Who could not be happy with the mesmerizing view of the aquariums in their homes and offices? An aquarium with plants has provided an incredible view that may be breathtaking to some beginners.
A complete aquarium is enriched with several plant species and fishes, creating a perfect habitat for the fish species to thrive in multiple light and water tank conditions.
The fresh aquarium plants serve as natural infiltrators providing shade to fish species, oxygen sources, algae growth prevention, etc.
Below is the entail of numerous aquarium plants which people could use to best fit your aquarium.
Table of Contents
1. Java moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri)
Java moss is one of the live aquarium plants which the aquarium beginner could keep. Most people prefer to keep it in the aquarium because they are very convenient to grow and maintain.
It gets easily attached to the surface ranges that entail rocks, decoration, driftwood, gravel, etc.
The Java moss covers the aquarium floor, beautifying the tree-like structure and aquascaping. It has been highly applicable in the breeder tank because it provides shelter to the fish’s eggs and the fry.
The crucial component required for this plant species to grow well entails the wet condition, ranging between 69 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it could tolerate temperatures up to 86 degrees.
Despite its growth in low and high light, the plant thrives in high light, resulting in a more compact and dense plant than low light. It has become rare over the years.
It serves as a carpeting and breeding place for numerous tank fishes.
2. Amazon Sword (Echinodorus grisebachii)
Because the entire green leaves are being spread so far, it is a significant aquarium plant that people could be involved in. The whole green leaves support the forest outlook within the aquarium.
It requires less care, is convenient to maintain, and proliferates. Intending to maintain the temperature of the plants ranging between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit and pH having 6.5 to 7.5, it undoubtedly thrives in a tropical tank.
It seems perfect to keep the Amazon sword in the light for 10 to 12 hours a day regarding the light condition. But it requires regular trimming because the broad spread leaves have increased so far.
Those who will keep this plant as the live aquarium it is preferred to have the fish species such as tetras, danios, and guppies. The plant supports surviving on the substrate such as gravel and Caribbean Eco-Complete planted Aquarium substrate.
It is strictly recommended to house the Amazon sword with Texas cichlids and Oscars since they seem likely to attack the plant species inside the aquarium.
Amazon sword has a critical contribution in background decoration, concealing plumbing, and protection.
3. Hygrophila polysperma
Hygrophila polysperma is generally known as Dwarf hygro, Indian waterweed, and Dwarf hygrophila. It belongs to the family Acanthaceae, which reaches the size of 24 inches at maximum.
For the effective growth of this plant, it requires soft or moderately hard water with pH 5 to 8. It thrives better at temperatures ranging between 64 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit and low to moderate light conditions. Despite the hardy plant, it seems easier to grow and is commonly available in aquarium stores.
Trimming this aquarium plant is suggested timely, pitching and breaking off the stems. The plant highly varies upon the leaf shape and the colors. The light condition too determines a promotes on how the plants have grown.
A fascinating trait of the plant species is that the floated leaves on the surface begin to propagate and grow when you do not remove them despite breaking off the leaves.
4. Cryptocoryne wendtii
Cryptocoryne wendtii is inferred as the perfect aquarium plant for aquarium beginners. It looks like a pretty foreground plant that usually grows in the slightly hard water.
The height of this plant includes 10-15 cm and a rosette from 8 to 15 cm in width. The plant may be available even in brown color because of the light conditions. It is associated with the Araceae family, whose water condition reaches 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is a native species to Srilanka whose abundance entails in the streams and the rivers. The plant prefers to grow in the shaded regions. Most troublingly, these species have been acting as invasive species in Florida.
Because of its hardness and capability to thrive in several water conditions could invade the other plants in the aquarium and different regions.
It looks pretty convenient to propagate. The simple process you could involve in propagating this plant is separating and dividing the roots and replanting the species in several aquarium parts.
5. Java fern (Microsorum pteropus)
Java fern is one of the most preferred aquarium plants to attach to the wood and the rocks belonging to the family Polypodiaceae. The maximum size of this plant reaches 7 to 8 inches and is favorable under the pH 6.0 to 7.5 with 68 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
The plant could be propagated applying two approaches that entail adventitious plants and the rhizome division.
It is a slow-growing plant, but it grows very well when established for the first time. It requires low, moderate light conditions. Java fern is a native plant of Southeast Asia. Dutch-German botanist Karl Ludwig Blume described it for the first time in 1833.
It produces leaf pods, thereby permitting the growth of the new plants. The plant base possesses a thick twig-like structure that needs to survive above the substrate.
The submerged part of this plant under gravel could hugely assist them for proper growth that restricts from getting rot and dying.
The significant abundance of this species entails freshwater rivers and stream banks of India, China, Malaysia, and Thailand. It has been used in cichlid aquariums having plenty of rocks and driftwoods.
Most of the fish species neglect this plant. Thus, there is a high chance of the plant species thriving. Noteworthy to mention, it can survive even under low lights. It has been used for protection and decorative uses.
6. Cryptocoryne balansae
Cryptocoryne balansae is the most popular among the aquarium plants, which is associated with the family Araceae. It is either green or brown. The specific trait of this species includes medium-level light with the water condition at a temperature ranging from 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
The growth of these plants is supported by the pH ranging from 6.5 to 7.5. Cryptocoryne balansae have a size from 16 to 18 inches at the maximum. Additionally, this plant’s KH (Potassium hydrate) is between 3-8.
It will undoubtedly show the green speckled color with some flowers in the suitable water condition upon adequate lighting. These species have a wide distribution from Southern Thailand, preferring to adjust and thrive in the fast-flowing rivers and streams possessing limestone at colossal content.
It survives in the environment, which comprises iron, calcium, nitrate, and phosphate enrichment.
If you wish to keep it surviving for a long time, you could add the carbon dioxide levels and the aquarium plant fertilizers with enrichment in the iron.
Because of the iron deficiency in this plant, applying the fertilizers could fulfill its iron nutrient at an adequate amount.
7. Red Ludwigia ( Ludwigia repens)
Red Ludwigia hails from the family Onagraceae bearing a red color. It is inferred as one of the amphibious plants (could be fully grown as submerged or partially submerged) in an aquarium.
The partially submerged plant comprises lighter green and green and intense red in the perfect lighting. The plants are propagated employing seeds and cutting.
It thrives sustainably in water conditions with temperatures ranging between 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit and the KH with 3-8. Moreover, the pH level ranged between 6.5 to 7.5.
Red Ludwigia limits its size from 16 to 18 inches and lies in the midground of the aquarium. It looks pretty beautiful to seek the plant in the aquarium since it splashes an intense color and the large cover for the fish species to thrive.
Ranging from medium to low lighting is undoubtedly perfect for 2 to 4 gallons. Fading the color and falling, rotting the leaves usually seems familiar if the plant survives in low-light tanks.
8. Anacharis (Egeria densa)
Egeria densa is one of the best aquarium plants that require low maintenance costs and convenient handling. The dark green leaves have added a lush beauty to the aquariums.
It thrives sustainably in the moderate lights and the temperature roughly 22 to 25 degrees celsius. The green algae hair grows in the high light.
The best part of this plant growth is it could be planted directly, either on the surface or is left for floating.
9. Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis)
Water Wisteria is the easiest plant for growth and is used as an aquarium plant species for beginners. These aquatic plants can be regarded as the bunch plants that require adequate direct sunlight and best suit the growth in the temperature around 23 to 26-degree celsius.
The crucial trait of Water Wisteria hails either floating on the surface water or could even be rotted. The plant growth limits up to 20 inches in height and the wideness to 10 inches. The species respond according to the water and the light conditions being provided.
In the lower lights, it grows significantly smaller. Its massive growth looks so pretty since the green leaves being spread act as a carpet cover in the aquarium.
Most beginners choose to keep it in their aquarium, thereby adding charms to the interior decorations either at home or other places.
10. Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)
Hornwort is among those aquarium plants which float freely on the aquarium surface. It is familiar for aquarium beginners because of its ability to adjust to broad temperature ranges.
It requires low maintenance cost, and less lighting is enough for the plant to survive.
The plant can grow up to 24 inches. The stem cutting carries out the propagation of the hornwort. Those who wish to keep the hornwort as their aquarium plants are highly recommended to plant hornwort on a substrate to permit lighting for the underlying plants.
The hornwort plant in the aquarium is massively applicable since it cleans the water tank from the nitrates besides serving food for some fish species in the aquarium.
11. Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum)
Amazon Frogbit is the sponge plant whose underside leaves comprise a disc of the spongy cells that floats on the water surface. It possesses large leaves which are rounded or heart-shaped at the early stage.
The fundamental use of the sponge in this plant is it acts as a floating medium because the leaves are filled with the air. The leaves of this plant seem lighter green with dots upon the intense light while that of darker in the low light condition.
It requires less attention in caring, and the Amazon Frogbit, the aquatic plant, is best suited for the mosquitoes, mollies, platys, guppies, and even the swordtails.
The species could thrive very well in the water temperature ranging between 74 to 79n degrees Fahrenheit.
Most aquarium beginners are suggested to use it for the aquarium plants because they significantly reduce the intense lighting and provide spawning refuse for numerous tank fish species. For sure, it promotes the expansive beauty of the aquarium.
12. Pearl weed (Hemianthus micranthemoides)
Someone may get confused with this aquarium plant species since it resembles the Hemianthus callitrichoides. But significantly to be noted is that they both differ in terms of the leaves and the height. The pearl weed consists of taller plants and has more giant leaves than Hemianthus callitrichoides.
The pearl weed appearance is likely from the carpet of the small plants in the aquarium. It prefers medium to high light conditions.
The plants suit the water temperature of roughly 70 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the aquarium tank. Using it as a carpet foreground plant has been most common over the years.
13. Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides)
It is inferred as one of the floating plants which could be grown in the substrate in the aquarium. In the right tank conditions, its growth spreads very well. The plant is hardy (less care for the plant is enough).
Water Sprite is identifiable from the distinct network of the leaves, which could even be anchored in the substrate. It sustains in the tank water temperature having around 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
The light condition does not matter for this growth; Even the low lighting supports the perfect development of this plant species.
The crucial reason behind using this species in an aquarium is it assists hugely in cleaning up the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrate level from the tank water. It acts as a shade for the shy fish or the fry in an aquarium.
14. Marimo moss ball (Aegagropila linnaei)
The Marimo moss ball is a rare alga holding a spherical shape and growing radially outward. It possesses a longer life span, i.e., roughly over 100 years.
At the aquarium bottom tank, they resemble a ball of algae. It usually grows in the water temperature around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It could sustain various lighting ranging from low to medium.
The plant sucks up the nitrite level in the water and provides oxygen to several fish species.
15. Guppy grass (Najas guadalupensis)
Guppy grass is a common aquarium plant species and a good choice among aquarium beginners. It proliferates when rooted in the water tank substrate or left to float.
The outer appearance of this plant seems like a grass heap. It sustains healthy growth at the water tank temperature between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit with light conditions ranging from low to medium.
Concerning the merits of Guppy grass, the plant is a serving medium to perfect hiding places primarily for the shrimps and the guppies. Thus, the term” Guppy” is embedded in this plant species. It also eliminates the nitrites from the water tank.
Concluding Remarks
There are a wide array of plant aquariums that can attract your attention. You can keep the attractive plants in the aquariums in your residential areas and others. It can, without doubt, provide joy, happiness, and positivity in your life. Let’s select the aquarium plants upon your desire and keep it for yourself-happiness.
(Last Updated on May 17, 2022 by Sadrish Dabadi)
