in the air, and the plant draws nitrate out of the water as it grows. Golden, Marble Queen, Neon and the other named pothos are cultivars of this one species.
Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air: a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.
Leaves and sap contain calcium oxalate — toxic and mouth-irritating if eaten, so keep the foliage away from plant-grazing fish like goldfish or cichlids; the submerged roots are inert and safe.
Where it's from
Native to Society Is.
Recorded as introduced in Assam, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brazil Northeast and 36 more places
At a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Growth
- Fast
- Placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
- Temp
- 64–82°F
- 18–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- GH
- 36–357 ppm
- 2–20 dGH
Tanks growing this
Growing in 21 tanksBy variety. 19 tanks shared publicly; 2 more kept privately.
Golden Pothos13 tanks · 2 private
Neon Pothos7 tanks · 1 private
Champs Élysées Pothos1 tank
Marble Queen Pothos1 tank
N-Joy Pothos1 tank
Compatible livestock
See all 4Classic pairing — pothos roots shade the surface and export the nitrate a betta's waste produces.
Shrimp graze biofilm off the submerged root mass and love the cover it provides.
Peaceful schoolers that benefit from the cleaner water without disturbing the roots.
Algae grazer that pairs well in the low-maintenance tanks pothos suits.
Member photos
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Common diseases 2Root / crown rot, Yellowing leaves
Root / crown rot
Mushy, blackened, or foul-smelling roots or lower stem; drooping, yellowing foliage — almost always from submerging the leaves or crown.
Keep only the roots underwater and the foliage in the air. Trim away rotted tissue with clean scissors, improve surface circulation/oxygen, and let the plant re-establish.
Yellowing leaves
Pale or yellowing foliage, slow or leggy growth.
Give brighter indirect light and dose a little liquid plant fertilizer. In a lightly stocked tank the water may lack nutrients for vigorous emersed growth.
Varieties
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.
The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).
At a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Growth
- Fast
- Placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
- Temp
- 64–82°F18–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- GH
- 36–357 ppm2–20 dGH
Keepers’ experiences
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