10 Reviews: Best Aquatic Plant for Aquarium (Apr 2024)

This popular aquarium plant is known for its ability to grow extremely large and cover your fish tank in lush beauty. Lighting and substate are less crucial than ensuring that it is given a large number of root tabs. The sword generally has large, circular leaves that are emersed grown when you first get it (or grown outside of water). When these large leaves are submerged in water, they melt back as the plant reabsorbs its nutrients, resulting in longer, narrower leaves (or grown underwater).

It was good. They grew well. Arrived in good shape.

by Jody M.

We had to add another cryptocoryn to our list since they are so simple and beginner-friendly. You can make them happy with practically any substrate and any light, and no CO2 injection is needed, as with most crypts. Crypts grow slowly in general, but give them three months from the day you put them in your aquarium and they’ll quickly become one of your favorites. Faster-growing plants frequently require regular pruning, however, crypts maintain their beauty for a long time with just the occasional root tab. 

Are you looking for a simple carpeting plant to finish off your aquascape? Dwarf sagittaria looks like a small vallisneria and is a resilient grass-like plant. When using high light, it remains short and little, but when using low light, it grows rather tall in order to get closer to the light. It likes both root tabs and liquid fertilizers in the water column when it comes to nutrition. Dwarf sag spreads quickly by sending out runners all over the substrate. If it expands to an area of the tank that you don’t want it to, just pick off the new branches and transplant them somewhere.

I planted this plant into my fluval substrate with root tabs. It seems to be doing well so far. I have it in the the back of the tank with the hope that it spreads from left to right. Thank you for helping me with my planted tank.

by Steven S.

Both java moss and java fern are named after the Indonesian island of Java, and although they are both simple to care for, their appearances are extremely different. The java fern comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, including thin leaf, Windelov (or lace), and trident, but the most common kind has long, pointed leaves with highly ridged veins. The plant is usually wedged into rock and wood cracks, and the roots eventually grow tightly around it.

The Java fern traveled very well despite the temps in the state not being optimal. Leaves were strong and it is still doing well in the tank.

by Lizette B.

Want to transform your aquarium into an aquatic rainforest with no effort? All you’ll need is a single plant–vallisneria. This tall, grass-like species grows all the way to the top of the water surface when fed enough root tabs and liquid fertilizers and easily spreads by producing side shoots in the substrate. You can even add fish that are notorious for digging up or devouring plants after it’s well-established in your aquarium.

great plant. when split apart was actually more like two plants. green and healthy

by Diane M.

Java moss is a low-maintenance aquarium plant that can be used as an overhanging plant. Java moss looks like a stem with thin small leaves and grows in a random pattern, making it a perfect aquascaping plant for hiding most aquarium occupants and even providing a hiding spot for young fry to avoid being eaten by the adult fish. It only grows to a maximum height of 5 inches and grows horizontally across an aquarium, making it excellent for growing alongside taller plants that do not cover the surface and so obstruct light from reaching your Java moss.

Love this mat! I've only had it for a few days and already the moss that's on it is fluffing up and my kuhli loaches love to lay in it.

by C.T.

If you want to try stem plants for the first time, bacopa is a good place to start. The stem of this southern native is straight and vertical, with tiny, roundish leaves. Although it does not need CO2 input, it does benefit from liquid fertilizers like Easy Green. While it can grow in low light, the leaf tips turn coppery-red in the presence of high light and iron dosing.

Purchased Bacopa Caroliniana and it came in well protected and easily transitioned into my tank. Top notch quality and I'll definitely be making future purchases.

by Rafael H.

Monte Carlo is a popular, low-growing underwater plant that looks wonderful as a carpet specimen in a medium to high-light aquarium. Although you must supply the plants with carbon dioxide, this plant is a relative newcomer to the trade and is reasonably straightforward to cultivate.

What a great deal!! Thank you so much. I was able to fully carpet my aquarium with your beautiful tissue culture monte carlo! It looks great and is thriving! Can't thank you enough!

by Tprout

Staurogyne repens is a lovely carpet plant with stiff stems that reach approximately 4 inches in height. The plant is reasonably easy to grow and resilient, making it an excellent option for a beginner. Although the plant will need to be trimmed on a regular basis to maintain the growth balanced, the cuttings may be used to propagate the plant. Simply place the trimmings in the substrate, and they will grow into new plants.

I bought these to be my new carpet plant and already my guppy fry are using them to hide. The quality is perfect, no melting. I planted them into Fluval black sand and added seachem flourish

by S. Reeves

Glosso is a demanding species that needs precise lighting, carbon dioxide, and nutrition conditions to thrive. If you strike the proper equilibrium, the plant will reach a height of around 2 inches. However, the plant must be placed out of the shade of other plants and fish tank decoration, otherwise, it will seek to grow higher in order to access the light.