Aquarium Plants Tips
Read these 36 Aquarium Plants Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Aquarium tips and hundreds of other topics.
Water Sprite
Ceratopteris (water sprite)
Up to 20" tall. Exists as rooted or floating specimens. Good fry shelter, shade plant. Baby plants grow on older leaves. Confused with Hygrophila difformis sometimes. Several different species and/or forms, which may require more light than others.
Valisneria
Valisneria
Grass. Reproduction by runners. Some find it grows wildly, then mostly dies off, in a cycle. Wide temperatures 59-86F. V. spiralis (Italian val) has ribbon-like leaves up to 20" and throws up a spiral stalk when flowering. V. tortifolia grows corkscrew leaves, hence its name Corkscrew val. Other common species: V. gigantica (Jungle Val).
hard to kill plants
Many hobbyist think that aquatic plants are impossible to keep or grow. Wwell think again. The hardiest plants are here available to most hobbyist . The "Java Fern" and the "Anubias " plants are the easiest and hardiest of all aquatic plants. These two species require minimum lighthing and care.
Both grow and propagte at a minimal good growth.The java fern propagates by rhizome and its leaves shoots baby plants. As for the anubias the come in several varities. the "nana" and "barteri" variety are so far the most popular. The other advantage you will have with these aquatic plants is you literally can put or house them with even tropical fish that just cannot resist to nibble on plants. so all in all recommended for begginers and all who love aquatic plants.
Temple Plant
Hygrophila corymbosa (giant hygro, temple plant)
Also known as Nomaphila stricta. Light green leaves, sometimes with reddish veins. Easily grows out of the water, where leaves turn dark reddish green. Big plant; makes good corner/background in large deep tanks. Grows quickly given high fertilization. Fairly hardy. Another species with similar appearance and requirements is narrow-leaved hygro (probably H. augustifolia).
Floating fern
Azolla (floating fern)
Floating fern that grows out in triangular rafts. Buy at water garden stores.
Water lettuce
Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce)
Very demanding plant that prefers full sun (where it will grow the size of actual lettuce) over aquarium conditions (where it might be the size of a quarter). Reproduces by runners. Buy at water garden supply stores.
Green Hygro
Hygrophila polysperma (green hygro, Indian hygro)
Spreads like a weed. Green under medium light, but gets brownish tinge (and grows larger) in high light. Sunset and variegated varieties are available, but harder to grow.
Orchid Lily
Barclaya longifolia (orchid lily)
10-20" delicate brownish or olive-green leaves, moderately-undulated margins. Likes warmed substrate and warm aquariums (75-82F). Foreground single plant. Often rots on transplant. Flowers and seeds easily by sending a stalk to the surface, or will remain submerged and closed (seeds still viable). Very difficult to grow.
Plants and pots
Many aquatic plants are now sold in potted rockwool. Plants with delicate roots, such as Cryptocoryne and Anubias, are usually best left in the rockwool wadding, especially if you have to move them around in the tank. Leaving them potted also can reduce transplant shock; otherwise you must be patient and allow the plants time to recover in their new substrate. You can bury the pots in your gravel to conceal them. Some folks like to cut away the plastic pot, and just leave the plant in the wadding so it can grow out into the substrate.
Water milfoil
Myriophyllum (water milfoil)
Temperate water plant that needs good lighting. Good for background. Fine, green to reddish green leaves, depending on the species. Produces coarser leaves above water, which will flower.
Cardimine lyrata
Cardimine lyrata
Beautiful, delicate plant. Small (1/2 - 1") heart-shaped leaves with wavy edges on a thin stem. Grows roots above water at each node. Tolerates cold water very well; will overwinter outdoors at temperatures around freezing, even when emersed. Leaves look kind of like Hydrocotoyle sp., but stem is straight
Amazon Swords
Echinodorus (Amazon swords)
Most are good as single highlight plant, or background groups in large aquariums. Like high levels of fertilizer. Can grow emersed. Reproduce by adventitious plants on end of stalks runners, or root division, depending on species.
Common species:
1. bleheri, paniculatus, amazonicus: Your generic amazon swords, usually available in small, medium or large. Light green leaves can be over 20" (50cm). Produces plantlets directly on the flower stalk.
2. cordifolius (radican sword): heart-shaped leaves. Likes being emersed; will flower in open-top aquarium. Sends floating leaves if illumination is low.
3. major/maior (ruffle sword)
4. osiris (melon sword): blood-red slightly-undulate leaves.
5. parviflorus (tropico sword): smaller variety.
6. tenellus, quadricostatus (pygmy chain sword): leaves up to 6", 72-86F. Fast reproduction by runners; can create a lawn on large enough tank. Small plants; nice foreground display.
Crystalwort
Riccia fluitans (floating liverwort, crystalwort)
Big tangly glop like Java moss; good livebearer fry cover. Grows fast under high light.
Water wisteria
Hygrophila difformis (water wisteria)
Easy to grow. Prefers high light, but grows slowly under medium. Fine branched light green leaves. Has different emersed leaves, and flowers above water. Propagated from cuttings. Also known as Synnema triflorum. Sometimes confused with water sprite.
Banana Plant
Nymphoides aquatica (banana plant)
Olive-colored heart-shaped leaves that look superficially like water lily, and banana-like tubers on roots. Plant by sticking the tubers 1/3" in the gravel. Prefers lower temperatures. Throws out floating leaves if light and fertilization is good. This is one of my personal favorites.
Micro-sword
Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae (micro sword)
64-77F. This plant sold under this name is probably L. braziliensis, a South American Liaeopsis. It slowly spreads out in thick "turf" of grass, about three 1-3" long light green grass-like leaves per plant. Nice spawning medium, foreground plant.
Rotala
Rotala
Very delicate leaves, easily damaged. Grows up to 20" tall, so they make excellent background plants. R. indica can grow in medium light, but just will not stay as green. R. macrandra is largest, and hardest to cultivate. It has red leaves with pink undersides, turning to green in lower light, and requires iron fertilization to maintain its red color
Java Fern
Microsorum pteropus (Java fern)
This is one of the more hardy aquarium plants. It roots itself to solid objects like bogwood and rocks (attach with a piece of string or rubber band to hold it in place at first) and has a creeping rhizome which may be divided for cuttings. Young plants will also develop directly off spores, attached to old leaves, and can be cut off and rooted. In high light, it produces tough, plastic-like leaves; under low light the leaves are more delicate. Fronds are up to 8" long and undivided, though on older plants are trilobade (three lobes to a frond).
Cryptocoryne
Cryptocoryne (most species)
Shocks on transplant, takes up to months to adjust to new tank, so don't move them once you've planted them. Crypt rot caused by sudden water chemistry/quality changes. Spreads by rhizome; new plants develop at nodes. Not a good beginner plant. Often sold potted in rockwool, which reduces the above shocks. Usually prefers acidic water. Some species will not tolerate high light. Requires iron fertilization and likes rich substrate. Often-seen species:
1. affinis: emerald-green 4-12" leaves, red undersides. Foreground plant in large aquariums or center plants in small tanks. Grows OK in alkaline water.
2. balansae: likes higher light?
3. becketii: likes higher light?
4. lutea: easier crypt to grow.
5. walkeri
6. wendtii: easier crypt to grow. bronze, red, green varieties. wrinkled leaves. Up to 8"
African Water Fern
Bolbitus heudelotii (African water fern)
Slow-growing creeping rhizome with dark green, 8" lobed leaves. Tie roots to bogwood like Java fern. Don't bury the rhizome in the gravel. Can be grown emersed with fast-moving water.
Mayaca
Mayaca fluviatilis
Very pretty plant. Light green, narrow leaves about 1/2" long, arranged in whorls. Attractive for background plantings. Became commonly available in 1994. Like Hygrophila species, it seems to be a delicacy for fish. Doesn't root well, so plantings need to be refreshed from cuttings.
Floating Fern
Salvinia (floating fern)
Small floating fern that grows in long chains of two oval leaves and a ``root-like'' third leaf. Easier to control than duckweed. Buy it at water garden supply stores, as it's too cheap for most aquarium shops.
Cardinalis
Lobelia cardinalis
Similar/same the red-flowered land garden plant. Rumored to leach poison if cut.
Onion Bulb
Crinum (onion bulb)
As the name implies, it grows from a bulb and looks like a scallion. Bright-green leaves are huge 20-40", and recommended only for large aquariums. Does better in bright light.
Madagascar Lace Plant
Aponogeton madagascariensis (Madagascar Lace Plant)
Very desired plant because of its 6-18" leaves which are actually a lace-like skeleton. Pink self-fertile flowers on double-spiked stalk. Likes rich substrate. Observe dormancy period! Dies in water over 80F. Difficult plant to grow.
Spatterdock
Nuphar (spatterdock)
Water lily-like plant. Usually sold as rhizome end-cutting, which rots away in a month. Likes colder temperatures.
Ambulia
Limnophila sp. (ambulia)
Similar in appearance to Cabomba, but less light-demanding. Grows light green leaves in whorls at each node (Cabomba has a pair of leaves at each node). There are two common species, L. aquatica and L. sessiliflora. The former is larger, more bushy, and has finer leaves. It is hardy in tropical aquaria with high light.
Rosette: Anubias
Not really a rosette plant, Anubias all have a creeping rhizome that grows very slowly, throwing out new leaves as it grows. The plant is built like a tank, people report keeping them in a closet for six months in a plastic bag yet still surviving. It is also one of the most expensive aquarium plants. If grown immersed, they may produce larger leaves, and will grow faster, and flowers will produce seeds. Anubias will frequently flower underwater, but not seed. You can grow the roots in gravel, or even train the rhizome to grow on bogwood like Java fern does. Most commonly kept species is A. barteri var. nana, the smallest Anubias, which has egg-shaped leaves and makes a great foreground plant in medium-to-large aquariums. A. barteri var. barteri looks similar to the nana variety, but with bigger leaves. A. congensis, A. lanceolata and others grow very tall and make good background plants. They can sometimes be seen in better stores.
Water Pennywort
Hydrocotoyle leucocephala (water pennywort)
Tall stem plant (over 20") with heart-shaped green leaves of 1" diameter. Develops several small roots at each node. Tolerates 50-82F. Will grow floating when it reaches the top of the water and flower in the aquarium. Doesn't root well, so needs to be refreshed occasionally from cuttings. Leaves look kind of like Cardimine lyrata.
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