5 Plants to Consider for Your Aquarium

Not only are live aquarium plants beautiful, but they offer many benefits for your home aquarium. Many fish like having secluded places to lounge and hide, and having shelter is essential to letting fish breed. Also, arguably the most important benefit of live aquatic plants is their ability to filter out carbon dioxide and ammonia. Maintaining ammonia levels is essential to having a balanced environment for your aquatic life to thrive. Here are 5 plants to consider for your aquarium.

Hornwort

Hornwort is a staple in many freshwater tanks. It can thrive in a variety of environments and does well in cold or warm tanks. Hornwort is dense, so it offers ample room for your fish to hide and lounge. It does grow quickly, however, so it needs to be kept in check and pruned occasionally.

Java Moss

Java Moss is an excellent choice for those who need a soft bed. It thrives in the average tropical freshwater tank at around 80°F. Java moss creates a natural, soft bed over the substrate, which can be useful if you have delicate fish needing a gentle substrate. Note that this plant floats, so make sure to attach it to the bottom of the tank if you want to create a soft bed.

Dwarf Hairgrass

Dwarf Hairgrass is beautiful and is also a great choice for a soft bed. Its temperature requirements are a bit more strict, thriving at 72°F to 78°F. You’ll need to regularly trim your Dwarf Hairgrass to keep it from taking over your tank.

Tiger Lotus

The Tiger Lotus is an absolutely stunning plant. It doesn’t grow as densely as the other choices on this list, but it is a large plant that needs frequent pruning. It does well in almost any freshwater tropical aquarium as long as it has room to grow. Planting the Tiger Lotus is a bit different than other plants, since it grows from a bulb.

Dwarf Water Lettuce

The Dwarf Water Lettuce plant is a floater, offering a unique addition to any warm freshwater aquarium. It’s fairly small, so it is a great choice for smaller tanks. It thrives in warm to very warm water, up to 86°F. You’ll need to prune this one regularly, however, since it grows wide and can block light from reaching your other aquatic plants.

What to Watch Out for With Your Aquatic Plants

Aquatic plants are an excellent addition to most aquariums and offer a variety of benefits. That being said, there are a few precautions you need to take before choosing your plants. First, you’ll want to make sure your plants will have adequate lighting. Introducing too many large, tall plants can restrict light from reaching your lower ones, causing them to struggle. Lighting is very important for all plants, as it is required for plants to photosynthesize.

You’ll also want to ensure that your chosen plants are not part of the diet of your other aquatic life. For example, some shrimp will eat anything living in your tank including plants, so it might be best to refrain from getting live plants entirely in this scenario.

While aquatic plants require extra upkeep and care, they are a unique addition to your tank and offer plenty of benefits that make them entirely worth the effort.